I spent last night in a bar in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh. I bought two draft beers and a gin and tonic...for my three colleagues and an iced tea, lemon, no sugar for me.
You know, they are fully aware that I don't drink, and when I suggested we hang out for awhile after class, one was very gracious to suggest a coffee shop about two blocks away. I couldn't walk that far, and parking is a nightmare, so I suggested Hemingway's, a bar right around the corner. A second one said, "Are you sure?" There are some seriously sweet normies out there.
Guess what the conversation was about? Or, what conversation we could have above the din of a crowd of Pittsburgh Penguin fans? Alcoholism! One of the ladies asked if I'd mind talking about it, as her best friend's boyfriend is in treatment. So, we talked about how it's really not so sad, that some of the finest people I know are the finest people I know because they're alcoholic (I had to explain that one). We talked about the difference between recovered and cured -- how I could sit there while they were drinking and not want one (god, booze stinks...I never noticed it when I was drinking), but that if I did, and if I managed to walk out after one, my first stop would be the beer store for a 12-pack, and soon after, I'd be pacing the floor asking myself why I hadn't bought more. It was enlightening, and I thought -- how cool that I was able to answer her questions and share some E, S & H instead of showing her a grizzly side of me.
So...freedom? Oh, freedom!
Peace & Love,
Sugah