Losing Old Friends

Everybody has them; those old friends that are bad influences.  For some reason they seem to stay around longer than the good friends.  They sometimes get in the way of good times and are always there for the bad times.  These are the hardest friends to sever ties with because they’ve been through so much with you that you feel like you need them around.  Often times you need someone on the outside to tell you to dump that friend and that person is often a doctor.  That’s right, a doctor.  The first of my friends he told me had to go was nicotine.  Ah the great times we had together.  While nicotine was not in my life for a relatively long time, it was sweet while it lasted.  But it came with a price.  I was sick a lot with repertory issues and woke up most mornings feeling like my chest was going to crush itself.  Aside from that, nicotine was really bossy and I didn’t like that.  The doctor and my wife forced me to kick my old friend to the curb.  It was a sad day.  The hurt stayed with me for a long time as one of my hands no longer seemed to have a use.  After a while I forgot about it and moved on.  Then I was blindsided with a new request.  I was put on some permanent medication that didn’t mix well with alcohol.  So the doctor told me to give up alcohol entirely.  Hold the phone!  I’m a mix of Irish and German.  I tell people that means I can hold my beer and I don’t care what you think about it!  Now I have to give it up completely as well as all other spirits?  This was too much.  This friend and I had been through everything together.  I was never a heavy drinker (I know everyone says that) but this was asking too much.  With every visit to the doctor he would ask if I was still drinking and I would tell the truth.  Then came the lecture and the guilt trip.  It explained why the medicine wasn’t helping.  So I bit the bullet and cast alcohol aside.  It’s amazing how people judge you when you go to an event where everyone’s drinking except you.  They get very rude and don’t talk to you.  I now say I’m the designated driver although they still ask me if my license is suspended for DUI.  I miss having a beer with people.  The fake stuff tastes awful.  Now the doctor tells me I have to give up caffeine.  Come on!  You’ve got to be kidding me.  This friend has been with me since childhood.  He’s helped me study for tests in school.  He’s made me alert for the drive to work.  This is practically family.  For this one all I can say is I’m trying.  I still have 2 12-packs of Diet Pepsi in the garage to drink.  I plan to get caffeine free once it is gone.  This will be a tough good-bye.  After this all I have left is red meat and the doctor’s going to have a fight on his hands for that one.  Man, it is hard dumping these old friends.