During my second year of college, my father got transferred to Cleveland, Ohio. To help ease this difficult transition, my mom joined a group called, New Clevelanders. Meeting once a month in a socially setting, I was introduced to a handful of students in the same situation. Eventually, a handful of us formed a tight circle, getting together for Karaoke, hanging at a Sports Bars or dancing at Night Clubs once a week. From time to time, I served as the designated driver, meeting at a friend’s home and driving everyone to and from the Flats, a series of nightclubs along the Cuyahoga River in downtown Cleveland.
One of the initial benefits of being a designated driver was free refills of soda while these friends drank pitures of beer. Once they were tipsy, their fears of dancing in front of peers wore off. Attending a high school with great dances, I gradually learned to become a decent dancer, not needing a beverage to do so. However, I did not enjoy dancing with strangers, so one night I indulged, speeding up the process to get my friends to the dance floor. One of my girl “friends” saw my pace and began to switch roles, becoming a substitute designate driver on the fly.
When you have multiple drinks, its no wonder that Liquor Stores contain billboards and signs with Wine and Spirits on them. Once you partake in alcohol, something overcomes your body, causing you to say things you usually think, but don’t verbalize. Neal McCoy illustrates this point in his song Beer Googles. Unless someone is trying to use alcohol as a means to forget their misery, a normal person can only handle being drunk so many times. After working the next morning, feeling the side effects for nearly 24 hours, drinking lost its allure. A few years later, alcohol poisoning nearly ended my life at a friend’s wedding, hugging a toilet for several hours in the middle of the night.
My body hasn’t consumed alcohol in nearly 20 years. I can’t even bear any kind of food cooked in alcohol, often spitting it out right away or getting a headache from the slightest smell. Though I tried to fit in, I have found my true identity as a designated driver. I don’t need alcohol to have fun, laugh or enjoy an evening. Therefore, when I do entertain friends who drink, I don’t mind offering my services. While there was a time I fled from this atmosphere, I have learned that you have to meet others on their terms, in their comfort zone before you can make an impact like Jesus, Matthew 9:11-13. Wherever you are, be the light and salt of the earth, adding flavor to the lives of those who do not know Jesus, Matthew 5:13-16.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 