--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I try to stay two drinks ahead of reality…" description: "\"I try to stay two drinks ahead of reality and three behind a drunk\" — James Crumley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ed/james-crumley-24000_behinds_i-try-to-stay-two-drinks-ahead-of-realit_109222.png" --- # I try to stay two drinks ahead of reality and three behind… ![“I try to stay two drinks ahead of reality and three behind a drunk” quote by James Crumley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ed/james-crumley-24000_behinds_i-try-to-stay-two-drinks-ahead-of-realit_109222.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ed/james-crumley-24000_behinds_i-try-to-stay-two-drinks-ahead-of-realit_109222.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ed/james-crumley-24000_behinds_i-try-to-stay-two-drinks-ahead-of-realit_109222.png) > “I try to stay two drinks ahead of reality and three behind a drunk” [James Crumley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-crumley/) ## 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 tries to stay ahead of reality by drinking, yet remains slightly behind a drunk, suggesting a precarious balance between escapism and self‑control. **In simple terms:** I drink to outrun life, but not too far. Key Takeaway Balancing escape with self‑restraint. Themes addiction self‑awareness coping humor Mood wry reflective Type personal credo observational humor When to use this quote - late‑night bar conversations - creative writer’s ritual - stress‑relief drinking - social drinking limits Key Concepts psychological defense risk perception Practical Applications - Set a personal drinking ceiling - Use alternative coping strategies Questions to Reflect On - What are healthier ways to stay ahead of reality? - When does drinking become counterproductive? A Different Perspective The approach can mask underlying issues rather than resolve them. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Drunk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drunk/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/) ## Related quotes > [Awkward moment when you had way too many drinks last night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/awkward-moment-when-you-had-way-too-many-drinks-last-night/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [An alcoholic is someone you dont like who drinks as much as you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/an-alcoholic-is-someone-you-dont-like-who-drinks-as-much-as-you-do/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One drink, two drinks, three, & now four! Show that drunk the way to the door!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/know-moore/one-drink-two-drinks-three-now-four-show-that-drunk-the-way-to-the/) Know Moore > [The problem with this world is, everyone in it is 3 drinks behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/humphrey-bogart/the-problem-with-this-world-is-everyone-in-it-is-3-drinks-behind/) [Humphrey Bogart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/humphrey-bogart/) > [If she drinks beer, she's a keeper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/granger-smith/if-she-drinks-beer-she-s-a-keeper/) [Granger Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/granger-smith/) > [When you go to a party at somebody's house, don't automatically assume that the drinks are free. Ask, and ask often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/when-you-go-to-a-party-at-somebody-s-house-don-t-automatically-assume/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [The only person more cynical than a drunk is a reformed drunk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-crumley/the-only-person-more-cynical-than-a-drunk-is-a-reformed-drunk/) [James Crumley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-crumley/) > [When I was doing drugs and alcohol, I thought I'll have a drink and a line of this and I'll smoke this. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzy-osbourne/when-i-was-doing-drugs-and-alcohol-i-thought-i-ll-have-a-drink-and-a/) [Ozzy Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzy-osbourne/) > [“I drink because I don't stand a chance and I know it. I couldn't drive a truck and I couldn't get on the cops…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/i-drink-because-i-don-t-stand-a-chance-and-i-know-it-i-couldn-t-drive/) [Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/) > [How much more of the mosque, of prayer and fasting? Better go drunk and begging round the taverns. Khayyam, drink wine, for soon this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-khayy-m/how-much-more-of-the-mosque-of-prayer-and-fasting-better-go-drunk-and/) [Omar Khayyam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-khayy-m/) > [“Women. Even their drinks are complicated.” He”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sample/women-even-their-drinks-are-complicated-he/) [Cindy Sample](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sample/) > [For me, a $20 wine that drinks like a $40 wine in terms of complexity and interest is a value, while a $5 wine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-harkness/for-me-a-20-wine-that-drinks-like-a-40-wine-in-terms-of-complexity/) [Deborah Harkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-harkness/) > [I'm a big fan of the Irish accent. After a couple of drinks, I start to get a bit of an Irish lilt, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-ratajkowski/i-m-a-big-fan-of-the-irish-accent-after-a-couple-of-drinks-i-start-to/) [Emily Ratajkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-ratajkowski/) > [I don't worry about chemicals. There are enough chemicals entering my body through all the fizzy drinks I consume to worry if my lip…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edie-campbell/i-don-t-worry-about-chemicals-there-are-enough-chemicals-entering-my/) [Edie Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edie-campbell/) > [Ambition devours gold and drinks blood and climbs so high by other men's heads, that at the length in the fall, it breaks its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-wentworth-1st-earl-of-strafford/ambition-devours-gold-and-drinks-blood-and-climbs-so-high-by-other/) Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford ## More by James Crumley > [Consideration touches more deeply and longer than passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-crumley/consideration-touches-more-deeply-and-longer-than-passion/) [James Crumley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-crumley/) > [The only person more cynical than a drunk is a reformed drunk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-crumley/the-only-person-more-cynical-than-a-drunk-is-a-reformed-drunk/) [James Crumley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-crumley/) > [“This was the place, the place I would have come on my own wandering binge, come here and lodged like a marble in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-crumley/this-was-the-place-the-place-i-would-have-come-on-my-own-wandering/) [James Crumley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-crumley/) > [Lady bartenders live a tougher life than anybody knows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-crumley/lady-bartenders-live-a-tougher-life-than-anybody-knows/) [James Crumley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-crumley/) > [Maybe I will go to Paris. Who knows? But I’ll sure as hell never Go back to Texas again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-crumley/maybe-i-will-go-to-paris-who-knows-but-i-ll-sure-as-hell-never-go/) [James Crumley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-crumley/) > [...the sun rose each morning to stare into my face with the blank but touching gaze of a lovely retarded child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-crumley/the-sun-rose-each-morning-to-stare-into-my-face-with-the-blank-but/) [James Crumley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-crumley/) > [“Sadness softened her nasal twang, that ubiquitous accent that had drifted out of the Appalachian hills and hollows, across the southern plains, across the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-crumley/sadness-softened-her-nasal-twang-that-ubiquitous-accent-that-had/) [James Crumley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-crumley/) > [“I chuckled like Aldo Ray. If I had to endure his l'homme du monde act, he had to suffer my jaded alcoholic private eye.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-crumley/i-chuckled-like-aldo-ray-if-i-had-to-endure-his-l-homme-du-monde-act/) [James Crumley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-crumley/) > [I have learned some things. Modern life is warfare without end: take no prisoners, leave no wounded, eat the dead--that's environmentally sound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-crumley/i-have-learned-some-things-modern-life-is-warfare-without-end-take-no/) [James Crumley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-crumley/) > [When I finally caught up with Abraham Trahearne, he was drinking beer with an alcoholic bulldog named Fireball Roberts in a ramshackle joint just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-crumley/when-i-finally-caught-up-with-abraham-trahearne-he-was-drinking-beer/) [James Crumley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-crumley/) > [“Son, never trust a man who doesn’t drink because he’s probably a self-righteous sort, a man who thinks he knows right from wrong all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-crumley/son-never-trust-a-man-who-doesn-t-drink-because-he-s-probably-a-self/) [James Crumley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-crumley/) > [Home is where you hang your hangover.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-crumley/home-is-where-you-hang-your-hangover/) [James Crumley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-crumley/) > [“An old drinking buddy of mine had come home from a two-week binge with a rose tattooed on his arm. Around the blossom was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-crumley/an-old-drinking-buddy-of-mine-had-come-home-from-a-two-week-binge/) [James Crumley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-crumley/) > [“Nobody lives forever, nobody stays young long enough. My past seemed like so much excess baggage, my future a series of long goodbyes, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-crumley/nobody-lives-forever-nobody-stays-young-long-enough-my-past-seemed/) [James Crumley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-crumley/) > [There's no accounting for laws. Or the changes wrought by men and time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-crumley/there-s-no-accounting-for-laws-or-the-changes-wrought-by-men-and-time/) [James Crumley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-crumley/) [Explore all 25 James Crumley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-crumley/) ## More Behinds quotes > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Time is painted with a lock before, and bald behind, signifying thereby that we must take time by the forelock; for, when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/time-is-painted-with-a-lock-before-and-bald-behind-signifying-thereby/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [God hides Himself behind causes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-rollin/god-hides-himself-behind-causes/) [Charles Rollin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-rollin/) > [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Behind every word flows energy. If you use your words to gossip or babble about what you are going to do before you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-choquette/behind-every-word-flows-energy-if-you-use-your-words-to-gossip-or/) [Sonia Choquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-choquette/) > [With the realization of God comes all power. If the little wave knew that behind it is the great ocean, it could say, "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/with-the-realization-of-god-comes-all-power-if-the-little-wave-knew/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up, to give them the tools at their disposable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatism-is-not-about-leaving-people-behind-conservatism-is-about/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [And the seasons they go 'round and 'round And the painted ponies go up and down We're captive on the carousel of time We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/and-the-seasons-they-go-round-and-round-and-the-painted-ponies-go-up/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [It is worthwhile for anyone to have behind him a few generations of honest, hard-working ancestry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-worthwhile-for-anyone-to-have-behind-him-a-few-generations-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm really thankful to God, man. Like now, I'm really making a real comeback with my group. With or without a record, with or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-turner/i-m-really-thankful-to-god-man-like-now-i-m-really-making-a-real/) [Ike Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-turner/) > [Empires fall, ids explode, great symphonies are written, and behind all of it is a single instinct that demands satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/empires-fall-ids-explode-great-symphonies-are-written-and-behind-all/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [After a few mouthfuls of moon-flavored air, even the stubbornly drowsy can find themselves wide-eyed.. All the normal noises of life were gone, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/after-a-few-mouthfuls-of-moon-flavored-air-even-the-stubbornly-drowsy/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) Browse all 6,789 Behinds quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I try to stay two drinks ahead of reality and three behind a drunk", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Crumley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-crumley/i-try-to-stay-two-drinks-ahead-of-reality-and-three-behind-a-drunk/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Behinds" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-crumley/i-try-to-stay-two-drinks-ahead-of-reality-and-three-behind-a-drunk/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ed/james-crumley-24000_behinds_i-try-to-stay-two-drinks-ahead-of-realit_109222.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ed/james-crumley-24000_behinds_i-try-to-stay-two-drinks-ahead-of-realit_109222.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ed/james-crumley-24000_behinds_i-try-to-stay-two-drinks-ahead-of-realit_109222.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I try to stay two drinks ahead of reality and three behind a drunk” — James Crumley", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "James Crumley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-crumley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I try to stay two drinks...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-crumley/i-try-to-stay-two-drinks-ahead-of-reality-and-three-behind-a-drunk/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-crumley/i-try-to-stay-two-drinks-ahead-of-reality-and-three-behind-a-drunk/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```