It was 2008. I hadn’t had a drink in over twenty years. I didn’t plan to have another. We were at a family reunion. There were lots of people I hadn’t seen in years. Some I didn’t know at all. We’d heard there were drinks in the fridge downstairs. I headed that way to help myself.
It was exactly what you’d expect. Beer, Cokes, water, lemonade. I grabbed a couple lemonades and headed back upstairs.
Upon my return, I’m a couple sips in and Lois does a double take. “What are you drinking?”
“Lemonade!”
“Lemonade??? That’s booze!”
“What?? No it’s not. It’s Lemonade. And it’s got my name on it! “Mike’s Hard Lemonade”! Cool, huh? “Mike’s”!”
“Read the label.”
“…Contains… 5%… alcohol… AAAAAHHHH!!!”.
I put it down immediately. “I didn’t know! My 20 year record! Gone! I didn’t know! Oh, man!”
Lois was conciliatory. “It’s okay, honey. I’ll drive home.”