waking up in strange beds

i was

slow in coming to the realization

that

alcohol

consumption, though never

heavy

or out of control

was

a dumb 

thing to do.

the occasional beer

or two

or three, when out with

friends,

or glass of Pinot,

the Martinis

at a bar,

the toothpick and olive

leaning

so.

so much social drinking,

never at home.

what good was it?

did it make me wiser

more

congenial, was there any

nutritional value

involved. i don't know.

it just seemed to ease you

into making

phone calls you didn't want

to make,

doing things you

didn't want to do.

waking up in strange beds

with a headache,

feeling blue.