Twist-top in My Sobriety

by Attila on February 26, 2005

So my friend Matt Carnation used to drink a lot. He’s now been sober in AA for 20 years or more, but he refers to his drinking back in the day as that of an “outrageous, flagrant” alcoholic. The problem first appeared with wife #1, with whom he went so far as to have kids; and they now have grandkids. He’s burned through two wives since her, and things are cordial in the way they have to be when eveyone has to see the grandkids, so the parents of those grandkids have to try not to play favorites—even when there’s been a divorce in the family.

And though Matt lives here in the L.A. area, his son and daughter in law, and the children, live in Phoenix. His ex wife is there as well. So Matt flies off to spend holidays with his family, and that includes Wife #1.

At one point he opens the refrigerator and reaches inside. Because of the angle she does not see the coke cans adjacent to the beer, and is appalled, thinking he’s reaching for a longneck. “You can’t have that!” she exclaims.

“Why not?” he enquires, amused by the way she’s jumping to conclusions.

“Remember the 1970s?” Her voice is starting to rise just a little in frustration.

“No,” he answers. “I don’t.” And he smiles.

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