BOTTOM’S UP

Colman Andrews’ paean to the pleasures of drinking (“Getting Drunk,” Jan. 2) won’t do much to change the ridiculous attitude of the extremists who see evil in everything, but it’s nice to hear the voice of reason.

I particularly enjoyed his comments on the Johns Hopkins questionnaire, since I remember once discussing a similar one with Humphrey Bogart. He was genuinely puzzled that his score on a magazine questionnaire clearly marked him an alcoholic when his life didn’t. He used drinking as Andrews seems to--to enhance his enjoyment of life.

I knew Bogart well in the 10 years before his death and saw him drunk only a handful of times, but after 5 p.m. he usually had a scotch in his hand. What fooled people was the fact that it was a weak one--and it lasted him a long time.

LARRY DUDLEY

Ventura