HASKELL'S BOOZE MYSTERY

Orchard Cove 1957

The barn was a barn in name only. For years it had seen no animals, no hay, no equipment.  Only the shelf in the first horse stall served any useful  function. On this shelf Haskell kept his booze. Unknown to his wife, Cora.  Generally known to his intimate friends whom he needed.  Years ago, after a string of DUIs Haskell lost his driver’s license and depended on Cora for transportation.  Except when he needed to re-supply his booze.  Intimates met that need; intimates knew where he kept his stash.

When Haskell first noticed the lowering level of his booze bottle, he pondered who of his intimates was the culprit.  He relocated the booze to the hay loft, used now for storage of discarded furniture and ‘never to be used again junk’.  The theft continued.

After the fourth hiding place failed to prevent the loss of his liquor, he moved it to his workshop, in the tiny shed between the house and the barn.  For several weeks his stash seemed safe. The safety ended and Haskell noticed a daily dwindling of his supply.  He had never in his life felt the necessity of locking things up until now. He installed a lock on his shed  workshop. His booze was again safe. Less than a week.

Haskell began to doubt his sanity.  Was his drinking out of control?  How could he not remember? Everybody noticed the change. Haskell seemed to be aging before their eyes.

Cora urged  him to see a doctor. He struggled to hide his reaction when she said, “Haskell, this is way more than your booze drinking.”  Before he could protest she continued, “Now don’t go telling me you don’t drink. Everybody knows you keep moving your booze from one place to another.  You are so afraid someone will  drink a little of it.  Really Haskell, how selfish can you be?”  She put her hand on his arm. “Now there’s no  need to keep hiding it. You know what you need? You need a good stiff drink right now. You just sit down and relax."

Cora retrieved a key from her silverware drawer. “I’ll fetch it for you.”

Cora returned with two glasses. “Now Haskell, here you go.”