I didn't see any danger in just having a few beers. I certainly did not think it would lead to addiction. There was no peeer pressure attached to my decision. Just being 18 and being able to go across the stateline to drink legally seemed like a cool thing to do. This was back in the mid - 1960's, and in New Jersey where I lived, the legal age to drink, like now was 21. However just minutes away in New York State, the legal age was 18. So off I went, to what would become a daily occurance.
The thought of being an alcoholic never entered my mind. I'm not even sure if I knew what an alcoholic was! At the time, I didn't know anybody that was an alcoholic. Oh sure, I'd see that occasional "bum" on the street, but I never associated his/her situation with alcoholism or drug abuse. Were their family or friends who got drunk on occasion? Sure. It was bound to happen, liquor was at every event. But everyone got home safe, and all the men got up and went to work the next day. No big deal.
So I gave it no thought. It wasn't like I was shooting up, or doing some drug that I had no control over. And weed was boring. This was only having a few drinks. Jeepers, everybody has a few drinks. or so I thought. Besides, I fit in. I could hold my liquor and caused no problems. I was a witty conversationalist and an excellent listener. Everybody liked me. It was like being on the television show "Cheers". Everybody new my name and they were always I glad a came, at least for awhile, anyway. Nobody thought that within 10 years, I'd be homeless and eating out of garbage cans. Especially me.
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