Fire Water

I come from a family of bartenders. My brother, my father, my father’s father and the father before him all lived behind the bar. Drinking and alcohol is a part of my family's culture. We take great pride in the family bar and respect the “spirits” that has supported my family for generations. Thusly I was taken aback by my waiter at an Indain restaurant when he told me he didn’t know which beer I should drink with my meal. I nicely asked why, curious to the possibility of a server being unaware of the beers from his homeland. He told me he was Muslim and did not drink. Embarrassed I picked a beer and thanked him. I felt guilty about not being culturally sensitive. I assumed because everyone in my family drinks that we all must. I became hypersensitive and started reviewing all my actions. Curious if I was making any more cultural mistakes. I forgot how to eat, because I heard that in India they often eat with there hands. However, I have never been to India to see for myself. So, I don’t know if that’s true or if was only certain parts of India. The food was really spicy and I began to sweat I was confused, worried, and laden with guilty so I chugged my beer paid and left.
One needs culture to feel comfort and give social clues of what to do in situations.
One must be culturally aware of others especially if they become crippled by guilt.