Marcus is in a bar with a glass of whisky in front of him.
There is just one major problem – Marcus is an alcoholic.
If he drinks from the glass, his life could change dramatically.
So he calls one person who can help him.
How long before they arrive?
And can they help Marcus?
This is a dramatic short story about a man addicted to alcohol. He is an alcoholic.
The story comes with a full and complete lesson plan that is bound to create much discussion and debate in your English or ESL class.
Take a look below and download the full lesson in PDF format by clicking the link at the bottom of the page.
And let me know what you think in the comments!
Many thanks!
Just One Won’t Hurt
Marcus stared at the glass in front of him.
The amber liquid inside, like gold, and the four cubes of crystalline ice.
The smell too. That familiar smell of wood and fire.
Whisky was a refined drink. It was sophisticated. A man’s drink.
But to Marcus, it was sheer poison.
He hadn’t touched a drop for the last eight years.
Yet here he was, in a downtown bar, with the glass in front of him.
Marcus was the only customer. The barman stood at the other end of the bar, cleaning glasses and lost in his own thoughts.
Marcus had not touched the glass. Not yet.
But there was a powerful temptation to reach out and hold it.
He knew that once he held the glass, he would raise it to his lips and tip the contents into his mouth in one go.
That would happen without any question at all.
After the barman set the glass in front of him, not making eye contact with Marcus, totally uncaring and oblivious to who or what he was, Marcus pulled out his phone.
He at least had that much common sense left.
He made one phone call. The only phone call he needed to make.
To his sponsor.
The sponsor had picked up on the third ring.
The conversation had been very short.
What’s going on?
Where are you?
I’m coming right now.
Marcus checked the time on his phone. Just after 11pm.
No clock in the bar. Two places you won’t find clocks. Bars or casinos.
But it was late. He reminded himself he would have to thank his sponsor for coming out at this hour.
The barman cleared his throat, and Marcus automatically glanced over at him.
A paranoid feeling that he was holding him up, that he wanted to close up, and go home.
The barman didn’t want to stay there because some alcoholic was having a bad day and needed a drink.
His hand reached for the glass. And, sudden alarm filling Marcus’ chest, he pulled it back.
Don’t touch the glass.
Keep your hands off the glass.
Do not.
Touch.
The glass.
He placed his hands between his thighs. Gripped them tight there, preventing any movement at all.
He knew where his sponsor lived. Driving here would take around twenty minutes. He might have already gone to bed, so he would have to get dressed. That would take around ten minutes.
He knew that his sponsor was married. Marcus had met his wife. And he would have to explain to her why he was getting up and going outside at such a late hour. Another five minutes.
Parking — five minutes.
Walking to the bar — five minutes.
Marcus added the numbers up on his fingers gripped between his legs.
He was looking at forty-five minutes at the very least before his sponsor walked through that door.
Outside, the streets were empty. People — normal people — were at home at this time. They were in bed, sleeping, preparing for the day ahead.
Marcus wanted that kind of life for himself. He wanted a normal, stable life.
Not a hectic life filled full of chaos and nightmares.
“I haven’t seen you here before.”
Marcus jolted and looked up.
The barman gazed over at him.
He forced a quick reply.
“Umm. Yeah. My first time here.”
His voice came out weak and trembling.
In fact, it wasn’t his first time. He had been here before. At least he could remember arriving at this bar. A long time ago. But no recollection of leaving.
That was his usual pattern in going to bars.
A vague memory of arriving. And then the next morning, a mind filled with paranoia as he had blacked out and had no memory of what he did or how he got home.
He could have done anything.
“Tuesdays are always quiet,” the barman continued.
Marcus nodded back at him, allowed a small smile to spread on his lips.
The last thing he needed right now was a conversation. He was not up to it. He could barely think, let alone talk.
“You should come here on a Wednesday,” said the man. “I guess because it’s Hump Day. The place is packed then.”
He slid off his stool and ambled down the bar towards Marcus, picking up the whisky bottle on the way.
As he neared Marcus, he raised the bottle to pour him a drink.
“This one’s on me, man,” he said. Then stopped. “Oh, you haven’t touched that one yet.”
Marcus’s hands fluttered near the glass. Not touching it.
Do not touch the glass.
“Yeah… I’m waiting… My friend will be here in a second.”
The barman eyed him strangely.
“No problem. I’m closing up in a few, though.”
Marcus nodded again. Was he nodding too much?
“I’ll be out of here soon,” he replied.
The barman put the bottle back and went back to his spot at the end of the bar.
Marcus stared at the whisky in the glass. Warm and inviting. Healing.
Don’t touch the glass.
Outside, a car horn. A woman’s voice. Sounds of the night.
Marcus took a breath. Willed for time to pass. He clamped his eyes shut. Opened them, hoping to see his friend walking through the door.
Walking in to save him. To rescue him.
Then a voice inside his head: Why can’t you save yourself? What kind of man are you that you constantly need someone else to clean up after you?
The barman cleared his throat.
Marcus knew that sound.
That meant: Drink your damn drink and get the hell out of here. I want to go home.
He forced himself not to look over. Not to look into the barman’s eyes.
Then a ping of the bell above the door.
Marcus spun round to the entrance of the bar.
His friend in the doorway.
“Yo, Marcus. Let’s go.”
He held the door open. His arm gestured to the outside.
Marcus put a ten-spot on the bar.
He nodded to the barman.
The look on the man’s face. He knew. He had seen it all before.
He had served hundreds like him.
Then Marcus got to his feet and walked out of the bar.
Reading Comprehension Questions
Look at all the following questions.
Answer them using a full sentence every time. Your answers should be based on the story above.
Who is the main character in the story?
Where is the story taking place?
What struggle is the main character dealing with in the story?
Who is the second character in the story?
Describe Marcus’s relationship with alcohol.
How long has he been sober?
Why does Marcus describe whisky as both “sophisticated” and “sheer poison”?
What does Marcus mean when he says he wants a “normal, stable life”?
What does Marcus’s vague memory of visiting the bar in the past reveal about his history with alcohol?
How does Marcus react to the barman’s presence and actions?
Why is Marcus uncomfortable talking with the barman?
How does Marcus respond to the barman when asked if it was his first time there? Why might he lie?
What does the phrase “Do not touch the glass” signify in Marcus’s mind?
How does Marcus try to physically prevent himself from drinking the whisky?
What does the absence of a clock in the bar signify about the setting or atmosphere?
Who does Marcus make a phone call to?
Why does he call this person?
What role does the sponsor play in Marcus’s life?
Why does Marcus calculate the time it would take for his sponsor to arrive? What does this reveal about his mental state?
How does the description of Marcus’s sponsor’s likely actions (e.g., getting dressed, explaining to his wife) contribute to the tension in the story?
What does the barman’s comment about Tuesdays suggest about the bar’s atmosphere?
What is the significance of the barman offering to pour Marcus another drink?
How does the barman’s attitude towards Marcus reflect on his experiences with other customers?
How does the barman’s last look at Marcus reflect on his understanding of Marcus’s situation?
How does Marcus feel about being in the bar alone at night?
How does the sound of the car horn and the woman’s voice outside affect Marcus’ emotions?
What does Marcus mean when he hears the inner voice ask, “Why can’t you save yourself?”
What thoughts go through Marcus’ head while he waits for his sponsor to arrive?
What emotions does Marcus experience when he sees his friend at the door?
Discuss the significance of the ten-dollar bill that Marcus places on the bar. What does it represent?
What does Marcus leaving money on the bar suggest about his character or intentions?
How do you interpret the ending of the story when Marcus leaves the bar with his friend?
Essential Vocabulary
Look at the table of words from the story below.
How many of these words do you know?
amber | nodded | recollection |
liquid | crystalline | blacked |
sophisticated | familiar | packed |
poison | refined | fluttered |
barman | temptation | inviting |
stable | oblivious | healing |
chaos | sponsor | clamped |
conversation | paranoid | willed |
memory | alarm | rescue |
anxious | gripped | gestured |
Exercise
Write down all the words and phrases in your vocabulary notebook. Look in your dictionary and find the meaning of each word. Write the definition next to each word.
Then make up your own sentences using each word or phrase.
For example:
Amber — A yellowish-orange fossilized tree resin, often used in jewellery and decoration.
Nodded — Past tense of nod. To move the head up and down, often as a sign of agreement, acknowledgement, or to indicate sleepiness.
Then write a sentence of your own that uses the new word or phrase correctly.
As the sun set, the sky turned a stunning shade of amber, signalling the end of the day.
She nodded in agreement when her friend suggested going to the new restaurant.
Do this with all the vocabulary and, over time, this will help improve all your English skills — reading, writing, speaking and listening.
Discussion Questions
How does Marcus feel about whisky, and why does he choose not to drink it?
What kind of environment does the bar create for Marcus in the story?
Why do you think the barman doesn’t make eye contact with Marcus?
What role does the sponsor play in Marcus’ life? Why is he important?
How does Marcus manage his temptation to drink throughout the story?
Why do you think Marcus has come to the bar even though he knows he’s trying to stay sober?
How does the barman’s behaviour reflect his attitude toward customers like Marcus?
What might Marcus feel when he hears the barman’s comments about the quietness of the bar on Tuesdays?
Do you think Marcus’ internal struggle is common for people who are trying to overcome an addiction? Why or why not?
If you were Marcus, would you have called your sponsor? Why or why not?
How does the barman’s offer of a free drink affect the situation? What would you do if you were the barman?
What does the time of night (around 11 pm) represent in the context of Marcus’ struggles?
Why do you think Marcus has such vivid memories of his past experiences in bars, but not the details of what happened after?
What do you think Marcus means when he talks about wanting a “normal, stable life”?
If you were Marcus, how would you feel when your sponsor arrives to help you?
Do you think Marcus’ internal dialogue (“Why can’t you save yourself?”) is self-critical? Why?
What do you think about the barman’s possible feelings toward Marcus? Does he seem sympathetic or indifferent?
Why does Marcus pay for the drink even though he didn’t touch it? What does this tell you about his character?
How do you think Marcus’ actions at the bar compare to his past behaviour with alcohol?
What do you think will happen to Marcus after he leaves the bar? Do you think he will stay sober?
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