Rumnesia

 

Rumnesia Noun: Definition; Memory loss caused by imbibing large quantities of Rum of the Caribbean type

Origin: 2015 Alcoholic liquor or spirit distilled from molasses or some other form of sugar cane product purchased from a Caribbean Rum Bar.

Related Forms:
Rummaniac adjective : One who is addicted to Rum.
Rummentia Noun : The long term effect of one who is addicted to Rum.
Rumbunctious adverb: Obnoxious behaviour of one who is suffering from Rumnesia or an over generous amount of rum.

Rumnesia is one of the great maladies that affects sailors who cruise the waters (and land based bars) of the Caribbean Islands. It starts off with the innocent looking but extremely dangerous rum punch. Your Caribbean rum punch is a petite little pink number supplied with the required maraschino cherry which, if left in the glass, supplies that last little kick when the rest of the drink is finished. Don’t be fooled, this little cherry is the hook that implores you to have just one more. You’re now hooked and the cravings start. You just cannot stop at one.

I would like to provide evidence of the existence of Rumnesia.

Our first example of Rumnesia is Sherm otherwise know as the f@*&$% butler but let’s call him mister X for anonymity, mister X sits down and consumes his first rum punch and as expected leaves the cherry to the last. The eyes glaze over, the nose twitches and before you can blink there is the second rum punch. It’s that cherry, it will do it every time. X has now consumed four rum punches in a short space of time, he is very jocular, incredibly affectionate and has a slight sway and tends to ramble through conversations. The trip from the bar to the boat is a little hazy and whilst dinner is being prepared becomes unusually quiet, in fact so quiet that you would assume he has fallen asleep. Prior to dinner X finally succumbs and collapses in bed and the dulcet tones of snoring pervades the air.

The next morning when circumstances are explained to x he denies all accusations and won’t believe these events as they transpired until the photographic evidence is produced………..Rumnesia.

Our second example is Bruce we will call him Mr Y to maintain confidentiality. Y feels that he would certainly have no trouble drinking 4 rum punches and he doesn’t. He consumes 4 and I’m sure it’s those cherries that lead him on, he leaves the bar, appears fairly normal – a little chatty maybe but generally in good spirits. His wife has made a fantastic looking Australia day Pavlova and he is looking forward to the hamburger followed by Pavlova. My Y also has an early night. The next morning he implies that he missed dinner and he was sad that he missed the great looking Pavlova. He is met with a wall of protests which advise him that he did enjoy dinner. “Impossible “he states “I would have remembered having dinner”. It is then carefully explained to him that he consumed two and a half hamburgers, joked with every one and had the serving of Pavlova and, that he also commented, that it was the best Pavlova he had had. “Oh god” is the cry “I don’t remember a thing………” Rumnesia.

Our third example is Ronny (aka Ron) we will call him Mr Z again for reasons of confidentiality. Mr Z considers three rum punches well within his limits and it probably is, sadly for Mr Z he meets Greg a nice German man who is having problems consuming his rum. Now Mr Z being the kind compassionate person that he is can’t see another fellow sailor in trouble so jumps right in and assists with the consumption of more rum. At this point we were not too sure how much more Mr Z consumed but, he arrives back at the boat extremely happy, extremely amorous as the bruises on Jackie and Mia attest, jokes a lot and occasionally nods off. In an attempt to work off the issue he heads forward to the trampoline and promptly falls fast asleep in the spread eagle position. As we are sitting down to dinner Mr Z appears struggling up the port side deck in a position that would be reminiscent of walking in a force 10 gale, grunts to all then disappears downstairs to bed not to be seen again until breakfast the next morning. When prompted about his amorous behaviour and general condition of the previous night a blank look appears on Mr Z face. It is not until he is presented with the evidence of bruises on certain parts of the body that he sheepishly accepts the series of events that transpired…………….Rumnesia.

Now with every experiment there is a control subject and in this case our control subject was Jackie who drank only light or no Alcohol drinks and we can attest to her perfect behaviour and memory. I think it was Dean Martin who said “I feel sorry for people who don’t drink, they wake up in the morning and that’s the best they’re gonna feel. On the other hand for those who drink when they wake up in the morning they have a lot to look forward to as they feel better as the day goes on.”