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Today’s quote is from F.Scott Fitzgerald, who needs no introduction:
‘First you take a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes you.’
As a very young child of about five or six, I hated the effect that alcohol had on my parents. They were not alcoholics by any stretch of the imagination, but Dad always liked a drink every Sunday lunchtime, and would often return from the pub worse for wear and on a shorter fuse than normal. Mum would be complaining that his dinner was all dried up, and I’d try and stay out of the way until everything had calmed down. When they went out with friends or to a party I’d worry about what state they’d come home in, as sometimes they were sick and the next day would be hungover.
Even at that tender age I knew it was alcohol that was turning them into something I didn’t want them to be. My parents unwittingly turned me off imbibing too much alcohol for life. About the age of 7 I decided that I would never, ever, get drunk. So far I never have, nor ever will be, as I prefer to be in control of my faculties. I just cannot see the attraction in it. Disbelievers over the years have said to me “I’m going to get you drunk tonight.” I tell them “Good luck with that then.”
In my late teens and early twenties I was always the responsible one, a ‘des’ (designated driver) for all my girlfriends, happy to have just one alcoholic drink and spend the rest of the evening drinking fruit juice. Even now I am the same. I like whisky and ginger, Pimms or cider, but am happy with just the one. To be perfectly honest, I prefer water. People look at me aghast in pubs or clubs if I say I want a glass of water. Sometimes I like asking for water just to wind them up, even if I fancy a whisky and ginger!
I am lucky that I was not born with an addictive nature. I have seen over and over the misery caused to families living with somebody who is an alcoholic. So I would say that it depends on your personality as to whether the drink takes you or not. It won’t take me, because I won’t let it.
dgkaye said:
I can so identify with this post. My mother wasn’t classified as an alcoholic, she didn’t drink all the time but when she did, look out! In turn, I never had a real affinity for drinking. I think, like I say in some of my books, there are two roads we can take from where we come, we either become the product of our environment, or turn the other way. 🙂
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Stevie Turner said:
Quite often we turn the other way, I know I did. Thanks for your comment.
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dgkaye said:
🙂
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Don Massenzio said:
Thank you for the honest and inspiring post
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Let's CUT the Crap! said:
I suppose enjoying everything in moderation is the key. 🙂 Great post.
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Stevie Turner said:
Yes, if only…
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Let's CUT the Crap! said:
😀 😀 😀 *sigh*
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Bernadette said:
Reblogged this on Haddon Musings.
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Stevie Turner said:
Thanks for the re-blog, Bernadette.
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Bernadette said:
Unfortunately, alcohol doesn’t always change your personality for the better.
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Stevie Turner said:
Too true.
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franklparker said:
I couple of inadvertent present tenses in the above – should be ‘awoke’ and ‘indulged’.
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franklparker said:
Thank you for this, Stevie. It is timely in view of the recent suggestion by the Irish Minister for Transport that the legal limit for for drivers should be reduced from 50 to 20ml./100ml. Campaigners argue that the limit should be zero. It is an important political issue in rural areas because there are people who ‘need’ to drive to the pub and home again, there being no public transport and taxis being expensive. Like me, you will see through these arguments: one less drink would cover the taxi fare and, anyway, you don’t have to take alcohol in order to socialise successfully – arguably you can participate more intelligently in conversations when sober!
I do like a drink – only at home or when able to get transport home. The only occasion when I was ill as a result of excess drink was a couple of days after our son was born. Colleagues from work took me out to ‘wet the baby’s head’. I have no doubt that someone was spiking my drinks that night – I do not have a large capacity for beer, yet I awake at around 6am the next morning with my sheets covered in vomit. Mrs. P was still in hospital so I hand washed the sheets before one of the party came to pick me up for work!
I also remember the tradition of Sunday lunchtime drinking which my father-in-law indulges in, with me and his son and brother-in-law whenever we stayed with them for a weekend after we moved away from Hereford.
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Stevie Turner said:
I love the bit about people ‘needing’ to drive to the pub! I always told my sons that they didn’t need alcohol to have a good time, but neither of them listened. Fortunately they seem quite sensible drinkers now.
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