Three Strikes, You’re Out

I was 10 years old when I had my first drink. I was at a family New Year’s Eve party. The grown-ups were drinking and playing cards. One by one, I went to each grownup and asked if I could try their drink, not letting on that I had been doing that to everyone. There were six or seven grownups, so by the time I made it back around to my mom, I was drunk. I remember feeling, for the first time ever, that it was okay that I was the only little girl there. I was just fine, thank you.