Tears of a Tiger Drugs and Alcohol Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #4

Andy and Rob and Tyrone all knew that I didn't drink—they never bothered me much about it. I think they even respected me a little because of it. I told them that drinking at an early age had stunted my growth, so I had given it up in favor of other vices. (Actually I think beer tastes like boiled sweat socks.) (5.2)

In B.J.'s prayer, he admits he feels guilty over what happened because he wasn't drinking. Huh? He wonders whether they would have gotten in the accident if he had the courage to stand up to his pals and tell them not to drink and drive.

Quote #5

I didn't cry. I felt really sick inside—and mad at Andy and them for drinking in the first place. I thought we'd all come back for our reunions and then we'd get old, and then, when we're so old it doesn't matter anymore, we'd die. (6.5)

Rhonda's upset by what happened, especially because it was preventable. Why were the guys even drinking to begin with? She realizes that this single decision has drastically changed all of their lives.

Quote #6

Every 18 minutes, every day of the year, someone is killed in a drunk-driving accident. Alcohol-related fatalities are the number one cause of death in teenagers. When will we learn? (6.14)

The school newspaper gives us a statistic about drinking and driving, but no one seems to notice or care—everyone thinks it will be different when it's them. Alas, that's not how the world works; statistics like this one are always real people somebody knows.