Saturday, February 17, 2024

Rules and Ringing and Beer in the Sun

 Rules.  Most people hate rules but alcoholics really hate rules.  This is why we have twelve suggested Steps.  You can do 'em or you can not do 'em, no skin off our noses.

The symptoms of tinnitus can vary significantly from person to person.  You may hear phantom sounds in one ear, in both ears, and in your head.  The phantom sound may ring, buzz, roar, whistle, hum, click, hiss, or squeal.  The sound may be soft or loud and may be low or high pitched.  It may come and go or be present all the time.

A repeat: SuperK and I sat down for lunch on a sun-drenched terrace overlooking a valley in a tiny, tiny village in Northern Spain after a long, satisfying hike.  We were tired and happy and thoroughly enchanted with the whole process of ordering as best we could using a Spanish-only menu from a woman who spoke about as much English as we spoke Spanish.  We were unsure what we were going to get and we didn't care at all.  Sitting between us and the balustrade was a young man.  On his table was a half-finished beer in a clear glass, sparkling in the sun.  He smoked for a while and looked at his phone before taking one final pull on the beer.  There was beer left in the glass.  I looked on, amazed and horrified, as he stood up and left.  The beer sparkled on.  This being Spain the waitress was in no hurry to clear the tables so that beer just sat there, glowing, as the minutes dragged by.  I felt like running over, picking it up, and chasing down the man who left it there.  It seemed as if all of the energy of the sun was focusing more and more on this glass, as if God itself was blessing those dregs.

Came outta nowhere.  This is how I know I'm still a recovering alcoholic.


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