December 9th, 2009

The men in Custer’s Seventh Cavalry drank when they left on a campaign and when they returned. They drank to celebrate a birthday, a promotion, when they were depressed, and when they were bored. In short, the soldier’s drank a lot. According to Elizabeth Custer, trying to keep his troops sober was a major problem for George. Often times there weren’t enough regular supplies to go around, but alcohol was never lacking. Elizabeth wrote, “A man who overindulges lives in a dream. He becomes conceited. He thinks the whole world revolves around him – and it usually does.” I never acquired a taste for alcohol. Which given my addictive personality is a good thing. The one and only time I did drink I got drunk and was sick the following day. I had a combination of Boone’s Farm wine and peppermint Schnapps. Never again! There is a history of alcoholism in my family. I saw little signs of it when I was growing up – like when my uncle asked the waitress “what wine goes with a grand slam breakfast?” Many people, and I’m guessing the men under Custer’s leadership included, go for decades without addressing their steadily worsening problem. Occasional cracks in their armor may leave them shaken but not stirred to action. Others, however, get tired of French-kissing the gutter drain and join Alcoholics Anonymous. I think that Alcoholics Anonymous is truly a wonderful, lifesaving organization. And privacy is of the utmost importance in AA and members are very, very serious about protecting their anonymity. If you don’t believe me, just tap on the window of someone with a “One Day at a Time” or “Do It Sober” bumper sticker and ask them.