Spring Break
Time for candy or politics?
Emily Hemson
Issue date: 3/7/08 Section: Forum
When I get drunk, I want candy. I want Milk-Duds and peanut butter M&M's and oodles and oodles of Tootsie rolls. My previously multi-tasking mind deposits itself on a one-track road to sugary goodness.
When Dan drinks, he wants to debate. He wants political arguments and global warming dissection. His focus rests on an invisible soapbox that can only be viewed by his heavily intoxicated mind.
And last weekend that soapbox fixed itself firmly in the center of our table. The two of us had gone out for drinks, and as the booze began to blur our minds, the argument began to ignite.
"Who are you going to vote for?" he asked.
I hesitated, as is always necessary in these situations, and very reluctantly stated my answer.
"Why them?" he replied, and I knew the attacker was ready to pounce.
"I like them," I said. "They seem like a good choice; I think they'll do good things for the country."
"You like them?"
Obviously this was not the right answer. As though he were magically constructing that box with each minute that passed, I knew the debate was ready to start.
"Yes, I do," I said. "I think they speak well, I think they have valid and positive goals."
"You're going to vote for someone based on their speaking skills?"
I was screwed. There was definitely no way out this situation.
"I just want peace and happiness," I said.
"Peace? Happiness? Yeah, well everyone wants those things," he began.
And he didn't stop until breath was necessary for survival.
Never before had peace and happiness seemed like such a terrible answer.
The more this answer was questioned the more I realized I didn't even want to talk about this from the beginning. Even more than that, I didn't care to argue about it. Why is it that when people drink politics become all the rage?
I don't actually believe my friend is the sole culprit in this need for argument. My Mom for example, has a vast array of questionable topics she is sure to push the moment her glass of wine begins to flow to her brain. It's normal, but is it really the best time to argue?
When Dan drinks, he wants to debate. He wants political arguments and global warming dissection. His focus rests on an invisible soapbox that can only be viewed by his heavily intoxicated mind.
And last weekend that soapbox fixed itself firmly in the center of our table. The two of us had gone out for drinks, and as the booze began to blur our minds, the argument began to ignite.
"Who are you going to vote for?" he asked.
I hesitated, as is always necessary in these situations, and very reluctantly stated my answer.
"Why them?" he replied, and I knew the attacker was ready to pounce.
"I like them," I said. "They seem like a good choice; I think they'll do good things for the country."
"You like them?"
Obviously this was not the right answer. As though he were magically constructing that box with each minute that passed, I knew the debate was ready to start.
"Yes, I do," I said. "I think they speak well, I think they have valid and positive goals."
"You're going to vote for someone based on their speaking skills?"
I was screwed. There was definitely no way out this situation.
"I just want peace and happiness," I said.
"Peace? Happiness? Yeah, well everyone wants those things," he began.
And he didn't stop until breath was necessary for survival.
Never before had peace and happiness seemed like such a terrible answer.
The more this answer was questioned the more I realized I didn't even want to talk about this from the beginning. Even more than that, I didn't care to argue about it. Why is it that when people drink politics become all the rage?
I don't actually believe my friend is the sole culprit in this need for argument. My Mom for example, has a vast array of questionable topics she is sure to push the moment her glass of wine begins to flow to her brain. It's normal, but is it really the best time to argue?
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