I ran across this cartoon a few weeks ago. It grabbed my attention because, being a descendant of immigrants from England to Maryland to Kentucky, I enjoy a good "Gin and Tonic" on occasion. That cartoon ultimately gave me an idea for a blog post and a chance to share my history of drinking - or the lack of it!
First of all, we never drank alcohol in our house growing up. My Dad had a bottle of bourbon hidden in a closet to share with a cousin of his who visited from Louisville maybe once or twice a year. My uncle Bob did own a tavern a few miles away. We would stop in quite often, but I can't remember my Dad ever ordering a beer. He liked to "hang out" with neighbors and friends, chat with my uncle and talk about his lumber and building material business.
Don't ask me why, but I asked another local tavern owner, and fellow parishioner, to be my Confirmation sponsor. I just thought both he (Edwin Lee Rhodes) and my uncle (Bob Knott) were wonderful people that I liked and admired!
When I was in my early years of seminary, we could get "kicked out" for having a beer or any alcohol in our possession. After Vatican Council II, a lot of seminary rules changed. One of those changes was being allowed to own our own cars on campus. Another change was being allowed to go to the local taverns in the evenings since we were all over 21 by that time. The thinking was that it would be good for the staff to see how we could handle alcohol before being ordained. The second change was even more dramatic. They begin to worry about us drinking and driving back to the seminary on those country roads. Sometime during the years leading up to ordination, St. Meinrad Seminary was the first college in Indiana to get a liquor license! They opened a pizza pub on campus called "The Unstable" in one of the two gyms. It got it's name for the old barn wood and decorations that came from an old barn that lined its interior walls. A newer version was built when that old gym was torn down. The new "Unstable" is still in existence.
The summer before I was ordained a Deacon, and two summers before I was ordained a priest, I worked in Crater Lake National Park for the United Church of Christ as its first Catholic "student minister" preaching two ecumenical campground services each Sunday. I also served Mass each weekend. My weekday job in the main Lodge, where I lived, was Night Desk Clerk. Because I was one of the few students over 21 working in that National Park, I filled in as a part-time "wine steward" in the dining room and a part-time "bar tender" in the lodge's bar. (I was also the Master of Ceremonies for the Miss Crater Lake Beauty Pageant, but I digress! That is another whole story in itself!)
Even with that history behind me, I don't drink a lot personally. I never have and I never drink alone. I never drink bourbon, scotch, rum, tequila or beer! I never drink bourbon because I got sick on it in college and never got over that bad experience. I used to drink wine when I attended a special dinner, but I seldom do that anymore because wine makes me groggy. When I have a choice of drinks when I go out to dinner, I usually order a gin and tonic "tall" (meaning a little gin and lots of tonic - enough to last through the whole meal).
I am certainly not against drinking any of the above for religious reasons. I just don't really enjoy drinking alcohol all that much. However, I do have most of the drinks mentioned above, including wine, available at my condo for guests who might enjoy a drink with dinner or maybe just when they drop in for pizza or may want a drink out on the deck!
Here's a very short video you might enjoy about the joys of Gin and Tonics for us English men! (Click on arrow and then open "Full Screen" to see bigger image)
Even though I gave up cigars several years ago, I would still rather have a nice cigar than a drink! Cigars are still tempting after all these years!
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