Restless, Irritable, and Discontented

 Dr. Silkworth again: "Men and women drink essentially because they like the effect produced by alcohol.  The sensation is so elusive that, while they admit that it is injurious, they cannot after a time differentiate the true from the false.  To them, their alcoholic life seems the only normal one.  They are restless, irritable and discontented, unless they can again experience the sense of ease and comfort that comes at once by taking a few drinks - drinks which they see others taking with impunity."  bb  

We were on a ship where there was a shit-ton of alcohol sloshing around.  I believe I mentioned my consternation that the commissary would run out of soda water and grapefruit juice but not one single type of wine or spirits or beer.  THAT they could always get their hands on.  Anyway, while we were not tempted to drink both of us began to get slightly annoyed/frustrated with the presence of all the alcohol.  While we did not spend time in the bars and nightclubs and casinos on the ship we did eat and there was always alcohol on the table if we were dining with anyone else.  In my experience socializing with people you don't know is somewhat stressful  and most people can ease their discomfort with a touch of alcohol.  I only saw a few people drink to excess - no eighty year olds in a fistfight over a perceived slight - but you could see the relaxation, the ease with oneself, take over after a glass or two of wine, an ease that I was not able to access.

I did have some trouble with a couple of teeth while we were traveling.  Mild discomfort, mostly, with some persistent aching and the occasional more troublesome pain when I chewed on the side harboring the offending molar.  On one of the first nights a dude got airlifted off the ship.  That dude had problems.  I had a tooth that was misbehaving.  Just trying to keep things in perspective.