I have had the privilege to watch this young man grow from birth. He has the most infectious smile and laugh and is definitely the clown of his family, but is reliable, dependable, and would help out anyone if he could. He was my daughters side-kick and 'little brother' for many years and he willingly took part in the girly dress up games and playing house. Even as they grew older and the families moved away because of jobs, they still easily fell right back into their old patterns as if a day hadn't passed. We all were a family by choice. He is a hard worker and enlisted in the military where he excelled and his officers were impressed. They said he was going places and was an exemplary officer material. He worked for his fathers business and was that guy that everyone knew.
You know something is wrong when you have that gut feeling and the sense you are missing out on something. You put out feelers and pick up that cosmic static. And for me, maybe I have a little ESP or hound dog, but I definately know. I finally confronted my dearest friend and got confirmation that indeed, something had happened but she could not say as it was not her place, her issue nor did she have that person's permission. Normally I would have picked until I had a little something more to go on but because it was her, I did not press the issue. I sat back, waited and watched. Days became weeks, weeks became months. I did ask her occasionally how things were going and she would give me generalized answers. I would tease with an underlying seriousness trying to unconsciously get a clue. Did one of the kids get some kind of award? Did your spouse win the lottery? Is someone ill?
I began to get worried because the communication was getting strained. Less often and more tense. I asked if someone was ill, injured, in legal trouble, anything I could think of or ideas I got from watching the news. When I finally got the call, I was completely unprepared. I had been through every conceivable possibility I could come up with. I was in no shape, no way, had no possible way to be at all ready for what followed.
I recieved a text from my friend asking me if I had some time to talk where she had my undivided attention. I said of course, "I'll be waiting." (At this point my eyes have welled up three times. It will be from here that they will breach the lids and cascade onto my face. You should be prepared.) And I literally sat there and waited, phone in hand, charger at the ready, mind a complete blank.
When the phone did ring things became surreal. Slow motion and all. My friend, the sister I never had, my confidant and most trusted person ever, said she now had permission to speak with me because she had to talk to someone. I listened intently until I heard her say something I would have never guessed, never could have imagined and thought could not be possible; the young man, the issue, she said with her voice low and faltering, is that he is addicted to heroin.
After the 10-25 seconds that it took to process what she said,
I lost it.
Continued in Part III
http://yeeha234insidemychronicillness.blogspot.com/2014/08/narcotics-part-iii.html
No comments:
Post a Comment