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Board Administrator Username: mjm Post Number: 4357 Registered: 11-1998 |
Honorable Mention breaking spirits Frank Faust it is a suburban gathering an occasion of rituals the food is nibblies chips and nuts cheese dip the drink is as you brought it beer and spirits potent pre-mixed sweet syrup eskies against the wall for self-service next to the container for empty cans and the bin for sundry rubbish the host and hostess are attentive there is an element of compulsion to the drinking rites have you got a drink how much is left in your glass do you want a re-fill why are you drinking so slowly are you piking a little dancing is happening on the porch enthusiastic gyration to the greatest hits of the sixties the seventies the eighties anytime you can imagine the guests are a generational mixture of parents approaching and beyond a half century of years and a smattering of offspring late teens and early twenties there is pride in emulation of each others abilities drinking in competition none will be left behind this night whole families can be proud our man wanders away the single the loner sits solitary beside the brazier of flicking yellow-orange holly-leaf flames never still but so hungry climbing to consume the darkness threatening domination so long as the fuel will last he watches the small groups filters the chatter of convergent conversations through the too-loudness of music notes the urgency of the drinking imperative wonders what she is doing if she is ok whether he has done the right thing choosing this tries to still the dancing flames anything to examine the dynamic to work out what it means the host has found him alone is not an acceptable state the drink must be replenished the party rejoined come come by four in the morning the retching has started this too is part of the ritual the logical conclusion to a gladiatorial contest of physical stamina against the known potency of beer and spirits the spirit appears to have been beaten at last he feels slightly ill ~ |
