ALCOHOL THE CHOICE

[Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Dr a Dr A okay that's better how was he before this just barely holding his own he opens his eyes now and then but I don't think he's conscious of where he is we'll have to wait and see hi Mr Walters daddy daddy daddy [Music] Rick hey Rick come on man we're late already hey you want a beer no enough for me a come on man everybody's going to be way ahead of us I said no forget it will you okay okay whatever you say where are your folks they went out went to a party where my dad works probably be back late hey Rick I thought you said your parents were going to be home late I'll do something with that beer if you have one you have four in the first half hour like why a man can't have a few drinks at a party dump it out maybe if you stopped nagging just once what do you think you're doing hey I asked you a question Rick what's going on I said what do you think you're doing who gave you permission to get into the bar we were just it was only that the minute we leave the house you grab the beer that right oh not only that you you bring along your little friends to share with you both of you think you're big enough look it's not what you think okay big boy you want a drink have a real one you think you're old enough why not a drink now and then is all right what's the matter drink it no thanks come on Al the next time you go sneaking into my bar you better learn how to handle your liquor you mean like you I just what's that supposed to mean as if you didn't know look I don't want to argue about it just forget it all right oh now you don't want to argue about it well why' you start it then look I asked you something if you didn't want to argue about it why did you start it don't give me that every time is the same thing you can't stop with a couple you have to keep on Till You Get so drunk you can't see straight get off my back I know how much I can handle you think I'm drunk well let me tell you something lady I can drink twice as much as I've had knock it off will you all right something wrong I'm sorry it's the same thing my father got drunk again last night bad it's bad enough started fighting in front of Alan everything still going at it when I got home why doesn't he see somebody and get some help I don't know maybe he doesn't know he's got a problem no way you should see him Rick maybe he can't help it I mean you've been coming down pretty hard on him lately just because he's your father doesn't mean he's ever going to get himself together he's a drunk [Music] can I talk to him it's okay isn't it even though he can't hear me yes hey I hear you had pretty rough real rough I guess R Rick about the other day I I'm sorry you know how about about that game last night thr the ball over here you guys want to hear about me and Ellen Richardson last night get out of here you you didn't do nothing man all right all right forget it okay okay come on what happened okay okay I talked my brother into getting some one but I tell her we're going to a movie oh what movie did you see putting me on anyway first she doesn't want doesn't want to what doesn't want to drink the wine stupid did she drink any it took a little persuading and then we got very friendly must have been great two drunks in the backseat of a car what' you mean by that nothing I was just trying to be funny it wasn't funny I've never been so disappointed in my life Rick how could you you know what it's done to your father I don't even know how you could think about it for one minute Rick I won't have you drinking period how do you know I do what am I supposed to think you were pouring it out when we walked in all right all right so what if I do decide to drink you're underage you could get arrested come on since when did that stop anybody besides not everyone who drinks turns into a drunk how do you know it won't be you it could be why don't you leave me alone drinking not drinking is that only anyone talks about in this house you know what I mean sure my father's an alcoholic what's the matter mother you think I can inherit it pink spring the wine for The Young and the young at [Music] heart he doesn't even know we're here does he no see you tomorrow night Rick [Music] give me a wrench will you here you go d looks like your brother and your father are really having a good time yeah whenever Paul comes home from college they mess around with that bike yeah it really looks great what's wrong you've been upset all afternoon it's just that no one seems to want to let me make up my own mind about anything I know what you mean my folks don't hassle me but a lot of other adults just w want you to be what they want well why does everything get blown up so big so what if I had been drinking beer when my parents came home is that what you want I don't know just want to find out if I really do or don't so why don't you sit down and explain it to them it's not that simple I don't think they see any alternatives for themselves so how are they going to see any for me it's hot out here hey Dad how about a beer I'll go inside and get us both one great hey Rick Rick you want a beer uh yeah beer sounds fine Paul coming right up hey Dad get a beer for Rick will you you don't have to take it why not I want it besides father lets Paul drink that's not what I mean I mean I think you just should have as much choice to say no as you do to say yes my kid thanks Dad you mind I guess not why I'd feel more comfortable if you didn't if you were member of the family Ricket would be different it's not personal that's not fair Paulin drink then why can't Rick that's right it isn't fair guilty your honor but with an explanation you see the reason I allow Paul to have a beer is that he knows the ground rules would be a little hypocritical if I didn't particularly since your mother and I drink socially what what ground rules well it's not exactly a set of rules it's just well something that Sharon and Paul have grown up with it's an understanding that drinking is no excuse for poor Behavior it's not that we're against drinking it's just well as long as everyone acts in such a way that doesn't make the rest of us uncomfortable well if it's okay then why don't you drink I don't know I guess I never felt I had to but I don't think everyone would agree with us that's right they would but that's their right [Music] also we miss you in church Rick everyone said to say hello it's wrong that's all I don't care how many people drink it's still wrong anything that makes you lose control of yourself is wrong and besides it's illegal for teenagers oh come on I know lots of people that can hold their liquor and why is it better for somebody to drink at 50 than 17 it may not be any better for someone to drink when they're older but we have to remember drinking is still illegal for minors can we allow anything to make us lose control drunkenness is clearly condemned in the Bible it's not that simple I I have a lot of friends who uh who drink I mean uh there's a lot of pressure to do what the gang does each of us has to make that decision for himself no one can do that for you what about the social problems that are created by alcohol Rick uh yeah well say someone in the family has a drinking problem well then the kids would have a drinking problem too frankly a lot of experts would say yes just because those kids have always seen alcohol abused the kids in that family could easily have a drinking problem well I guess our times's went out for the day see y'all next week Rick just a minute what if I said the experts were wrong you just said that they were what would you say what difference does it make what decision would you make you're bright enough to figure it out for yourself it really doesn't matter what the experts say it doesn't even matter the people around you drink you have to make your own decisions it's up to you Rick all the help you need is right here [Music] I've put up with it long enough will you stop nagging all the time and if I stop nagging I suppose you'd stop drinking is that it a man's got a drink in this house to put up with it oh is that right well what about him then yeah what about me you know it's easy to fight about drinking 24 hours a day in this house maybe there's something wrong with this family more than drinking maybe there's a hundred things wrong that have nothing to do with alcohol doesn't anybody ever take a look at why they drink Sharon could I come over no it's nothing serious no I can walk okay bye [Music] oh my God I didn't mean I I didn't mean I didn't mean to Rick I didn't all I had was that just had a couple of drinks a couple of drinks hey welcome back you've had a pretty rough time you know where you are are a hospital yes do you know what happened the accident yeah I remember it they ought to lock up criminals like the drunk that hit you he wasn't a criminal it was Ben Walters you know him all my life he's a nice guy lives up the street has kids and everything no he's not a criminal he was just drunk the a