Life Ain't A Fairy Tale by Miguel Rivera Page B

that
explanation. Fortunately, as he got older, he started drinking
less. Basically, health problems like high blood pressure and high
cholesterol forced him to drink less as he aged. I never thought
I'd be alive to see the day he didn't get drunk. It did arrive to
my amazement, and I am glad that time arrived.
    His drinking problem has left me with life
lessons. Being an alcoholic can destroy the goodwill of your
partner. It is a romance killer. Arguments of the magnitude of my
parents will effectively destroy love, the fantasy Sara believes
in. It is best to agree with everything she says, even if I
disagree on the inside.
    Because Sara's excessive drinking reminds me
of my parents' dysfunctional marriage, I stopped accompanying Sara
to the club. As expected, Sara wasn't too happy with my decision.
She found my decision to be an overreaction. She only vomited once.
This decision was a good remedy for my pains and aches.
    "Jimmy. I can't believe you are not going to
the club anymore. I said I was sorry. I got carried away with the
drinking that night. I admit it, but your decision is too radical.
I even cleaned your dirty clothes for you."
    "I know it seems dramatic, but I think it is
the right thing to do. You know I hate driving to begin with. My
Saturday nights will be much less stressing." Personally, I didn't
want to talk about my father's drinking with her. She would not
understand anyway and complain about me being a spoiled brat who
makes drama over nothing. I kept calm with brief reasons why I
won't go dancing with her and weathered the storm of her
frustrations.
    "I still don't get it. You did kind of enjoy
going out to dance. I saw the joy on your face. I know going to the
club wasn't your favorite option, but you danced quite a while with
me before you got tired. You have been driving well. Shouldn't you
be used to driving by now? Are you going to let this little
incident stop us from having fun together?"
    "Look, Sara. This is the right decision for
the moment. I know how you feel. You don't understand why I am
making such a sudden decision, but I was holding you back anyway.
You don't need me to party." Let's just say I was still embarrassed
to tell her about my pains and aches considering my youth.
Unfortunately, I am who I am. If I had admitted that I have pains
from dancing, she would have made fun of me for being a spoiled
brat. I continued to stick to these unsatisfying explanations as to
why I was no longer dancing with her.
    "Jimmy. What have you been doing all these
weekends hanging out with Gina and my friends? Were you just
pretending to have fun because I was your girlfriend?"
    "No. It has been fun, Sara. I do love being
around you, but I shouldn't be holding you back. You should have
the freedom to be Sara." The truth is I enjoyed dancing with Sara
because it is Sara, a beautiful woman I feel connected to. Sara's
beauty gave me the energy to dance with her. That being said, I
have gone out dancing with her many times. I think I gave her all
she wanted. I knew she would be upset with my decision, but I
didn't think it would end our relationship.
    "What do you mean holding me back? I never
have said anything concerning that. You never hold me back. You are
my boyfriend; the person I care about the most in my life. Having
you around makes me happy. I don't understand what you are talking
about."
    "I don't know what else to say, Sara. My
decision is final. I tried to explain why I won't go out dancing
again, but you still don't understand me." I was very tired of
arguing with her. I wanted this conversation to end.
    "Jimmy, you are such a baby." Sara concluded
the conversation in frustration.
    After that uncomfortable incident, Sara had
another upsetting moment at New Year's Eve. She wanted to spend New
Year's Eve at Times square with all the people that reunite every
year in New York. That was not my thing. I didn't want to do that.
I had always spent my New Year's Eve with my parents. I did not
want