US Coast Guard Base Galveston: 31 December 31 1978
Right out of boot, I went out on the town with a seaman named Pat, bought Ripple at the first 7⁄11 off base, got a ride into town from a stranger who gave us beer, bought a grocery bag full of fireworks.
Went to the Convention Center where there was a Hispanic party in the theatre, we were the only white guys there, the white party was downstairs.
There were bottles on every table and we went around drinking from them while people were dancing. We went outside, me with a stolen fifth of rum, where Pat got accosted by three guys for, “Lookin’ at my girlfriend, Holmes?”
I left, went out on the 4 lane seawall directing traffic in the middle, drunk as a skunk.
Got picked up by a cop, taken to the base, threw up in his car, at which point I asked the gate guard to hose me down with the fire hose, which he did.
I woke up the next morning having peed myself, my bed, the rack below me, and the floor. I then had galley duty. I threw up for 4 days and still can’t stomach whiskey. Those were the days.
2018 will not be a happy year.
It will be a year of more hate, fears, and ignorance. A year of worsened climate change and overturned environmental laws.
A year of more lies, racism, cruelty, misogyny, and homophobia.
A year of intelligent, kind, people saying, “I give up, what’s the use?”
So no, I do not wish you a “Happy New Year,” I just pray you, your loved ones, the world, and I survive it.
—Louis Warfield
Flommist Louis Warfield is a fabrication specialist who runs the award-winning Rhino Design Studio, “You dream it, we’ll build it.” Copyright © 2018 Louis Warfield.
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