Grand Prix and the Ineffective Alcohol Police

My husband is NOT a morning person. I am a morning person if I have had enough sleep, but no matter what I am way better about getting out of bed first thing in the morning. That is apparently not true when there are fast moving motorized vehicles involved. Having recently moved to Long Beach we were both excited to see the Indy race through the streets around our apartment. But I was not expecting my husband to bounce out of bed at the crack of dawn.

At first I thought it was just a fluke. I assumed he was off going to the bathroom and would soon be back in bed. Instead I heard the distinct pop of his morning Monster. I still roll back over thinking I must be going crazy. Suddenly inches from my face is Chris's face just staring at me. I cautiously open one eye. With bug-eyed enthusiasm he announces, "I hear the cars!" After filling my camelback with iced coffee I was ready to go.

I could not help but be enamoured with his childlike excitement. I felt as though I was catching a glimpse of what a five-year-old Chris must have been like on Christmas morning. He bounced all around the apartment as we got ready to go watch the fast, fast cars. It was the perfect start to a fun weekend. We made dollar bets on many cars and as usual I proved picking by liking someones name or the sponsor of the car is the way to go if you want to win a racing bet. By the way Ashley Judd's husband who drives the Target car placed third, I win!

The one question I was left with has to do with the "rules" establishments attempt to make in order to keep people from getting too drunk. First, who determines what is too drunk? Second, the rules are inconsistent and do not seem to really do anything. At this event they choose to make beer cost an arm and a leg. I find this completely counter productive. Instead, those determined to get drunk consume mass amounts of alcohol in the parking lot. We all know a fast intake of shots does not hit you until later, so they now come through the gates, sit in the sun and the next thing you know they are hammered, not even able to stand. The company has made no more money and merely made the problem worse. Slowly consuming beer would be a better option.

Then you have a restaurant with reasonable drinks who can serve food on the extended patio but not alcohol. Everyone stands at the rail, leaning over to consume their alcohol. Seriously? How is this different than serving it in the two feet past the rail? No one checked my camelback. I had coffee, but I could have had the entire thing filled with vodka for all they would know. When are places going to realize rules have to be consistent and it should be about people taking responsibility for their actions? You act like a jerk, tossed, no questions asked.

Add that to the guy who screams at every single car that goes by like the driver can hear him and you wind up with many people to poke fun at. I am not even convinced that guy had ANY alcohol, though if I was a LA County fireman I would have ripped the shirt off his back so he would stop embarrassing them. The race was awesome, but the people watching made it that much better. From totally vamped out OC brats who didn't even know cars were there to the redneck with the gear like he was a driver, to the adorable little kids with ear protection the size of their heads, it was a great time :)