And I'm a Rock Star

At the risk of getting all James Frey on you, I'm back after a week in alcohol and drug detox and I'm feeling terrific! Well, a little better anyhow. It was my fourth or fifth time in this particular facility, run by a non-profit under whose aegis also fall a large house in our city and an actual working farm in the country, both offering two to six month rehab, a turgescence of transitional housing units and a jail outreach program. The detox is in an old house on the northeastern edge of our downtown. It can house ten men and maybe seven women at a time. There is a red van that takes the clients to several twelve step meetings a day.

Since the first time I was there in 2001, there has been a poster behind the toilet in the men's bathroom. It is a picture of several "urban" looking young black men, "hanging out" in the manner that the photographer must have imagined these people do. The caption in big red letters says: "You're All That... Are You HIV Too? I don't want to go back in another five years to see if the poster is still there. I'm getting to old for this. One of the hidden blessings of the experience though, is the people I always meet. One character, a crack smoker, introduced himself at meetings by saying, "My name is D____ and I'm a rock star."

Last night I printed up a bunch of labels for Kathy the Catering Coordinator to put on boxed lunches; Ham on Sourdough, Chicken Croissant, etc. In addition to gently lecturing me on my substance abuse, she said, "See, this is a more productive use of your time than your blog." Maybe so, Kathy

The Songs I'm Listening To:
The Shins Caring is Creepy
Six Organs of Admittance You Can Always See the Sun
America Sister Golden Hair
Fatlip What's Up Fatlip?
Matisyahu Warrior