Happy Hour

My class president is celebrating a birthday this weekend. Often when there is a birthday among one of us third year dental students, we mobilize after clinic to a restaurant for happy hour. It's a quick way to organize something, and doesn't take up the whole night.

As someone that doesn't drink, it might seem funny that I even go to Happy Hour sometimes. Well, here's why. Happy Hour is designed to get people in the restaurant before or after the dinner rush to generate more business. They put alcoholic drinks on special. On top of that, restaurants also sell appetizers and some of their entrees at half price. So, I order no drink and get some food, and walk outta there without dropping big money.

Yesterday we went to RA, a sushi restaurant and bar. They have great sushi here. So, after the waitress rolls her eyes when I order a water, I ordered a little sushi. I mean, I understand that when you order drinks, you are going to have a bigger ticket to tip on, but do you really want 14 drunk dudes slobbering on you every time you come to the table? Servers must hate Mormons. Oh well, their loss. I'll tip well if they treat me well.

Anyway, some of my friends had one or two drinks, and a couple got really sloshed. After observing this drinking behavior for the past three years of dental school, I've come to some simple conclusions.

• Alcohol changes people more than they want to believe. I come to appreciate people and their personalities and traits. But, these things change with the onset of drunkenness. My friends can become silly, angry, close-talkers, giggly, craving tacos, or sick. These aren't the characteristics I've come to know and appreciate about my friends, and I don't like seeing the change in them.
• People always say they drink less then they actually do. "I had a couple drinks" = 3-5. "I hardly ever drink when I go out" = at least one beer/night. "I'm maybe a little tipsy" = wasted and going to be a mess the rest of the night. What is it about this substance that turns everyone into a liar? Hmm, and would this help people beat a Lie Detector Test? Meh.
  
• Alcohol costs lots of money. I don't know how people afford it on the same type of budget that I'm on. For one of my friends with a girlfriend, it's not uncommon for them to purchase 30-40 drinks per week between them. You'd have to average $25 per week on home beer and probably $150 per week on restaurant tabs. Yikes. That's 9-Large per year ($9100). That's at least four of my car. They could be driving a Land Rover right now.
  
• Lots of people drive after they drink. I have no tolerance for this. Don't risk being on the roads hurting people I care about. I will straight call the police with your license plate number.
  

Anyway, suffice it to say, I have lots of friends and they come from varied backgrounds. And I do enjoy spending time with all of them. I hope that without showing my acceptance of drinking, I show people that I appreciate them individually.