Alcohol is a wonderful thing, what better elixir to loosen the wheels of conversation, put a spring in the step of an elderly gent on a cold winters' morning, take the sting out of a difficult day or act as the glue that bonds a gathering of strangers.
For some people, it is also a destructive brew that causes more heartache, disease, financial calamity and suicide than all of the illegal drugs combined.
On Rescue 1 in Providence 70%, give or take, of our calls today will be alcohol related. Alcohol poisoning, accidents, assaults, emotional people out of control, falls, fights and just about every conceivable oddity will take place, fueled by alcohol.
Some people can't drink. Some people are better off passing on the St. Patrick's Day celebrations. Some people will join the party anyway, and finish the day drunk, broke and depressed, and probably alone.
You can party without drinking. Really, you can. If you are one of those people who have problems with alcohol finding the courage to not drink is nearly impossible, especially today. Nearly impossible, but not impossible. Everybody wants to be one of the gang, part of the crowd, in with the in people and so on. Peer pressure is excessive in bars, buying rounds, doing shots and hammering a few is the purpose of being there, right?
So don't be there.
Find people who don't drink, or don't drink to excess. They are there, and they will have a pretty good day without all the drama.
Go to a movie.
Go to the gym.
Go to a Chinese Restaurant.
If you simply must join the party, order a club soda with a splash of cranberry and a twist of lime. Most people are too busy drinking to notice that you are not. That's a funny thing I learned a while ago when I used to worry about what people were thinking about me. It is quite liberating to finally realize that they are not!
There is always some knucklehead that insists you drink with him, and will torture you, and buy you a beer, and get all pouty when you give it away. Just remember, these kind of people are not looking out for your best interests, they are simply looking for somebody to drink with. Or fight with, it doesn't matter when they're in their cups.
You don't have to. You don't have to end up drunk. You don't have to end up broke. You don't have to end up alone.
And you definitely don't have to call 911!
Happy St. Patricks Day. It's great to be Irish!
Well written…said…thank you and it is great to be Irish!!!
It is absolutely possible. Some of the funniest and best nights I’ve had have been without alcohol. And it’s very true: as long as you’ve got a glass of something, people won’t care what it is and will happily toast you. It’s a known trick used by pregnant women everywhere
Years ago, I’d go clubbing, order a bourbon and coke, and then just coke for the rest of the night…. the bartender understood, and I stayed upright!
Well written Michael. I saaw lots of that tonight, seems thats all we got. The sad part is a couple of them were intubated because they were so tanked! They’ll wake up tomorrow wonder where the hell they are and get extabted only to do it all over again.