Bathroom Monologue: Kicking It All

“The notes say his family took out the restraining order the year he began on heroin. Did he begin on heroin?”

“Nobody starts on it. But it was goddamn bane and mistress for two years, yeah.”

“Before he stepped down to meth?”

“From a methadone clinic. Used it to get clean, but it addicted him right up. Lost five teeth. That was an even harder fight for him, because there wasn’t any step-down drug from there.”

“At which point you say he hit the bottle.”

“He had that kind of personality. He went face-first into liquor. Said it was healthier and wouldn’t get him arrested.”

“Until he crashed his car into his own apartment complex?”

“Got evicted and had no car to drive away in. He said sitting on the sidewalk across from a church was what convinced him to try and dry out. At least once it started raining.”

“From beer to caffeine and cigarettes?”

“Those places encourage it. Yeah. But he kicked the cigarettes earlier this year.”

“That is something for that personality. Was he still drinking soda and coffee?”

“Three weeks ago he said he was actually off that, too. Was going ‘raw vegan’ and ridding himself of toxins. I have no idea how a guy could go through all that only to hang himself.”

“Well. What did he have left?”