I hadn’t had a drink in nearly ten years, but reunions get you. They remind you of who you once were even when you have convinced yourself you have walked away from that person who once looked through your eyes. But then you find yourself in a room full of people you haven’t seen in twenty years and every insecurity floods into your mind. You forget about the twelve steps of sobriety and remember the twelve shames of puberty. So my reunion with my former classmates led to my reunion with my favorite vice—bourbon.
I remember the first sip. It burned more than I remembered on the way down. The second one burned less. A few glasses in and my old friend and I were getting along just fine. Then the world started to get that glow.
Do you know the glow? No one could touch me. Nothing could go wrong. I was on top of the world. I even asked the prom queen to dance. She shot me down cold. Of course, she did. I didn’t care. I still had my glass of bourbon in hand, until I drank it down to warm up for the next dance.
I got that dance, too. My high school sweetheart took pity on me. She danced me all the way to the periphery of the gym and got me seated in a chair. When she said something about finding me some coffee, I got up and headed for the door.
After that, I don’t remember anything. I woke up this morning feeling pretty good for a guy who just gave up ten years of sobriety. I even popped onto social media to see what I missed. My memories didn’t come back, but I certainly looked like I was having fun in all the pictures. I guess someone might tell me about it at the next reunion.
It doesn’t matter to me one way or another. At least it wouldn’t, if only I could remember where I left my pants.
~~My tardiness is not bourbon related. It is toddler related. Did I ever have that much energy?~~
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