My parents are wine drinkers..... and they often have wine before and/or with a nicer or special occasion dinner. When I was a boy, they'd give me a sip but usually, I didn't like it. I think I was maybe 13 or so when I decided I wanted it, and they would give me a SMALL glass (confession: I think the reality that my older brother - 3 years older - had a small glass was probably the motivation). Anyway.... it was never a problem. And I came to actually know wines fairly well - personally always preferring the very light whites.
I remember - all too well - when I was probably 16 or 17. By this time, I was helping myself (evidently, my parents trusting me - and my older sibs). We were on vacation and my parents had brought a couple bottles of wine into the room (a suite). They had opened both a red and a chilled white. Anyway, with my parents mostly around, my brother and I were helping ourselves, polishing off a bottle of white (nearly all ME), and before I realized it, I was seriously buzzed ... well beyond buzzed... which I HATED and found rather sickening and scary.... double vision, room moving and all. All this seemed to just hit me. My Dad of course realize what I had done and without ever mentioning my (I'm sure obvious) state, talked to me about how wine is an adult drink requiring adult responsibility, how they trusted me to be responsible with this. I remember this well because I was trying hard to avoid MY conversation because my speech revealed the reality, so I was TRYING to avoid saying anything back. The whole family listening in, adding to the embarrassment. Without comment, he gave me a glass of water and instructed me to drink it. Although he never mentioned it, I KNEW he knew.... and I was very embarrassed. I had to function, and it was hard, lol. Anyway, it was the last time in my life I've ever been drunk (buzzed but never again drunk). At the time, my mother and sibs said nothing - but now my brother brings this up pretty often, to my dismay.... He said he watched me, laughing to himself, as I did this to myself, laughing to himself as I was trying to avoid talking and how I "concentrated" to walk straight, now eminding me (often) of how the whole family was silently laughing at me. Right there in the hotel room, my parents mostly around.
The lessons we learn.... too often the hard way....
- Josiah
