Drinking Has Pluses and Minuses
By Melanie Knapp
Usually nothing is all bad or all good! I used to think drinking alcohol was horrible. Now I can see some good in it. Some people just want to socialize, loosen up and even love one another a bit. Maybe that’s why Jesus turned water into wine.
Personally I have tried to find good times without the bottle. I have been able to guide my life in a way that I wouldn’t have been able to do if I were a drinker. Sometimes there are calls to talents that require some sober determination. Talents sometimes mean we have to use much of our brains to learn the new song, poem, dance, or a new type of athletic sport. Talents require a lot from us!!!
I wrote in another article, that a lot of people said they enjoyed, the way Owen Sound became a dry town for a lot of years. I found it so interesting that a group of women would work so hard to change something for a whole community. I was proud of the way they stood up for something that not everyone believed in.
I have included a humorous excerpt from the story in this piece since a lot of people enjoyed that article,
Helen says, “Let’s be honest it’s only fair to say there are times when the alcohol helps. It loosens the tongues and softens the heart.” She laughs a bit. “Not counting when my husband tried to grab my back- side and I told him to quit groping and he fell asleep snoring” Her smile fades… she gets more serious. “But a few days ago he was sweet. I live for these reassuring times. It feels good to be admired.” Smiles. Laughs.
Dorothy says, “Yes that’s true. It makes it all worth it.”
Helen says, “Well maybe not all of it. (Hesitates) I, I, I… mean things could be better.”
Dorothy says, “There could be more good times.” She says sadly then brightens. “When was the latest good time?”
Helen, “Well my husband sounded like this…..(Helen pretends to sound like her husband) I love you so much. 1000 times more than anyone else! You are the apple of my eye, the rose in my garden. You’re the only one I would pick, you’re so pretty, you’re just so pretty, and you’re the prettiest girl around.” Helen laughs and talks in her normal voice, “That was a little silly but oh so nice.”
That night Helen put her hand on her husband’s shoulder. She started to make circles on his back and smiled thinking of walking with Dorothy. His loud snores soon deterred her efforts. She thought, “It’s too hard to pull him out of his slumber. Here we go – another long night after the alcohol. It’s a little funny to listen to him snore. But it’s also frustrating in many many ways.”
She kisses his shoulder and puts her hand on him and falls asleep.
I imagined the conversations the women must have had as they thought about stopping the consumption of alcohol. What you just read is a brighter conversation that is a bit funny. I also wrote about times when the women were frustrated from affairs, hitting or sickness and lack of finances for the households. There were real frustrations with too much drinking. Owen Sound used to have plenty of taverns.
Maybe it isn’t good for a town to be divided over something. I don’t think it’s good for men and women to be at odds about such a big topic. I don’t like too many arguments. Some people might have to agree to disagree. As usual these are just my opinions and you may differ. I hope this article made you think a bit. God bless.
