A former halfway house client I barely recognized was waiting on a bench outside when I left this evening. As soon as he saw me walk out the door he stood up with a wide smile, his hand outstretched. You’d have thought we were long lost relatives.
But the real connection between us at that moment was he knew I had money. And he needed $10.00. When I handed it over, I suggested he should take off before the liquor store closed. But he set me straight.
“I don’t drink,” he said. “I just smoke crack and do a little meth”
Well, pardon me all to hell I thought. But I just smiled and segued into a conversation about an addict I’d talked to at that exact spot the last week of January.
When I saw that man I told him his disease would kill him if he didn’t get help. And while I was simply nudging him toward recovery with my prediction it –sadly – turned out to be true. The man was found dead in Phoenix two weeks later.
I hope this man’s life turns out better.
