Forward12

I use to do it all the time as I felt ashamed that the clerks would get to know me as a drunk. It didn't last long as I was in there so much I knew pretty much every employee.
One time I was at a bar and one of the workers was there and recognized me as "the guy that comes to the store all the time" was pretty embarrassing.

Zanna

I used to do this as well. The amount of junk I bought and then 'suddenly remembered' a party I was going to...That was my excuse but they weren't stupid.

steve-in-kville

Where has this thread been hiding?? Wow, I can relate to almost all of this. Showing up Saturday morning at 9am (store #1) when they just unlocked the doors... hitting up store #2 after dark for another bottle. Monday morning I might have an inch of bourbon left in the bottle.

I wasn't fooling anyone.

Cara39

Just wanted to say that I identified with every post in this thread so thank you.

I'm on Day 2 and it's soul destroying realising that I've spent over 10 years wasting my time plotting and planning and lying. Indifference is fine, the worst is when you can see the pity in the cashier's face and you leave the store feeling absolutely worthless.

Caramel

Welcome, Cara39

Cara39

Thanks Caramel

Camery03

I too would rotate the stores I would go to, and sometimes was in the parking lot at 8am when they opened. They could smell the booze I am sure, and it wasn't like some days I looked put together at all. LOL- I mean, who buys a bottle of Vodka on a Wednesday morning at 8:05 in their pajamas? Who did I think I was kidding?
Great thread!

cwood3

Here's one for ya. My "be good to myself drink" was Jameson on the rocks, in my special heavy lead crystal short glass. I always bought my jug at the same liquor store near my house. The store owner and his wife know me by name. Went in one day, purchased my bottled and started to leave. He shouts out, "Hey wait a minute!, I got something for ya". He brings out a very nice Jameson shirt, I mean very nice. He said his liquor supplier was in and left that with him because he was selling a lot of Jameson lately. He gave me the shirt and said "see ya next time!". Now that's good service....for a bad habit....but he was a nice old guy.

HelenofTroy

What a great thread!

I make my own wine so don't do a lot of shopping at the liquor store. Early this summer I went there to buy a can of ale to make steak and ale pie. While there I realized I was leaving for a 3 day remote camping trip in a couple of days where if you don't bring it you don't have it so in a panic I started filling a shopping cart with things I may want to drink - pre-mixed Caesars, wine coolers, bottles of nice wine, vodka, rum... The cashier (middle aged woman like me) rang it up and gave me my total; roughly $200 worth of booze. As I swiped my card I said "I only came in for a can of ale for a steak and ale pie" and we laughed and laughed... Yeah, not doing that anymore.

Camery03

I think the worse experience I ever had was a rainy morning I walk in to the gas station after stopping to get my bottle of vodka in the morning in my flip flops and pajamas, ( I am quite certain I was buzzed) and slipped on the wet floor. Right in front of a line of people 20 or so deep. Imagine the horror on their faces-- since it was clearly obvious I wasn't put together. Oh. my. That was bad.

BeFree1971

One of the last times I went to the liquor store (they knew me of course), I made a large purchase. One of the owners offered to put it all in a box and walk it out to my car. He said "keep the box to use for next time." I thought, man I hope there's not a next time.

Elicia08

((((Bexxed)))). I just finished reading this whole thread and I was over half-way through it when I realized the OP was over three years ago. You are amazing, my friend. I am so proud of you for continuing to come back. I hope and pray to God I never drink again, but if I do I hope even more I can have the courage to come back here and keep trying.

That said, I didn't really rotate stores much. I have a little gas station just up the road that sells beer and such. I used to go up there and just get a 12-pack, often having to return later that night for more. One time the stock guy said, "You know, if you buy the 30-pack it's cheaper and you don't have to come back so often..." I thought he was brilliant! Lol. From then on I was buying a 30-pack about every other day. Occasionally I would actually need groceries and would go to the store down the street. I remember being relieved that I wouldn't have to go into the gas station that day.

As far as recycling goes, I am also a "keep America beautiful" kinda girl, but I didn't have recycling pick up at my house. I kept bags and bags and bags of cans, letting them all pile up on the side of my house. Recently I signed up for curb-side pick up at my house and they delivered one of those giant bins with the lid. It took three cycles for all the cans to be gone and the bin was filled each time to over flowing. Gross. I can imagine how much worse it would have been if I had continued to drink all that time.

Grateful that his thread is here so others can see they are not alone....

juppe

Something very similar happened to me. I wasn't drunk at that particular time but I was in a big hurry to start my drinking. So I'm in the store and picked up a bottle of vodka and walked down some of the other aisles looking for something to eat. While walking through the store I started to smell faint odors of booze but thought nothing of it. When I got to the self-checkout and scanned the bottle I saw that the bottle of vodka I had picked out for myself had a leaky cap (which I didn't notice because i was so focused on getting drunk). So I call the cashier over and realize by this point there's booze all over the scanner, my hands and my pants. Turns out the leaky vodka bottle was leaking through the hand-basket I was carrying and had soaked my pants (pretty much down the whole length).

The cashier sees the bottle and asks if I'd lIke to get a different bottle. I'm like "yea duh of course can you watch the register while I go get it?" At this point there's a line forming and I told him I'd be back real quick. I turn around, almost slip on the vodka soaked floor with my face completely red from embarrassment everyone in line can smell the booze and I just absolutely stink of booze . I make my way back to the liquor aisle and notice there's a trail of vodka on the floor which just so happens to follow the exact route I had taken through the store earlier.

I got a new bottle and go back to the register where there's some kid mopping up the mess I had created and I hear the people in line talking about me as I cut in front of all of them and finish my transaction and leave. It didn't bother me too much at the time I think my initial reaction was to be mad at the store for putting a leaky bottle on the shelf. In hindsight, thinking about the situation now brings me shame. Suffice to say, I never ever went back to that store!

Outonthetiles

I had a vast, and I mean, vast number of stores that I frequented. I think the farthest I went for the sole purpose of buying booze was about 25 miles, but there could be more. I also found that I was buying booze on the way back from out of town and even out of state meetings, and had a regular circuit of satellite stores that I would go to.

I'm never going back to the way I was.

Hawk07

There are tons of places to by liquor in the small town I live in unfortunately. I had my pick of about 9 favorites to choose from every week. About 3-4 of them were grocery stores and for some reason if I was at one of those I always felt like I had to buy groceries too even if I was just there for liquor so they wouldn't 'know'I was an alcoholic. My pantries were well stocked with tons of food I didn't need.
One of the most embarrassing incidences was one evening on a bender I ran out early. I still wanted to drink so I figured I'd head to the drug store down the street, the closest one. I walked thankfully. Once I got there it was packed and the line was so long. I picked up a bottle of vodka and stood in line for 10mins at least. I must have reeked of alcohol and I'm sure everyone within 10ft could smell me. Once I finally got to the cashier it was someone new I've never seen before. He looked me straight in the eye and said 'your eyes are bloodshot and you reek of alcohol. I'm not selling this to you'. Meanwhile there's a huge line of people behind me witnessing this. I proceed to argue with him and say something like oh well I've been working at a computer all day so that's why my eyes are red and I've only had 2 beers so this is ridiculous! Let me speak to your manager! Slurring the whole way I'm sure too. Turns out he was the manager and didn't usually work the cashier lines unless they were super busy I guess which is why I'd never seen him. On the threat of the police being called I left. I made a complete fool of myself but didn't even care at the time. Carried on further down the road to a liquor store and bought my bottle of vodka there with no problem. I'm still mortified when I think of it but so thankful I never have to go through something like that again.

SummerBee

I go to my local shop to buy two for £10, bottles of Blossom Hill, justifying to myself that the offer is indeed for two bottles so therefore need to get two. Only problem is, I always buy an extra one to hide for 'topping up'. Started to worry that someone would see me with three in the bag and look like an alkie (haha, how dillusional) so started saying to the checkout guy that I would put one in my hand bag as the three may split the plastic bag, being too heavy. Now the checkout guy just says 'here's the one for your handbag'. He knows exactly what I am up to, its just so embassasing. The insanity of it all.

steve-in-kville

I used to make fun of all the "wine mommy's" that would be waiting in the parking lot of the liquor store before they opened. I guess I was the "bourbon daddy" who snuck in before closing so I could hit the ground running right off the next morning!

lessgravity

Sorry but I had to re-up this post. It's one of my favorite all time posts on SR. So much to consider in its pages.

Bexxed - just another thanks.

No one is coming to save me.

Lookingforchange

This post was amazing. You have a real gift for writing. I hope you post some more. Thanks for taking the time to write it.

Dustitoffman

I didn't even know there was a problem with the amount of alcohol I was purchasing.

I never had hangovers🤫

Sometimes if I knew a cashier and they gave a bit of a look I would say "just getting my one a day" as if it was part of my daily vitamin requirement.

One day one said "what no drink today". And that did hit home. I thought cheeky bugger! He was a nice guy but it made me feel quite angry and although I didn't say anything I'm afraid that my eyebrows always give me away when I'm angered. They speak volumes!

As I say I was completely unaware that I had a problem till a medical specialist gave me the hypothetical kick in the nuts. And that was where I dropped ⚓ anchor and brought myself to a full stop.
That's why I am here with you all on SR today.