Today should be the 31st and final day of Ryan Shepherd’s sobriety.
Should is the key word in that sentence.
In my last article documenting Shep’s struggle through Sober October we left off with him on his eighth day of sobriety and lucid dreaming of drinking a cold beer at the Leaf’s home opener in the square or at the hip concert with his buddies. Well, that very night Shep decided that it was time for his first hall pass.
What’s a hall pass? Well, in Sober October land it means that you get a day to drink after donating (or someone donating for you) $20 to your campaign. As of time of publication of this article, Ryan’s profile still lists his money raised as $0, so apparently the hall pass is still an accounts receivable.
Anyway, Shep had a few drinks that night. How many? Well, when I finally published the second article, it was almost evening and Shep had left for his night out- still sober at that time. I did not hear from him all night but did receive a Facebook like on the article at 3:04am. Interesting time for a “sober” like. I take note and fall back asleep get back to watching OITNB… for the second time. Judge me. Whatever.
I ask him the next day what he thinks of the article. He responds…
Yeah, I liked it! I was pretty drunk when I read it though, so I’m going to have to look at it again.
And that ladies and gentleman of the internet was the end of Sober October for Ryan Shepherd.
Maybe it was the Leafs’ fault for having their home opener during Sober October? Or maybe it was the friend group and social company that Shep keeps, either way, this proved to be a much harder task for Shep than I think he originally thought. I’m not saying it’s easy to give up something that you have consistently done since you were 19 and perfected at university. No, he didn’t go to Western. He went to Laurentian. So really, what else besides drink is there to do up there? I’m not about to give up french fries or Diet Coke- but I would never try in the first place.
I think there is something to be said for Shep trying to do Sober October. No he didn’t last even half the month. Yes, he did start promoting at Brooklynn during Sober October (I went, sober, and had a great time) and yes that’s probably the exact opposite of the campaign. But, before you’re quick to start heckling Shep for not staying sober remember that we only get one life, and it’s our life. I always tell my friends to do what makes you happy and if for Shep that happiness is found at the bottom of the pint, well, I guess it’s a lot cheaper than behind a Quattroporte, which is where I find my happiness (this is speculation, but I’m pretty certain).
Claire McArthur 