I crossed the line. I couldn’t stand it any longer. I got in my car and drove down to Fat Albert’s convenience store. The place was flooded with throngs of people buying lottery tickets. I walked back to get an RC cola which was my intention for driving there. To my right were the refrigerated cases that held all the beer. Almost on impulse, I walked over and started surveying the offerings in the beer case.
“Andrew! How is your father doing?” Someone said behind me and it startled me.
I turned around to look. It was Sammy, the son of the lady who was our housecleaner and cook when I was child. His mother was named Florene and I dearly loved her. Sammy is known for trying to borrow money from my father. I guess he figured it would be bad form to do so to me.
“He’s been sick this week and hasn’t worked,” I replied.
“You tell him I am thinking about him,” Sammy said and then left.
I turned back towards the beer case and saw something that caught my eye. My favorite beer when I was homeless. It was Steel Reserve. A “high gravity” brew with 8.1% alcohol per can. My willpower totally collapsed and I reached in and pulled out the case of malt liquor. I walked up to the cashier, paid, and then drove the short drive home.
I drank one beer and then another. The feeling of the alcohol coursing through my bloodstream was euphoric. My terrible anxiety from all week abated and my worries went away. It has been so long since I have been inebriated and it felt damn good.
I still have many more beers to go that are left. Who knows how many I will drink. I just feel good right now and that is not something I have felt all week. Damn the consequences. My only plans today were to sit in front of this computer alone and read. Now I have my old friend John Barleycorn to keep me company.
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