Why would you get THAT drunk?

A patron approached my co-worker at the reference desk. He wanted to use one on the internet computers. The man was beet red in the face.

When the man walked away, I said, "He was really drunk." My co-worker asked, "Oh, can you smell it over there?" I said, "No, he's just so red."

The patron logged onto a computer and five minutes later, he was gone. My co-worker had walked the floor and when he finished, he asked me who was on computer #314. I told him that it was the drunk guy. I wondered aloud, "Where could he have gone?" My co-worker said, "Well, he left a bag in the seat and he's still logged onto the internet."

I said, "Watch, he's going to return and not remember what computer terminal he was at."

The patron returned to the floor after another 10 minutes. He went to the online catalog and stood there.

I asked my co-worker, "What is he doing?"

My co-worker said, "He did like you said, he can't remember where he was."

The man stood there for about three minutes. He then approached me at the reference desk. He tried to straighter himself up and look sober. He said, "Um, I'm kind of embarrassed to admit this, but I don't remember what computer I was on."

I told him #314. He said, "OH, you remember me?" I just said told him yes. When he walked away, I said, "How could I forget?" I asked my co-worker, "Why would you get that drunk?"

He wasn't one of our regulars. He had on a blazer, dress shirt and slacks. It was in between 1-2pm.