Dear Self,
This is your conscience talking. It has been great fun yakking it up with your friends and co workers. Those beers, wine and alcohol tasted great and hit the spot after a hectic day, week, and year. Here is to next year! I know you are feeling pretty courageous now, got a little buzz on maybe a little devil may care attitude. So are you going to do it? Are you going to take those keys and sit down in that seat? Is it really worth the risk? I know it is just a Holiday Party but before you get behind the wheel, let me point out a few things to you.
You are not putting only your life in danger but you are putting yourself in the danger of everyone you cross paths with. When you approach that car going slow in front of you are the drinks going to help you pass on the curve or end up going so fast that you might not make the corner? Why do it, why take the chance? It really is easier to just call a friend or a cab.
What about those people crossing the road in your path, those pedestrians crossing right or wrongly on these dark country roads, are they expecting you? Do you see them in front of you? Are you expecting them to be there? Will you be able to see them in time if you have to avoid them? It is hard enough to do that stone cold sober, what are your plans for dealing with it now?
Oh I see, you just had a few. You can handle it. Do you realize that you don’t have to be over the legal limit to be charged? What if your cell phone rings, will you be distracted just for that split second that it would take? What if there is a deer, a mailbox, or a short curve, will you be quick enough to respond or will you spin out of control? Do you really have a hold on the answer to this?
How many people do you know? Lots, I know, and they are all great people. Do they really deserve the risk of losing you to an accident?
Worse yet what would they do if you were put in jail? How would you tell them? What would you say? Have you already made up their mind for them? Think about them, what would they want you to do?
You’ll get a good lawyer, well ok; let’s think about that for a minute.
Will he be able to discount the fact that multiple people saw you drinking and if forced to testify will have to tell the truth? What about your job, your reputation, your honor, your hopes, your dreams?
What if something was to happen, will you still be able to hold your head high?
What if you have the best lawyer in the world and you get the judge that has a zero tolerance policy. Will your attorney be able to prove that everything that you have had to drink tonight didn’t affect you? Did it affect you? Is it affecting you now? Could it be influencing your decision?
Really, it isn’t worth any of this. It isn’t worth the risk and the time to make a phone call. Do it now, make that call. There is a friendly voice on the other end, all too glad to hear from you. They will come get you. Now put those keys away and sit tight. It will only be a short time until they get here. Think of all that worrying now gone. Think of all of those people that won’t be negatively affected by your good time, self included.
Don’t you feel better now?