Thursday, August 23, 2007

God Damn the Pusherman


A young kid shared at our morning meeting about attending his first sober concert last night. He's been sober about a year and I spoke with him after the meeting. How smart is he to get it at 17? I wish I had been smarter. I wasted so much time. I'm trying to stay away from remorse and regret but he did give me a Remember When.

When I was just about his age, maybe a little older, I went to see Aerosmith who was touring for their first album I believe. They were just emerging and weren't quite big yet. Steppenwolf opened for them and that was who I really wanted to see. I was very retro and hadn't really heard of Aerosmith yet. Anyway, my girlfriend drove and we proceeded to attempt to get fucked up before we got there. Because who ever heard of going to a concert straight. We didn't think of it as sober. It was straight. Nancy wasn't really a drinker so she got high and I didn't smoke anymore (I thought it made me stupid) so I proceed to chug a bottle blackberry brandy on the 20 minute ride to the Coliseum. OMG! We had 8th row Floor Seats. They were the best seats I think I have ever had for a concert. We got in our seats. Someone was passing a joint. I think a bottle too. It starts to get fuzzy here. It didn't turn into a black out but it was close. At some point Steppenwolf came on. We were up. I maybe made it through 1 or 2 songs. Then uh oh. The room is spinning and I am upchucking all over the guy in front of me. Nancy is trying to get me to the restroom without notice of security. I am throwing up the stairs. I remember being on my knees at the toilet while Steppenwolf was singing The Pusher. We had to leave. On the way out, I started making out with some guy who was hanging around out front. Nancy said he had a huge scar down the side of his face. Thank God for Nancy. She really took care of me in those days. Somehow she got me away from him and we went home. Needless to say she was pissed. Dumped me off in my front yard. Of course I couldn't go in the house. I was covered in puke. I think my parents were still up. So I passed out under my bedroom window and at some point I must have snuck in the house. Charming, huh.

Never did drink blackberry brandy again though that was the only lesson I learned from that experience. I am grateful that Tim gave me this Remember When because sometimes I am not so sure when my alcoholic drinking began. I do believe this is evidence that I cannot deny. Did finally see Aerosmith though about 10 years ago. Wasn't wasted but wasn't sober either. But that's another story for another day.

Today's mantra: Not Words, Life.

6 comments:

johno said...

yeh I went to the dentist this evening and got a remember when tooo...

Johna said...

You have won me over with your story. Unfortunately it sounds really good right now. Still too soon to remember the "good times".

Pammie said...

One of the things I think is funny about "our kind"....we get so dog sick on on say...blackberry brandy, and the only thing that seems logical to us is to switch our brand :)

Shadow said...

my oh my, different time differnt place maybe, but it's amazing how we all did the same thing, have similar things that happened....

and pam's comment, hallllooooo, this is the first time i actually realised that one!

Michael said...

Those days when you look back seemed so good dont they, I had loads of good times drinking but like with everything there is no free lunch and soon its payback time, when alcohol starts to take instead of give it does with avengence.
In reality those good days wernt perhaps so good at the time, I used to get into blackout so easy in my early days drinking, my famous line was "I cant remember a thing it must of been a good night"
Anyway I was reading your comment last night and it got me thinking about recording my share, so I went to Argos and bought a little digirecorder for £35 which wasnt bad, I tried it and it works ok, got it in my pocket now.
So I will record my meeting tonight, I think provided I just capture my voice there will be no probs with anonyminity.
I will then post it if its ok on my website and put a link to it from Tuesdays post so fingers crossed!

Kathy Lynne said...

Michael: I'm not sure what fun you are seeing:) I know I intended to have fun, thought I knew how to have fun but I don't think my puke covered self had fun that night.