In my 20's and 30's, I had manic bouts where I thought God spoke to me, and everyone and everything just adored me. Finally, I was in the House of Light, and everything in the world was eager to help me. Unmolestable, at last, I had no anxieties.
As I walked across a bridge, all these hovering pigeons surrounded me and flapped their wings most vigorously. Fanning my face, they just wanted to bring me comfort and joy, you see, but you can't be that batshit and not pay a price, thus the comedowns were infernal. Still, I visited no doctors, so took no pills. I don't even like aspirins.
Once in Oakland, though, I bought a homeless woman a beer and a cup of coffee, so she reciprocated with a green pill. As she popped one, I did the same. It's impolite to not eat or drink what's offered.
Twenty-seven-years old, Loudmouth Mike was addicted to just about every drug for eight years. In rehab for the last two, he takes Methadone. "It's also a drug, man, so when I'm walking down the street, it's like I'm watching TV. Nothing is real." A maintenance guy for an apartment building, Loudmouth is getting married soon. He's straightening his life out.
After working eight years for a doctor, 32-year-old June became so depressed over always giving opioids to patients, she had to quit. She now toils in a kitchen.
Twelve years ago, Linda got sick so the doctor gave her pain killers, which increased in quantity and intensity until she was prescribed time-release morphine. Sedated, she became ever more reclusive, to the point of being confined, nearly all day, inside her dark room. She won't even sit on the porch, much less leave the house.
Five years ago, her husband, Ted, got an inheritance of $120,000, so he suggested, five months later, that they and their two boys take a much needed vacation. Nothing fancy, just a trip to the Jersey Shore for a few days. Working a dirty, physical job, Ted was exhausted. Calmly, Linda said that the money was all gone. Worse, she hadn't paid their rent for seven months.
Most foolishly, Ted not only let it go, but continued to allow Linda to handle the family finance. When Ted got into a minor car accident recently, it turned out Linda had also ignored his car insurance payments, so he may lose his driver's license, something he needs for work.
Ted's life insurance had also been nixed due to non payment. The cable television bill, though, was always promptly paid, for Linda had to watch Criminal Mind, Law and Order, Blue Blood and 48 Hours, etc. Television and drugs define happiness for too many Americans. That, and spewing venom online pseudonymously.
When Ted insisted they had a serious conversation, Linda went berserk and called 911, twice. He's now living in a group home run by a blind nun.
"She's acting like a typical junkie, Ted," I said to him over the phone.
"I'm afraid you're right, Linh. My wife is a different person. We've been married 28 years, and for most of that time, I was the happiest husband alive. Even after that inheritance disappeared, I'd not have traded Linda for any wife in the world. She settled me down, cooked, had my friends over for parties. They all envied me, Linh. My wife would rather plant tomatoes in the garden than go shopping. When my dad got sick, Linda took care of him for a couple of years. I'll always remember that. My wife was perfect, Linh, and always very frugal."
"Now, she's lying to you, kicking you out of the house and suing you for support!"
"At 65, I've become the AARP poster boy for the opioid epidemic!"
Linda's nephew has been on heroin for 25 years, so perhaps he's getting her drugs, with hefty commissions for himself. With infinite sadness, Ted is filing for divorce.
Yesterday, I found out at Friendly that Lisa had been fired. On her last shift, she was so doped up, Lisa looked all groggy, spoke very slowly, rung up many orders incorrectly and neglected to charge several customers. A week earlier, she was in the same condition, and at church on Sunday, dazed Lisa was also seen dropping the Host during Holy Communion.
As I walked across a bridge, all these hovering pigeons surrounded me and flapped their wings most vigorously. Fanning my face, they just wanted to bring me comfort and joy, you see, but you can't be that batshit and not pay a price, thus the comedowns were infernal. Still, I visited no doctors, so took no pills. I don't even like aspirins.
Once in Oakland, though, I bought a homeless woman a beer and a cup of coffee, so she reciprocated with a green pill. As she popped one, I did the same. It's impolite to not eat or drink what's offered.
Twenty-seven-years old, Loudmouth Mike was addicted to just about every drug for eight years. In rehab for the last two, he takes Methadone. "It's also a drug, man, so when I'm walking down the street, it's like I'm watching TV. Nothing is real." A maintenance guy for an apartment building, Loudmouth is getting married soon. He's straightening his life out.
Twelve years ago, Linda got sick so the doctor gave her pain killers, which increased in quantity and intensity until she was prescribed time-release morphine. Sedated, she became ever more reclusive, to the point of being confined, nearly all day, inside her dark room. She won't even sit on the porch, much less leave the house.
Five years ago, her husband, Ted, got an inheritance of $120,000, so he suggested, five months later, that they and their two boys take a much needed vacation. Nothing fancy, just a trip to the Jersey Shore for a few days. Working a dirty, physical job, Ted was exhausted. Calmly, Linda said that the money was all gone. Worse, she hadn't paid their rent for seven months.
Most foolishly, Ted not only let it go, but continued to allow Linda to handle the family finance. When Ted got into a minor car accident recently, it turned out Linda had also ignored his car insurance payments, so he may lose his driver's license, something he needs for work.
Ted's life insurance had also been nixed due to non payment. The cable television bill, though, was always promptly paid, for Linda had to watch Criminal Mind, Law and Order, Blue Blood and 48 Hours, etc. Television and drugs define happiness for too many Americans. That, and spewing venom online pseudonymously.
When Ted insisted they had a serious conversation, Linda went berserk and called 911, twice. He's now living in a group home run by a blind nun.
"She's acting like a typical junkie, Ted," I said to him over the phone.
"I'm afraid you're right, Linh. My wife is a different person. We've been married 28 years, and for most of that time, I was the happiest husband alive. Even after that inheritance disappeared, I'd not have traded Linda for any wife in the world. She settled me down, cooked, had my friends over for parties. They all envied me, Linh. My wife would rather plant tomatoes in the garden than go shopping. When my dad got sick, Linda took care of him for a couple of years. I'll always remember that. My wife was perfect, Linh, and always very frugal."
"Now, she's lying to you, kicking you out of the house and suing you for support!"
"At 65, I've become the AARP poster boy for the opioid epidemic!"
Linda's nephew has been on heroin for 25 years, so perhaps he's getting her drugs, with hefty commissions for himself. With infinite sadness, Ted is filing for divorce.
Yesterday, I found out at Friendly that Lisa had been fired. On her last shift, she was so doped up, Lisa looked all groggy, spoke very slowly, rung up many orders incorrectly and neglected to charge several customers. A week earlier, she was in the same condition, and at church on Sunday, dazed Lisa was also seen dropping the Host during Holy Communion.
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