From the author: The author's parable from Treshchev's book "Through Alcoholic Madness". Once upon a time Fedot lived and drank, and sometimes, when he felt very bad, he wondered if he was sick? But he had no intention of stopping drinking and changing his life. And he went to the people whom he definitely considered alcoholics to ask how they had come to such a life. The first he met was Vasya, about whom Fedot thought that he was definitely an alcoholic, since he sometimes slept in the entrance. And Fedot thought that when he got to this point, he would definitely have to quit. He asked him: “You, Vasya, are an alcoholic, how did you come to live like this?” “And I’m not an alcoholic, so what if I sometimes sleep in the entrance, my legs don’t make it home. Here Ivan from the next house is definitely an alcoholic, because once a quarter he is in a psychiatric hospital. When I get to this point, I will definitely have to quit. Let’s go to the hospital and ask him how he came to live like this?” They came to the drug treatment department, found Ivan and asked: “You, Vanya, are an alcoholic, how did you come to live like this?” “Yes, I’m not an alcoholic, I’m just nervous with such a life. Here in the next room Kolyan lies - like a drunk. The second month lies, no one comes, my wife and children left for someone else, the apartment is empty, I drank everything away. When I get to that point, I’ll definitely have to quit.” They approached Kolyan’s bed and said: “You, Kolyan, are an alcoholic, how did you come to such a life?” “What kind of alcoholic am I to you, I just got very poisoned, the bastards sell all sorts of crap. I had a friend, Grinya, who was an alcoholic, drank all the furniture, radiators, doors, and then the apartment itself, and is now homeless. When I get to that point, I’ll definitely have to quit.” Let's go look for Grinya. They found him in the basement, lying, shaking, barely breathing. They ask him: “You, Grinya, are an alcoholic, how did you come to live like this?” And he answers them in a barely audible whisper: “I’m not an alcoholic, I’m just...” He wanted to say something else, but he wheezed and died. So they never found an alcoholic and did not find out how one could end up living like this. Author's parable. From Treshchev’s book “Through alcoholic madness to the dance of the soul”".