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The Art of Ghosting
Ghosting. The Irish Goodbye. The Drunken Magician.
All synonyms for my favorite drinking move: Leaving the gathering without saying goodbye.
I know it’s socially unacceptable. It even rises to the level of rudeness if it leaves your friends with concerns that you might be hurt (like the time I ghosted from a packed bowling alley bar at 1:00 AM in 5-degree weather to walk the mile to my house).
But oh, I like it.
I’m not the only one. In fact, it’s a tradition of sorts. From Rule 71 of Modern Drunkard Magazine’s 86 Rules of Boozing:
It’s acceptable, traditional in fact, to disappear during a night of hard drinking. You will appear mysterious and your friends will understand. If they even notice.
My appreciation for it isn’t limited to drunken bouts, either. I like to do it at every gathering. In fact, I’ve been known to say “good-bye” upon arriving: “Hi. Thanks for having me. I’m gonna say goodbye now, if that’s alright, because when it’s time to leave, I normally just leave.”
Few social things are worse, in my opinion, than having a few drinks, growing tired, and wanting to leave . . . and then you have to wade through the party to find the host…
