What some people do on their birthdays…
Mine, I spent the entire day in a drunken stupor. Let me tell you about it or for what I can remember of it.
What I did on my 41st birthday was most likely one of the top ten dumbest stunts I had ever pulled off. I say pulled off because, I did not wind up in jail, dead or kill anyone in the process but it is a birthday that I will never forget.
Not because I had such an awesome day but for the stupidity that I had pulled for most of the entire day.
What I did on my 41st birthday
It started off like any other day while I was a complete drunk.
I came to… Yes, that is my only thought about how I woke up. I came to. This was the norm for me during those times. Passing out and coming to is how I spent my nights and mornings.
At the time, I considered myself as a functioning drunk. Funny how when you are a complete drunk, the only way to tell yourself that being the way you are and the things that you do is considered, functional.
I was anything but functional.
I came to, as I mentioned. Got up and proceeded to go to my lunchbox. Why? Because that is where I kept my 16Oz Icehouse beer of course. Popped open that tab and slammed that first beer.
Yeah, it tasted like shit but back then, I did not care. It was my way of ridding myself of the shakes (they were bad).
Now, this was before I even took myself to the bathroom mind you. Before I even put on my shoes to head out of the door for work.
By the time I was dressed and ready to head out the door, I had already consumed 2 or 3 tall boys. I jumped into my Ford Explorer and down the road I went, to work.
Now, before I even got to work I had to sit outside the workplace gates, down the road a bit and proceed to slam the 4 to 6 tall boys of my favorite Icehouse beer. Icehouse has a very high content of alcohol for any that has never drank it and will give you a buzz after only a few.
Now, you have to take in account for the 2 to 3 I already had in the morning PLUS the 2 or 3 on the way to work. So, how much is that so far? Anyone counting? Yeah, 7-9 16Oz. tall boys of Icehouse. That right there is a party for two people.
I was ready then… The shakes had stopped.
My day at work on my birthday
Now, other than the fact I don’t normally work on my birthday, I decided to go in anyway.
I drove in and before I even got out of my truck I poured myself several beer’s into my largest Big Gulp cup 7-11 sells. Put the lid on and into the building I went.
That building was probably the hottest building I have ever worked in in my life! So, already I was not in the mood to be there. I spent roughly a few hours doing my work all the while while sipping on my brew.
I went to my Foreman and mentioned that it was my birthday and told him I was going to take the rest of the day off. He said “no problem, have a great day” and off I went. When walking up to my truck, I noticed an unusual amount of fluid under my vehicle and realized my radiator had over-flowed due to a faulty thermostat.
I filled my radiator up as much as I could with some fluid and took off. I was unsure anywhere to get my truck fixed so I took a road that I normally don’t go.
It was a road that led me to a power plant in the middle of nowhere. In my frustrated state of mind, I turned around at the guard shack down this twisty road filled with these orange road barriers. You know, the kind that is not a cone but much larger.
While looking down at my ever increasing temp gauge I did not notice one of those cones a little more than in the middle of the road and smacked it! Luckily nobody was near me so I kept on going not knowing what I had done to my truck.
Finally got to a parts store which I still don’t know how I found. Fixed my thermostat and realized that I had smashed my front headlight and front edge of my fender but did not worry about it. On down the road I went. Making it back home with pure luck or pure something else. Having to close one eye the entire time so I could see the road better than with two eyes. (If you drink and drive, you know what I mean)
Later that evening
Now, one thing I did not mention above was, all the while I was lost and fixing my truck and on the way home, I probably consumed another 6 pack.
Got in the shower because I was invited to my Mother’s house for my birthday party with my kids.
Probably drank a few more while doing that (I can’t remember to be honest) got ready and out the door I went. Knowing I was way more buzzed than I wanted to be or even should’ve been knowing that my mom and my kids would know straight off the get go that I was hammered!!
Went in, trying to compose myself the best as anyone can when being that drunk. Sat down to eat and being so drunk that I could not keep my head from falling into my plate! Not a very good thing when everyone you love and loves you is seeing you this way.
I was immediately told to go home! Which, looking back was probably not the best move on my part. I believe I went home. Now, being that I can not remember the whole entire night after that point, I am still not sure if I stayed there or went home.
None the less, It was one of my lowest points of my entire life! I let everyone down, I let myself down as I did not expect to drink that much that day but did anyhow because, that is what I did, I was a raging alcoholic! Out of control!!
This was the starting point of really lowering my standards and not knowing that I was only 3 months from turning that all around. And for it to have happened because of what I did on my 41st birthday.
I only had a few times like that after that day but, I did have something like it happen I believe twice after that where I got so intoxicated that I endangered not only myself but so many others without even a thought about it.
I wish I could put into words how thankful that once I got my ultimatum that either I stop or I would be facing a decision in life that would have affected me profoundly!
A feeling of love that cannot be put into words…
I stopped. It was the 6th of November 2011. A day that I will never ever forget!
It was my new start on life!
For a more detailed look into the average drinking work day, go and read this.
