Atoke’s Monday Morning Banter: Booze Me Up, Scotty

Recently, someone asked me if I missed home, and in a heartbeat, I replied ‘No!’. Then, I paused and thought about it again… I did miss Lagos parties. The whole idea of assessing what event to go to based on the availability of a good DJ, small chops and booze {I wrote an ode to the awesomeness of small chops here}. For me, alcohol has always been a feel good elixir – something to share with friends in a celebratory mood. It is immaterial that when I get a little inebriated I start speaking plenty English and my dormant vocabulary comes to fore.

My earliest memory of alcohol is one of my relatives staggering into the living room one Saturday morning, reeking of puke. As my parents don’t drink, it was my introduction to the effects of booze. It was not a pretty look. Then, when I became a teenager, I went to visit a friend of mine; lo and behold, her Mum had one large bottle of Gulder balanced in front of her.

A couple of years later, I had started taking sips of Gordon Sparks.  My friend’s mother was a Guinness distributor and they had just launched the product. It was sweet, bubbly and it wasn’t something I could do at home – which made me do it even more. As I grew older, I tried spirits and I experimented with different mixers. However, I never got on the Stout & Beers train. Psychologically, they represented that my relative who was always drunk; and I was never able to dispel that picture of my friend’s mum with her big bottle of Gulder. When asked if I drink alcohol I say yes – then I add the caveat ‘social drinker’.

With things like drinking alcohol, some people get into it very early. It’s one of those social habits you pick up or you don’t. Many people I know who drink  got into it in secondary school – from experimenting, to wanting to keep up with other kids. For others who don’t drink, they just never got the hang of the taste of alcohol. For others, they’ve seen how alcohol in excess can affect the lives of people they love. I met a guy many years ago who promised himself he’d never drink alcohol because his father was a drunk. The father, in his drunken state, would come home and beat his mother black and blue. For that guy, alcohol was the enemy.

For some, alcohol is a status thing: we’re up in the club, let’s pop something. The higher the number of opened bottles on your table, the more wild a night you had – thus elevating your status. However, the consumption of booze is not  always  really dependent on economic buoyancy. I mean, look at some ‘Area Boys’ and bus conductors, they find the spirit of their choice within their budget. For many alcohol consumers, it’s largely about the buzz they get from it. Then comes the question of ‘ how much of a buzz is just enough?’ Or ‘when does one stop enjoying the buzz and start nursing nausea?’

As with anything in life, there has to be a cut off point. Sadly, a lot of lives have been lost because people don’t drink in moderation. Also, if you’re going to drive, it’s important that you appoint a sober driver. There’s really no point in playing ‘tinko tinko’ with your life. Even if you do want to risk it, it’s important that you think about other people who might be affected by your decision not to stop when your vision got slightly blurry.

Then, there’s the issue of needing help, knowing you need help & being able to find help. Seeing as alcohol consumption is very prominent in our society today, we need to be open to the idea of getting help for abuse. How does one recognize the traits and where does one go to find help for alcoholism in Nigeria?

I shall sign off on this note. Have a heartily delightful week ahead. Wear sun screen (no, it’s not just for light complexioned people). Hum a happy tune. Remember to keep your head high and be proud of who you are.

Hey, don’t forget to share your Boozy tales with us. This is a safe space, so feel free to share. If you drink alcohol, when did you start? If you’re a teetotaler, tell us why. Oh and share fun stories of times when you got drunk and did something crazy and wild. My friends have got some mad stories… Oh the joy & innocence of youth!

Thanks for stopping by.

Peace, love & cupcakes.

Toodles!

Photo Credit: Dreamstime | Monkey Business Images