Why I Don't Drink

When I was eight years old, I promised my dad that I would never drink. To date, I've kept that promise.

It's a strange choice to most people in my field, especially when wine is standard at many functions (I've lost count of the number of people I've heard at meetings moaning about how hungover they are...).

In reading up on a famous researcher, I found the following anecdote (I've hidden names of people and places):

On the eve of his departure from Country A, Researcher had been invited to visit the cellars of a famous wine producer of Country A's Vineyard Valley. The next Researcher knew was that he was approaching the station of Capital City in Country B: his railway ticket had been carefully tied to his buttonhole by his host in Country A.

I can't even imagine being in Researcher's shoes: so drunk the night before that I can't remember being put on my train to my next destination!

I'm glad that I don't drink for the sake of keeping my promise to my dad.

But I'm also glad that I don't drink 'cause no one will ever be able to tell stories like this about me!