Water

I don’t like orange juice!

They say it’s quite civilised

to sit for an hour

with a glass of orange juice

but it’s not for me!

I find it upsets my stomach.

I tried lemonade, blackcurrant etc.

None of these drinks really took my fancy.

As I am an ‘all or nothing’ type of guy

I guess my logical choice of drink

in a social setting

would be water.

If whiskey is the all

I figured, due to my twisted sense of logic

water is the nothing.

I mustn’t grumble.

Some might say

that a recovering alcoholic

should not go next nor near a pub

not even to use the restroom.

In reality

one accepts that being in pubs and bars is unavoidable.

I’m a working class Dubliner.

I live in a working class part of Dublin.

It would be akin to ignoring an ex-lover

whilst still sharing the same apartment.

You see her.

Quickly the realisation, of the bounty she possesses

rises to the forefront of your mind.

You crave her touch

you know for sure she will reciprocate your affections

but you must resist kissing or touching her

as the pain and hardship she caused you in the past

will most definitely be repeated in the future.

Resist!

However spectacular the memory of her naked body.

Be polite to her

though un-emotive in her presence.

Purify!

Drink some water.

*

The old clichés are just old clichés

though they survive because they are generally true.

One day at a time.

Never say never.

Once an alcoholic

forever an alcoholic.

So on and so forth.

Very boring.

These are the new rules

in the new game

I find myself playing.

In truth,

I am a very boring person these days.

Especially boring

compared to the guy I used to be.

I grow more at ease with being

the boring me

as time goes by.

Dare I say it!

I have become comfortable being this boring

sober person.

For the new boring me

never wakes up in the morning

soaked in his own piss.

He never has to suffer the looks of hurt and jaded disappointment

from family and loved ones.

He never has to go to court to explain and account

for actions he can barely remember.

He fills his time with activities

that will never have any major negative consequences.

He is happy living the ‘nothing’

instead of the ‘all’

and when he is thirsty

he drinks a glass of water.

© Kenneth Nolan

About the Author

Kenneth Nolan is  a writer, playwright and poet from Dublin, Ireland. https://kennethnolan6.wordpress.com/

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