I lived through the era pre-MADD, which basically means I knew many young friends who thought nothing of drinking and driving. Yes, it was unwise. Yes, it was dangerous. But it was also a different time, and there wasn’t the stigma attached to it that we experience now.

My friend, Lynn, used to have a basement bar where she and her family would imbibe all different types and brands of beers. She’d been drinking beer long before her legal age allowed her to. However, when she was graduated and she did turn “legal”, she and another friend decided to bar hop in celebration. They hit several bars and were having a great time, having one beer each in every tavern. They were on their way to yet another bar when her friend turned to her and asked, “Hey, have you ever had a Pabst Beer?”

Lynn replied “Oh, yeah. My grandfather used to give me one in our basement bar all the time.” 

She continued “When he wasn’t there, my brother would give me one.”

Her friend didn’t answer, so Lynn turned to look at her. She had a horrified look on her face. 

The troubled look on her friend prompted Lynn to ask, “What?” Lynn responded, “you’ve never had one? Let’s have one at the next place.”

No response.

Finally, her friend asked in a hushed tone, “What did you think I asked?”

“…Because what I asked was “Have you ever had a pap smear?”

Uncategorized drinking in celebration legal drinking Pabst beer