Cheap wine Quote by Oscar Zeta Acosta
““Since I was about ten years younger than this crew of alcoholics, I just listened and filled their cups with cheap wine. After they’d had enough, I’d tell them of my escapades in Riverbank and in Panama where I’d worked with the Southern Baptist Convention and Jesus Christ to save the black souls of niggers, spics and Indians. I used to keep my eye on Harris when I told my stories. He had this nasty habit of pulling out a little notebook in the middle of a conversation and jotting down, as he said, “story ideas.” Later on, after I’d transferred to S.F. State and taken his writing course, he asked me if I wanted to read his first draft of Wake Up, Stupid! I kept it for a week and returned it to him at the next short story seminar. I only read the first paragraph. After that, I was no longer afraid of the intellectuals. I knew I could tell a better story.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Autobiography of Oscar Zeta Acosta (fictional memoir), 1972
The narrator describes using storytelling and alcohol to navigate and ultimately outwit a group of self‑styled intellectuals, gaining confidence in his own voice.
In simple terms: He gains confidence by confronting and outsmarting pretentious peers through storytelling.
Key Takeaway
Use storytelling to assert your perspective and challenge perceived authority.
Themes
confidence
storytelling
identity
power dynamics
Mood
defiant
reflective
critical
Type
personal
aphilosophical
cautionary
When to use this quote
- College writing workshops
- social gatherings
- personal memoir writing
- activist circles
Key Concepts
Narrative agency
social critique
racial language
Questions to Reflect On
- How does humor affect power dynamics?
- When can storytelling become a tool for resistance?
A Different Perspective
The language reflects outdated and offensive racial terms, limiting its relevance today.
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