Nine Lives

Nine Lives is the brutally honest journey of one man's journey from the Hell that is drug and alcohol addiction (Drunk Stoned & Stupid) to a live free from bondage (Happy Joyous & Free.)

Randy called. That's possibly the hardest step to take toward recovery, reaching out for help. Randy had been driving around with a loaded revolver in his lap, trying to gather the courage to park somewhere and end his pain. Permanently. So why not make one last call?

The details of the call don't matter. The only thing a man in that situation hears is, "I know how you feel. I felt that way myself." And he KNEW that I knew. It wasn't just "I feel your pain" bullshit.

All my years of pain and destruction finally had a purpose, a reason, a meaning. "We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it." I finally understood. I had something to offer Randy that no one else in his life could offer. No one but another cocaine addict who had been through the whole nightmare and came out the other side could say or do anything that would have any effect on him.

We talked for a long time, trading horror stories. 'I'll tell you my worst fuck-up if you tell me yours.'