Rose,
i do stand corrected on this, my comment was a throwaway one, meant to say that at my bus stop there actually are people who are drunk, and sometimes quite rowdy with it, not all of them are alcoholics,some are merely merry. I was talking about being drunk as opposed to being alcoholic, and the two words are not synonymous.

As you rightfully say, it is a disabling condition to live with, and all people deserve respect. I did not mean it as a global description, more that it is easy to see and understand that someone has gone over the limit, but it is harder to disprove that you aren't if you can't walk a straight line, or lose your balance, and someone judgmental is looking or commenting on you.

In fact if you tried to explain it might even make things worse......

Lindy

Okay, now I am really going to get in trouble here, but I have to speak up on this...I don't think we can take Lindy's observation as anything other than being an inhabitant in a city with a very different take on social drinking.

Anyone who has spent time in London or Scotland (can't speak for other parts of UK) will note that there is a very different culture toward social drinking. I was struck by how open it all is....people largely accept public inebriation and its resultant unsavory behavior. If you are walking through any part of London on any given evening, you are very likely going to encounter public drunkenness- the pubs are very small and it is common practice for people to spill out onto the cobbled streets, courts, lanes, and mews to enjoy a pint or two, or three. We're talking a lot of people...small crowds. Given the narrow confines of some areas, it is impossible to not have some sort of interaction with someone who is feeling a little less uptight. People seem much more open to exchanging thoughts or commenting on what is happening on the street; things are not like this in the States.

It stands to reason that you might encounter someone who was "really drunk" as Lindy said or someone who might get labeled as such like a PWP. People seem much more open, relaxed, and tolerant of drinking in public places - this means you will see young men (and hear them) being drunk- goofy, obnoxious, sick, etc. in train stations, tube stations, in a grocery store, etc. For the most part, people do not stare, gawk though I am sure people silently judge one another for any given thing as that is human nature.

So now I'm probably in trouble but wanted to say that I "read" Lindy's words quite differently.

Laura