Well, not exactly, but it’s the best illustration I can provide every time I am asked why, when I live in the city that is considered pot capital of the world, I do not indulge.
Picture this: it’s the last evening of 1999. People have been planning Millenium parties for months. Gatherings, booze, fireworks, computer panics, the plans have been going for quite a while for most people. I find myself the host of one such celebration. People travel from all over the country to my apartment, they bring the aforementioned booze and fireworks to share. Considering fireworks in The Netherlands are a big deal on New Year’s Eve, extra care was put to ensure we have plenty.
One of our friends also has a stash of pot with him. Now, for those who do not live here, that might sound outrageous, outlandish even. Not so here, where you can buy it legally in coffeeshops all over the country. By 10:30 PM, our friend is rolling and passing around joints. Now, I usually don’t smoke pot but I decided to partake because, why the hell not, right? It sounded, at the time, like a good way to say goodbye to the year and the Millenium. I had my first take of the joint around 10:45 PM. I was sound asleep by 11 PM. So sound asleep that, in fact, they could hardly wake me up by midnight. I am told I awoke from my slumber long enough to wave at people, kiss my husband, request a thicker blanket and curl in bed to continue sleeping like a six months old baby. No fireworks for me, no booze, no dancing, no celebration. Just a long, cozy sleep that lasted for ten hours. By the time I finally woke up, everyone was long gone and the party was over.
I also learned to stay away from pot if I want to socialize.
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