Beer and Cigarettes

This is one of those stories tat has been on my last to tell for a few weeks, but the sheer stupidity, ignorance and even illegal nature of what took place, has prevented me from sharing. Now with a set-up like that, I am certain many of you will be disappointed as nothing really happened and the actual risk was small, but the specter of what could have happened still lingers.

My family had made the eight hour drive to West Virginia, spent the night at my great grandmother's house, then made their way to our campsite in the middle of the Monongahela Forest. This would be the location for a family reunion, which would draw dozens of cousins I didn't remember, and then my first cousins and second cousins, who I was pretty close to. I particularly was looking forward to hanging out with Ray, who was a year older than me and always seemed cool. He seemed so much more a man of world, knowledgable about girls and parties, guns and danger, all those things which were a mystery to me. I didn't have the taste for risk he did, but I loved the few days I could hang onto his coat tails.

We met up almost immediately. Justin, my brother who had just turned twelve, Ray, my cousin who was a year older than me at fifteen, and I. Of course, we looked to Ray for guidance on what we were going to do and he began to ask us about things like drinking and cigarette. I don't remember the details of the conversation, I don't remember him being pushy, but I remember not wanting to look uncool. So. when he asked if we were interested in trying these clearly forbidden things, I said yes. I had, at this point in my life, never even considered trying either of these things, because of the message which my parents had pounded into my head, but somehow it seemed to be important, now.

So, how were three minors, who all had church going, straight arrow, parents going to get a ride, a buyer and the cash to buy these things? I had no idea, but Ray knew who would buy for us. I suspected this was not his first time.

I always loved my Uncle Haven. He was my grandmother's younger brother who seemed to always be happy and fun to be around. It was clear he was different than most of the family, but it took me a long time to put the pieces together. That he had spent time doing interior decorating and floral arrangements, didn't mean anything to me. That he seemed to be a perpetual bachelor, with long standing roommates, also didn't really click in. I remember actually having someone point out these things and I dismissed them as just Haven.

Haven would not have participated in the kind of giving minors alcohol shenanigans which were being purposes, but his friend Bill, who was probably in his twenties at the time, was all aboard. It makes me a little nervous to think why an adult man, would provide alcohol to three children in the woods, but that is exactly what he agreed to do. He agreed to drive us, buy the beer and cigarettes and find a place for us to try them. How Ray knew he could be convinced, I don't know.

Bill ran into the store while the three of us waited out in the car. I don't know about the others, but I was nervous, not of Bill who seemed to just be one of the boys, but of these things we were not supposed to have. I knew we would get caught, or our parents would know when we got back, or some other dire thing would happen. I was curious what they were like, but scared of the consequences. Bill returned with green bottles, a six pack, of Heineken and pack of Marlborough's.

He peeled out of the parking lot, tires squeezing and we were on our way. Trying to find the right spot. Off the beaten path. He sped over the hills, causing us joy as we lifted off our seats, while he laughed and looked. Then, we were there.

Even before we left the car, we passed the cigarette around. It was, in a word, stupid. I could pull the smoke into my mouth and blow it out, but it did nothing at all for my. I thought I might look cool, but I had no idea what was addicting. Bill said I wasn't really drawing it in, I guess he meant not my lungs, but when I tried that I nearly immediately coughed, why would I irritate my throat. So, they took the cigarette from me and we got out of the car. I assume my brother tried the cigarette in the car too, because I wasn't really looking out for his best interest, but I don't remember for sure.

We sat in the grass under the light covering of trees and Ray opened the bottles of beer. He drank one, Bill drank one and I told him Justin and I would share one. It was horrible. It tasted worse than I could have imagined, it seemed to me like licking wood while you small something which has turned a little bit. To say I sipped it would be generous. Every splash which crossed my lips I wanted to spit it out.

We probably spent thirty minutes, maybe and hour, there before Bill suggested we probably wanted to head back. In the grass between Justin and I sat the half a bottle of beer that remained. I couldn't help but think I just wasn't cool enough, I couldn't enjoy these things I was supposed to enjoy. This was a waste of time. On the way back to the campground, I starter end worrying about Mom and Dad. Fortunately for all of us, they never asked and we never told.