Bark, Peel, and Root
At about three months sober I started to crack.
I recognized the benefits of sobriety
I wasn't planning every minute of the day around my beer run--
I wasn't swinging on a three-day cycle
between craving, drunk, and hung over--
I wasn't snapping out in rage quite as often
(sometimes, but maybe less)
and I didn't have to hide or lie or make excuses--
but I was starting to crack.
I was hitting two or three AA meetings a week
Whenever I could fit them in
And I was feeling all the stress.
When I was drinking, I had a bunch of small-to-medium problems,
And a big problem, which was drinking.
But when I had a drink in my hand, I didn't have any problems.
Now sober, I still had the small-to-medium problems,
Still had the big drinking problem,
But didn't have the relief of getting drunk.
I broke and got a pack of dealcoholized beer (0.5 %)
to try and take the edge off.
I told my temporary AA sponsor about that and he said
that was slippery-slope material.
Better to try some chamomile tea to try and calm down.
So now here I am with small-to-medium problems,
A big problem, and a long time standing in the coffee and tea aisle.
Chamomile, spearmint, orange peel, and lemongrass.
Black tea, chicory root, ground coffee beans, and cinnamon bark.
Ginger root, blackberry leaves, linden, and lemon peels.
Licorice root, anise, cardamom pod, clove bud, and black pepper.
What the fuck, man.
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