Article October 11, 2010 Issue

Free from intoxication... OF ANY KIND

BY STEPHANIE JOHNSON

MY FIRST JOB AFTER COLLEGE was as a manufacturer's representative. My day consisted of calling on retailers to take orders and training their employees in product knowledge. My car was my office. But every now and then, all of the sales reps would get together for lunch. Their restaurant of choice was a winery.

At one of these lunches the fellow next to me, a colleague, had finished off most of a bottle of wine by himself. Becoming increasingly louder, he waved his arms in emphasis with each proclamation. Finally, one of those grand sweeps knocked a glass of red wine all over my cream-colored suit.

At that point, I owned only two suits. So you can imagine my horror as I looked down at my jacket and skirt. But to make matters worse, the fellow took one look at me and doubled over in laughter! I was crushed by his response.