Other People Drunk......

Alcohol
1
On Sunday I was in the garden and my neighbour came out. She was a bit louder than normal and mentioned she had been in the pub for the afternoon.

I pondered; would she remember being in the garden, would she feel embarassed that she was bigger, louder than normal., would she cope with Monday. Then I realised that not everyone drinks to the excesses I drank to. She would probably remember everything, not be bothered, and get on with her life.

Yesterday, I was leaving the house when someone shouted after me. It was the man from a few doors away. It was odd that he shouted, not his style at all I wouldn't of said from the couple of times I have met him. I went to say hello and he chattered on quite unlike normal. I was looking at him and then he went all scary; there was a dark look in his eyes. That only lasted for a minute, but what was going on, this wasn't the man who I had spoken to before. Then I wondered if he had been drinking, and put my nose into gear. Sure enough it detected the booze, he didn't stink of it, but it was there. Anyway, off he went and off I went, pondering......I felt guilty for seeing the darkness in him, he is a little old man really. Maybe he was a reflection of my darkness. Would he remember, feel guilty for being drunk.......?

So many people drink. It is considered quite normal to drink. I don't know normal drinking though. My neighbours are probably quite moderate in their consumption, it is me that is the alcohol vacuum! I am projecting my alcoholism on to them I think, where it doesn't belong. They can drink and function in their lives quite normally from what I have seen the last six weeks. If I started drinking, whoa, chaos, destruction, inertia and neglect would rain!

Perish the thought.
2
Great story, Lacey.
I was very "social" when I drank--I can imagine (now) what people thought. Not that it mattered at the time, but I kid myself in thinking I'm still very anonymous through life and nobody knows/knew I was a lush. I'm guessing pretty much everybody knew BUT me!
:)
Thanks for sharing.
3
It was hard for me to be around drunk people when I was drinking, I isolated when I drank, lol! Now, it is extremely difficult to be around anyone who is drunk or anyone who has drunk-dialed, well I usually tell them now, call me when you're sober...I can be around people who are just drinking normally...but I don't do that very often...I know it could be a slippery place for me.
4
I, too, get a little exhasperated around them. Even the smell kind of makes me nautious--I can't imagine how much fun *I* was to be around! I usually drank by myself, but after enough liquid courage I'd see myself as quite the social guy--and usually WAS the life of the party as long as everyone ELSE was smashed, too.
I don't mind watching them, though. Lots to learn about being around drunk people when I'm not. New ground all around!
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I enjoyed your post Lacey, I remember being one of the "other people drunk". I have been told that I am loud when I am drunk, normally I am very quiet....
There are some that consider drinking to be normal behaviour, but I certainly feel more normal now that I am sober. I don't like being around people that are drinking to get drunk.. a very slippery place for me. However I don't mind socialzing with light drinkers, but I still like being stone cold sober at the end of the evening. Glad to hear of your progress, you are doing great!

bye for now... Cookster