Norm from Cheers
 

I remeber watching the show Cheers back in the 90s, and still occasionally on reruns now-a-days. In the show, there was a character named "Norm" who was in the bar day in, and day out - always drinking a fresh (free) mug of Boston's finest lager. Evertime he walked in the other patrons would greet him, "NORM!" Classic. Even at that young age (adolesence in 90s) I wanted to be like Norm, not in all aspects because he was always complaining about his wife "Vera," but I wanted that sort of style of life, being a regular at my local.

Well as time passed and drinking at house parties switched to drinking in local watering holes, my wish started to become true. By age 19, I started to become that sort of regular (to a degree). No, people didnt yell my "NAME" as I walked in, but the barkeeps did know me well, know what i drank (and would get it for me without asking), and the other patrons (or "friends") knew the parts of my life that I would tell them (which was cool). I felt like Norm.

BUT!!, what I didnt learn from watching Cheers was, that folks that speand more time sitting at the bar, then working or sleeping, eventually get Drunk. So, my normal day would consist of drink a few (8-10) brews and a few shots, but atleast once a week, I would let my "friends" know things that I didnt want them to know. I would get drunk and act a fool. But, it was cool, they didnt mind, they were drunk too, and the barkeeps didnt care - cuz it was their job, and i tipped well. So, many of the days of the week, my normal would be that. Getting treated like "Norm" from Cheers, but drinking like the old Sam Malone.

Today my "Norm" has changed. Im not going into the local anymore, and it is refreshing. Just as refreshing as the day I started becoming a regular. The newness attracts me now, as it did then - and Im diving right in. Im frieghtened of the newness of being sober wearing off - just as the yurning for acceptance at the bar did. A fresh start has always been good for me, but it has always worn off and became "the Norm" and the norm causes me to drink.

WSTS

WSTS!

:welcome

Welcome to SR, wsts.

It's kinda like those glossy ad's for alcohol.....they never show
the true facts that drinkers often die ...miserable and alone.
:cries3:

Have you decided to go to AA with your friends?
That's where I learned how to live sober and well.


Good to see you again....:yup:

And please..drink responsively
Oh yeah..you betcha!

Changing the Norm...good concept.

After I quit drinking... I was watching a movie and EVERY commercial segment started with a nice young latino man 'teaching' the audience how to make a certain drink.
I was thinking...why waste that beautiful diamond cut looking ice and why waste the mixer and 4 oz equal parts? Who measures it?
That seemed like alot of effort for an alcoholic. LOL

EmRo,

I know that commercial....D'something on the rocks.....lol

WSTS

Thank you all for reading my post. Im happy today...so I posted a light hearted post.

"Sometimes you want to go, where everybody knows your Norm"

WSTS

It's funny because when I drank I considered myself the most interesting man in the world....come to find out I was more like Cliff Claven.:)

Great show, great characters and as a Boston native, this show has many special places in my heart and in my memories. I always identified more with the Sam character tho, especially here in this famous episode about Sam and his sobriety...




YouTube - Cheers, Endless Slumper - 3 of 3

Thanks brother....grreat clip.

WSTS

I was trying to find the simpsons episode that did a parody of cheers...much more like real life!

Back in 1995, when I was at Boston's Logan airport waiting to go off to Army boot camp, there was a Cheers theme bar in the airport and they had TV's on that played Cheers episodes, one after another. I had some time to kill, a few bucks in my pocket, and a desire to spend my remaining hours of freedom by drinking as many 32oz glasses of beer as possible while trying to keep my mind off the unknown hell that was to come. So that's just what I did, sitting there drinking watching several episodes go by. By the time I got to Fort Jackson, SC the beer buzz was a memory and my new life was officially underway. It would be two months later until another drop of alcohol crossed my lips. I still have the receipt from the bar (for all my beers) in a box of old mementos. I know that sounds kinda like glamorizing my past drinking, but it wasn't all bad. Just bad enough to make me quit almost two and a half years ago.

Im a Military man myself.