“When the Bottle Becomes the Backbone”

A Powerful Story About Strength, Struggle, and the Illusion of Control

Dear Bahama Drama,

I’d like to remain anonymous for this one… because even though I don’t consider myself a bad guy, I’m scared that maybe I’m becoming one.

There’s something I’ve been holding in for a long time, and if I’m being real with you, I’ve never told anyone this before. Not a soul. But I’ve been following Bahama Drama for years now. I’ve laughed with y’all, cried with y’all, and watched story after story hit the page like thunder on a calm night. So tonight, I’m putting my storm out there too.

Why do I feel stronger when I drink?

I’m not talking about tipsy or blackout kind of drunk. I’m talking about that warm fire behind the ribs after the second or third beer. That deep inhale like your lungs just got upgraded. That walk that turns into a strut. That version of myself that shows up one that I don’t even recognize in the mirror but damn, he feels powerful.

Whenever I sip something, the world slows down and I speed up.
It’s like time gives me space to move.
I talk faster. I think sharper.
My body don’t feel pain the same.
And if you get slick with me?
My fists feel like iron, and I dare someone to test me.

But it’s not just about fighting. It’s about fear.
Or the lack of it.

When I drink, I don’t fear nothing.
Not the boss man.
Not the woman who left me on read.
Not even my past that still follows me like a stray dog looking for attention.

I become something bigger than me and for once, I don’t feel like the man struggling to keep it all together.
I feel like a damn superhero.

But here’s the part I don’t understand.

Where is that version of me when I’m sober?
Why does it take alcohol to wake him up?