No really, I don’t.

It’s okay though, really, it is.

I usually leave it at “no thank you” without adding the “I don’t drink,” because I don’t want to get into it, but since you pushed, please understand that you don’t need to pressure me, I’m perfectly fine without it. And, no, I’m not judging you for having a glass of wine.

Since you seem so uncomfortable about my glass of ice tea, I’ll explain it to you. I have alcohol intolerance. I never know if it will be my first sip (like that New Year’s Eve when I had a sip of someone else’s drink and broke out for days) or if I’ll make it through a drink and loosen up enough to have just one more. The last time that happened it was vomiting, diarrhea and migraine for the next 18 hours.

So you see, it’s just not worth it.

But ya know what? Why do I have to explain that every single time I decline a drink?

Why does it matter to anyone if I just say “no thanks”. Last time I declined an ice water nobody said, “C’mon, can’t you have just one?”

What if I had a medical condition or was taking medication which prevented me from drinking, would I have to explain that too? Or if I was pregnant and nobody knew it yet? Or what if I was a recovering alcoholic and that wasn’t your business either?

Do me a favor, folks, just drop it, mkay?

When offering drinks, if your company declines, just say ok, and leave it at that.

Oh, one last thing, I don’t need you to be my personal Google and figure out if there’s a type of alcohol I can tolerate. I’d really rather not chance it just to make you happy.

Read more from Alethea Jo, The Writing, Running Mom.