Lash back

A couple next to us were lashing back tequila, the whole salt-and-lemon vibe, and having a whale of a time. I felt like a priest and that's about as bad as it gets. The drinks came and we clinked glasses.

Also when I was young and lashing back pints, there was no great problem about it because I wasn't responsible to anybody. Then I got married, and later, when the kids were growing up, my drinking began to be a problem.

The gag was always the same. Someone would go up to the bar and come back with their two drinks and put one down in front of me. 'That's yours, Philly. I got you a drink.' Then there's be a pause for a second. 'Ah you don't want it, grand,' and he'd reach over, pick it up, and lash it back himself. They'd try to sneak a bit of whiskey or vodka into my Coke for the laugh, but if one of them handed me a soft drink, I knew well enough to sniff[…]