The first alcoolic woman I saw in my life was the mother of a girlfriend. I didn't know why she had so strange eyes and didn't walk right. I thought she was sick and that finally was the truth.
Everybody whispered behind her back because every day she went to the little shop around the corner where every women in the area did their shopping to buy a bottle of wine. Sometimes she had no money and she asked one of them to borrow her some. But after a while women found an excuse, as she never gave the money back. So she asked the shop owner, who pittied her and gave her the wine. (husband had to pay later)
My mother too backbit her and told me all these stories. I didn't understand anything, the only thing I felt was pity with her, because my friend also treated her very badly. Then, one day I didn't see her any more and I suppose she went to a specialized hospital.
The next one was a secretary which whom I used to work. I was 24 or something, so she was an old woman for me, as she was in her forties. I noticed that she drank, because one day I took a file out of the filing cabinet and behind all the files were 2 full and 3 empty whisky bottles.
First I thought that she had created a bar for the guests, but then the empty bottles didn't fit. Afterwards I noticed that she changed mood all the time or she was in 7 heaven or she sat deeply in the cellar. She also received men in the office and closed the door with a sign hanging on it telling us "In conference do not disturb" I found that funny because one day I opened the door because I had something important to say and found her with her lover on the desk. Not very comfortable. One day she also disappeared from my life and that was it.
Years later when I was in my 50th I noticed that a lot of women in my surroundings really more than appreciated a good cocktail, one or more glasses of wine, or champagne. Especially those who didn't work. When I joined this not working group it became the same for me. We went out for lunch had a couple of drinks, got together for another couple and so on.
Some of them got really specialists in hiding bottles. It's amazing what a creative mind and phantasy women develop to hide their drinks. Parfum bottles when they were invited (so that they could take it with them and officially not drink much) small plastic water bottles filled with Wodka or Gin, medication bottles etc. Everything was good. At home there also were enough places in the dryer (until nobody was there any more) between oil and vinegar bottles, behind clothes in the wardrobe behind books on shelves, in the garbadge etc etc. Even in their cars. I knew one who used to hide her bottle amongst a pile of empty water bottles. The kitchen also was considered as a nice hiding place as usually husbands don't check very often the content of the cupboards.
A girl friend of mine worked as a nurse in a psyciatric hospital and told me horrendous stories. A little 75 year old lady looking like Miss Marpel was taken to the emergency service as she had emptied all available parfum bottles while the others were eating. Another one who was allowed to go out for the first time after 3 weeks of abstinence, came back like a drunken sailor. My friend told me that she could write a book about that.
It happens mostly to women when the children are gone, or if they loose their work or start retirement. Suddenly their life changes completely and they have to face the problem of having too much time. And then they get bored.
It's a big problem and cannot be solved so easily. Alcoholism is a sad desease although we are laughing about them when they speak so funny or are dancing on a table.
3 comments:
I guess one thing I got outta my childhood and my mama having cancer and dying at 46 was the fact that she liked her beer.She won't no alcoholic. She was more a weekend drinker. Later in time,I think it helped her maybe with the pain, but it etched a stink in me I never forgot and never ever had a desire to put that stinking stuff in my body.A margarita every few years if I am lucky is my extent of alcohol consumption. Enjoyed the blog ingrid.
God Bless!
PS reminded me, my brother said mama gave him beer when he was 9 years old. Thank God it won't me, I was mean enough without any help, reckon that is why she didn't never offer me none. :)
My aunt used to hide her bottle in the garbage can next to her chair. My granmother hid her bottle in the cupboard in the kitchen. My dad and mother didn't hide their drinking, they just drank. There is a long long line of drunk people in my family on both sides of the line. As for me, I was born alcoholic to alcoholic parents. I stopped drinking (again) a year ago, and I have so enjoyed being sober. I was getting too mean drinking tequilla, and was lying to Chris about how much I was drinking, and when. I would come home, drink 3-4 shots, then tell him no I hadn't had anything yet, and we'd have couple drinks together, then he'd go shower and I'd drink more. Every day I was drunk when I got home, fast as I could get there. Since we had a big fight and I told Chris it was his fault I drank because he bought it and if he stopped buying, I would stop drinking, he poured a couple hundred dollars worth of liquor and beer down the drain and we haven't had anything to drink since. I don't care about drinking, don't miss it, and never want to drink again. For me, it is so much easier to just not drink. I hope that makes sense, because it is hard to explain to people. People ask me if I miss it, and yes, I do miss being drunk, but I love being sober more, I love being aware, and awake, and waking up feeling good, and thank Jesus I'm sober again.
i can't read this post because it's blue text on a blue background.
that picture of the boy + dog praying is soooo cute!
Post a Comment