Disability is no impediment to alcoholism
AUGUST 2004
Amazing Antics: Stories of Alcoholism-Driven Behaviors
Disability ” or not ” is no impediment to alcoholism
Story from This is True by Randy Cassingham, with “tagline:â€
“BACK SEAT DRIVER: Michael Johnston, 47, of Peachtree City, GA, allegedly had too much to drink and thought it might be best if he didn’t drive. So he had his friend Samuel McClain, 35, drive his golf cart for him; golf carts are common around Peachtree City. Johnston, police say, gave McClain directions while McClain drove. McClain’s guide dog was along for the ride too — McClain is blind. The s werving duo managed to make it for about two miles before crashing into a parked car. Both men were charged with reckless conduct. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution) …Next time let the dog drive.”
Usually, the alcoholic will drink beyond the legal .08 per cent blood alcohol level and drive without hesitation, typically doing so an estimated 80 times per year. Letting the “other”person drive can be a sign that a person is not alcoholic”unless that other person is blind. Symptoms of impaired judgment manifest in countless ways; we need to be alert to the variations. This is, truly, an original one.
In addition, the fact that the blind McClain took the wheel shows either incredibly bad judgment on his part, or alcoholically poor judgment. Having a disability does not provide immunity to alcoholism. The great composer, Beethoven, was deaf and alcoholic. The good news is that it wasn’t a blind Lt. Col. Frank Slade driving 70 mph on city streets.
(“This is True”is copyright 2004 by Randy Cassingham, used with permission. See http://www.thisistrue.com for free subscriptions.)
Amazing Antics: Honorable Mention
The Eastern Arizona Courier (June 14) reported on an obscene gesture leading to a drug arrest on June 4.
Arresting officer Lance Shupe was heading back to his office at the end of the day, when he tried passing Barbara A. Hill. While Hill made it difficult to pass, Shupe was finally able to, at which point Hill “decided to get right on me.”When he turned into his office, she honked the horn and flipped him off. Shupe wisely decided he should consider an arrest before going home and, making contact with her when she parked nearby, smelled marijuana. Conducting a search, he found the drug along with some methamphetamine and paraphernalia. In regards to getting flipped the bird, Shupe was quoted as saying, “it’s OK to do it to the public, but if you’re a police officer, sorry!”
Turns out, Hill already had a suspended license for failing to file proof of financial responsibility, as well as for speeding and reckless driving.
Her on-the-road behaviors were symptomatic of addiction, starting with her refusal to let someone pass. The apparent mind-set of, “I’m more important than you, so I intend to stay ahead,”suggests a God-complex. Following too closely is extremely suggestive of alcoholism, since not only was it done in retaliation, but also because tailgating has been shown to indicate a 50% likelihood of DUI. By themselves, obscene gestures indicate a 60% probability of DUI which, in today’s day and age, strongly suggests alcohol or other drug addiction. Prior acts involving financial irresponsibility likely involve addiction half the time, as does reckless driving. Calculating the odds that all those 50% and 60% figures add up to alcoholism in the way I suggest in my book, Drunks, Drugs & Debits, brings us to a 95% likelihood of addiction. That doesn’t count the fact of (can we safely assume?) actually using an illegal substance such as methamphetamines, which would bring us to as near 100% as you can get.