Did your school have those? Our High School had a dance each hear with 4 High Schools participated and Knott’s Berry Farm was closed to the public and just the people from the high schools who bought tickets could go. It was neat and I only went to it once. The very first year they did it. We went as a group. It was about 6 of us. One of the parents in the group was the one who picked us all up and took us. My mom was the one who was picking us all up at mid-night and bringing us all home safely. Well, you can imagine my concern here. See my mom starts drinking by dark everyday if not earlier. I made my mom promise EVERYDAY for over a month that she would not drink until after she picks us all up. Every time, she promised she would not drink until she came and got this. Even with her promising every time I asked, I did not let 1 day go by where I did not make her promise. I guess I felt if I did this and was persistent, she would have the strength not to drink, not to disappoint me this once.
So we spent 4 hours at Knott’s, dancing, eating and riding rides. It was so much fun. The time flew by. None of us were ready to leave when the clock stuck midnight. But they were closing and asking us all to leave. So, we did. Us and hundreds of other kids. We waited for a while before I saw my mom’s van to pick us up. We didn’t care, we were chatting and having a great time. My mom could have taken forever, for all we cared at that moment.
My mom pulled up with my cousin Andrew in the passenger seat. Not sure why. Maybe they were hanging out and she did not want to go alone to get the high schoolers. But then I smelt it. The very familiar scent of Jose Cuevo Gold. I felt like I was smacked in the face by a huge bottle. That is the way my mom always smells. I went from pure happiness and bliss to anger, disappointment, fear and shame. Some of my friends knew of my mom’s drinking and drugs, and some did not. The worst in my opinion is that she brought a SOBER driver and he was in the passenger’s seat. I waited all of maybe 5 minutes before I just started yelling at my mom. Telling her that she is irresponsible driving all these kids while drunk. I asked her if I should let all the parents know she was trashed when she picked us all up and that you had a sober drive which you refuse to let drive (technically her insurance did not cover drivers under 25 and my cousin was not 25 yet, so that was her excuse). Some of my friends were asking me to stop and to leave it alone. I was pissed and I was not going to stop. I told them that she is risking all our lives by driving drunk and that your parents would not appreciate it. I told them I had made my mom promise for over a month that she would not drink. Man was I so embarrassed.
I am not sure why, but I really thought making her promise would make her come through. But I should have known then and I have since always known, if it is not about her needs, there is a chance they won’t be met. Don’t get me wrong. I feel everyone has the right to live their life the way they want and they are entitled to be selfish. But only if they are single. If you are a parent and have a family, it is no longer about you. But call me crazy, that is just my personal opinion J
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