Well, I won’t say I haven’t had a drink in fourteen days. I have. But I do have some little badges I’ll share.
I haven’t binged. I drank twice, and both times I was very limited. I even left a few sips of a single black-and-tan at my favorite pub. Tim, the bartender, was surprised I didn’t want my usual second and third.
I’ve haven’t had a drink at work. I even went to this Tex Mex restaurant where they know about my lunch margarita. They bring over a drink menu, which I prop up and use to hide my margarita, and they know not to sit me next to the door where someone might bust me for sipping. I ordered water and he said, No margarita, senor?
Not today, I said.
I refused to drink at my wife’s work, which is a fabulous tap house here in Dallas. No Temptress? she said. (That’s a local dark).
Not today, I said. Bring me a coffee.
I ordered milk at Dave & Busters. It took the waitress a while to bring it out. I think they had to look it up in the system, adult milk.
My mother-in-law visited, and I left the Crown on the top shelf. I made some fresh-squeezed lemonade and sipped that instead. That’s a big deal, by the way. I usually hide out when she comes over.
And so it goes. I did indulge with my wife one evening after her shift, and I did sneak that black-and-tan and a little Crown.
But overall, it’s progress. I don’t hit the “reset” like so many folks. I don’t dial the clock back to zero, because it’s insane to erase so many touchdowns and first downs and field goals, just because of a fumble or an interception, see.
The game goes on.
It’s a process. Drinking didn’t come on in one night. I don’t figure it’ll go away in one night.
So, I’m counting fourteen days today, with the score in my favor, even if it’s not 14:0.
More like 12:2.
- Saul