Ordering drinks always floored me. I didn't know whisky…
““Ordering drinks always floored me. I didn't know whisky from gin and never managed to get anything I really liked the taste of. Buddy Willard and the other college boys I knew were usually too poor to buy hard liquor or they scorned drinking altogether. It's amazing how many college boys don't drink or smoke. I seemed to know them all. The farthest Buddy Willard ever went was buying us a bottle of Dubonnet, which he only did because he was trying to prove he could be aesthetic in spite of being a medical student. "I'll have a vodka," I said. The man looked at me more closely. "With anything?" "Just plain," I said. "I always have it plain." I thought I might make a fool of myself by saying I'd have it with ice or gin or anything. I'd seen a vodka ad once, just a glass full of vodka standing in the middle of a snowdrift in a blue light, and the vodka looked clear and pure as water, so I thought having vodka plain must be all right. My dream was someday ordering a drink and finding out it tasted wonderful.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The narrator struggles with social expectations around drinking, seeking authenticity while confronting peer pressure and self-doubt.
In simple terms: She wants a simple drink but feels judged by others.
Key Takeaway
Embrace personal taste despite social norms.
Themes
identity
conformity
self-discovery
alcohol culture
Mood
introspective
conflicted
Type
literary
personal
When to use this quote
- college life
- social gatherings
- personal ordering
Key Concepts
authenticity
peer pressure
self-esteem
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you assert personal preferences in group settings?
- What does “plain” symbolize for you?
A Different Perspective
The desire for authenticity may clash with cultural expectations.