I enjoy booze. I remember the first time I got drunk- I was 13. It was… unintentional?

My father had a few Czech friends who enjoyed drinking. One summer, my family went out for a party to celebrate one of my father’s friend’s birthday. There was spiked punch and they thought it amusing to see both me and my nine year old sister getting drunk. My mother didn’t know at the time until we were already tipsy.

These were the same friends of my father who got our elderly dog drunk on the day my sister was born. Those same folks drank a lot. All the time. I always saw them with a drink and cigarette in hand. Speaking in Czech. Laughing and enjoying life. A life that I was always looking in at from the outside. So I grew up. Sort of.

At age 17, I began to drink. I’d skip out every Friday from school and go drinking with friends. Not the smartest or most honorable moments in my life. But we were young and dumb. I always remember my father with a drink in hand. I wanted to be a man and grow up to rebel against the world. But instead I have become like most everyone else. About every twentieth photo I post on my Facebook wall is a picture of a drink.

I know now it’s not good to get drunk at work like I did when I was younger. But that was the boss buying beers for me. Funny little Asian man. Always sang songs about me as we drank on a Saturday. He didn’t seem to care that I was 17. That’s the only job I’ve ever been drinking at while working. There’s a part of me that knew it was wrong.

Maybe one day I will quit drinking. I’ve had a few bad nights or embarrassing moments I’d rather not relive. Not drinking can’t be that tough. The other night I hung out with a fellow who doesn’t drink. I totally respect that. In fact, I can see myself going cold turkey some day. Just like I did with smoking. I just need a different vice. When I quit smoking, I began chewing gum. A lot.

What I’d like to replace alcohol with is tea. That sounds more sophisticated and calm. I could be like Picard. He’s the coolest. He was my hero back when I was 13. Hmmm… that was before I got drunk for the first time…