Daily for me. Sometimes I wouldn't buy enough and have to go back out. I don't know how I thought I was able to fool the clerks. I was trashed.

At the end, I gave up rotating liquor stores and just went to the same one every morning. It took only 3 days before I bought out all of "my" wine. Then, I moved on to my "2nd choice" and so on. At one point I had to go to a different store because I bought all the white wine. I was so happy when they would re-stock.

This thread is amazing. We all behave the same - I suppose it's alcoholism and society, stigma rules etc that make us follow the same patterns. It's so helpful to read that you have all been as crazy as me ;-) lol

Indeed. Weirdley enough, I'd see repeat patrons around the same time at various stores. Last place I was at in Wyoming, it was like clockwork. I would be there between 3-4 PM on Friday, and would likely see two other patrons nearly every time. We all went out of our way to try and make like we didn't recognize each other. Saturday afternoon restock also had a few regulars aside from me.

In my last stab at AA in Wyoming before I relocated, I saw a couple of them at least poke their head into a meeting. During the last relapse, we were all back on our buying schedule, which further drove us from acknowleging each other, I'm sure. I hope they make it...

"Always Believe!" -The Ultimate Warrior

I often stop at a 7-11 to buy coffee in the morning and I see people (mostly men and mostly construction types) buying tall boys on the way to work at 7:00 am. I wonder if construction jobs are conducive to drinking on the job.

I've seen guys from the mines in northern Wyoming getting beer that early, but they were coming off third shift. It was their five o'clock. I'm careful not to make assumptions. Purchasing does not necessarily equate consumption.

"Always Believe!" -The Ultimate Warrior

I actually had some question me once, another customer if I really should be buying beer at 8 am. First off it was none of their business and second I had just left work from night shift.

Not at my company! I wonder if they are overnight workers on highway construction or something. That's just stupid. You know how much workman's comp rates go up if someone gets injured on the job?? Its dangerous enough being around heavy equipment, and they want to do it buzzed. Hell no.

Still, people drive drunk.

There's also the fact that if all they're getting is a tall boy, they can't be my kind of drinker. 16 oz would be down my gullet in half an hour, and wouldn't so much as buzz me. If thats all I'm getting, it was a waste of a couple bucks.

The reason I was rotating my buying, avoiding clerks, etc, was shame and fear. A normal person buying a single beer at the end of a shift probably doesn't feel that, so they have no reason to question buying it in the morning if that's their downtime.

If I saw them back to restock several times a day like I did, I'd relate easier. But as has been said, it's not my business, either.

"Always Believe!" -The Ultimate Warrior

Same. A tall boy wouldn't even affect my judgement. Can't judge people for buying in the morning. You don't know them.

I was more of a drink at home, and go out type of alcoholic. I have PTSD, so drinking made it possible to go out. I'm at a loss now. My mom took away my benzos because I was drinking on benzos. I just want one or the other to help me. Otherwise, I'm going out at 3AM with a knife I'm not allowed to carry anymore because I was violent towards police officers. They didn't shoot me, which was a miracle. The force didn't even know me too well. I can't hate Toronto cops cuz tney didn't kill me.

BTW, I was sober that night. I had 1 beer followed by a bottle of water.

All these stories about rotating stores, rotating shifts, rotating purchases are great. I remember them all well. Thanks, it brought a smile to my face and affirms it for me. I am an addict.

Anybody else found it a relief that the big box groceries added self checkout lines so you can "get away with" buying again the next day? Ha!

I bought at least an 18 pack of beer daily, sometimes more than once a day! I always feared running out and would make sure that the frig was stocked at all times. I would do the rotation thing too, although I went so often to every liquor store that they all knew me. They must think that I died six years ago:)

Daily here. You know, I would rotate through at least 4-5 stores to make it look like I wasn't a regular. Really hit home when the guy working the checkout said I'm like clock-work.... ouch.

I read everyone's post on here multiple times. Thank you everyone.

Sure was where I worked. Hard out in the field work mixed with hard drinking. Many didn't make it to retirement due to their running with the liquid devil.
Mountainman