My Name Is Dan

IF DEFIANCE is a hallmark of the alcoholic, I certainly exemplified this negative attitude. Reared in a home that knew no alcoholism, I blossomed out as a drunk at age fifteen. A bright youngster, I had whizzed through the first six years of school in four. Junior high, however, became a problem. Spoiled by my earlier teachers, I ran into a little number in grade seven who wanted to show me who was boss. I retreated into a resentful stubbornness and gave up on being an educational prodigy as a means of attracting attention. I turned to companions who were "mature" in the sense that they sought adult-type kicks. That appealed to me, and I joined in with vigor.