Alcohol - Friend or Foe?

Do you feel in control of yourself? Can anybody make you do something? You probably answered "no" to the latter question. However, a small percentage of alcohol may cause you to lose control of your being. First of all, alcohol is defined as intoxicating liquor. This means that is has an affect that may temporarily diminish the control you have over you physical life and mental powers.

I'm reminded of a story about a young man named Roger. He was quiet, a rather shy person. It was Friday night, he didn't have many friends, and he was coming home from work. His intentions were to make a sandwich, grab a beer, and watch a sports event. He received a phone call from a co-worker he invited him to a party his cousin was giving. At first, he decided not to go. But with a small amount of pressure from his friend, he changed his mind.

His friend and three of his buddies came to his house to pick him up. His mom yelled, "Be careful," as he ran out the front door. They were talking and laughing hysterically and they drove down the road. They were anticipating the terrific they were going to experience.

Once they arrived, everyone split up. This left Roger alone, somewhat of a wallflower. A friend he'd ridden to the party with offered him a drink. Roger wasn't much of a drinker, but he wasn't having any fun, so he decided to accept. As he gulped swallow after swallow after swallow, he began to feel more relaxed and he started to mingle. His conversations began to flow more easily. He would tell a joke, but because of it's content he would feel a bit uneasy about it. But after a while the jokes just came bursting out of him, as popcorn kernels did once succumbed to drastic heat. To his surprise, everyone laughed.

After he'd consumed more than his share of alcohol, it was time to leave. His friends decided to spend the night.

The guy who drove him to the party threw Roger the keys and said "Bye." Since he had the keys in his hand and was given and an O.K. to leave, he did just that, and left.

He couldn't see as clear as usual. But he figured he could see well enough. He drove about 30 minutes, and then he was home.