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| Serious Drinking |
Avert your gaze from the public water pump in Sonning-on-Thames, and look at the stony wall instead. This is the scene of where, in December 1997, I got out of a moving taxi and fell into this wall breaking my nose, and smashing the cap on one of my front teeth, and basically knocking myself out. I ended up in hospital, and it could have been a whole lot worse if my friend Paul Way hadn't spotted me unconscious on this pavement in the early hours. It was a defining moment for me, as it brought to an end my years of drinking to oblivion every Friday and Saturday night. I have no recollection of this incident as I would invariably black out when drinking, but it happened after a late night lock-in at The Bull where I was once part of the furniture! Something had to give, and as painful as the episode was, it finally got the message home to me, and if I am being really honest scared the hell out of me. I don't claim to be a saint these days, but I rarely drink, and when I do I usually limit myself to just a couple. I still find it hard to be sober in a drinking environment, and the shyness that alcohol used to disguise is never too far away. However I have managed to come out of my shell a bit in recent times, especially due to the fundraising I now do, and the people I have met through it. So the lesson is when you have had too much to drink, and the bar staff kindly put you in a taxi to take you home, don't try and get out of it while it is still moving, as the outcome is painful, and a wonky nose!
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