THE TAKE AWAY

Every writer, to include one like myself where it is a hobby, relative speaking, sees everything as a story. A few weeks back, I went to a Memorial Service out of respect to my good friend, who knew the deceased. Basically, I had never seen anything like it. It was like a visit to the Star Wars Cafe. There really is no way to properly describe. Remember the scene, there's a two headed person at the bar, then one with six arms. Get the picture. 

Lots of stories about, let's call him, Roger. At first I thought, we'll make more out of Roger than he was which wasn't much. Some sweet stories, though. Actually wrapped around what a "good heart" he had which was true as I knew him. Some of the comments were slightly crude to say the least. The most crude came from a former girlfriend, the one who actually led poor, weak Roger down the primrose path. She told about their many fights, sex, drinking bouts; the biggest one had to do when she injured him (not be crude and say what). She told about the injury in graphic detail. 

My favorite NPR program is "The Take Away." John Hockenbury is great. So, what is our "take away" here. (The last thing I want to be is condescending). These are real people that live in a real world. 

So, what is the lesson learned here. If you could load up High School kids and transport them to view the living scene, it would be of inexhaustible value. Several examples of how drugs had made 30 year olds look like 70 year olds. Obese, no exercise, eating badly, abusing their bodies with methamphetamines. Losing their teeth. One female, maybe in her late twenties, could easily tell, before drugs,  "movie star looks. 

Poor "Roge" died a hundred pounds overweight in a camper with no electricity and no prospects for a future and no hope. What a "take Away." 

One very real positive "take a way" is that the Memorial Service was like an AA meeting. In fact, several began with, "My Name is John (example) and I am an alcoholic." The assembled group would respond "hello John. " One Harley biker in leather said something like this. "I feel bad about Roger. I actually went a few weeks ago to get him to go for a ride but he declined. I should have tried harder. I want to say this to you. I have been clean for a year. For 45 years, I abused drugs and destroyed my body. Drugs are a scourge and if you are still using more than likely you are going to end up like Roger. A POWERFUL MESSAGE.