Tweakerz

I took the bus home last night, against my better judgement. I try to avoid the bus at all costs because the worst people seem to take the bus all the time. This time, I had the immense pleasure of sitting next to an obvious drug addict.

It was really cold outside and he wasn't wearing a coat. Certain drugs, namely crystal meth, increase the body temperature. That could have been why he didn't think he needed to dress warmly. He was the type of guy that would be cute if he had some more weight on him. His sunken eyes were bloodshot and I barely noticed the full dilation of his pupils before he caught me staring at him. I noticed the incessant lip-licking, leg tapping, and head darting that are telltale signs of drug use. He pulled out his cell phone and pressed the buttons with trembling fingers. After a few seconds, he explained to the other person that he just got some money and wanted to party.

I thought back to my time in that dark place and wondered if there were people staring at me the way I was staring at him. I felt nothing but pity for him because I knew exactly where he was headed. As my stop approached, I got up and looked directly at him. He said "WHAT?" and I told him to get help. With that, I stepped off the bus while he shouted various obscenities at me. I know from personal experience that the words of other people have no effect on a drug user's decisions because their mind has been trapped by the drugs.

His only hope is to save himself and he can only do that if he makes the decision to do it on his own. What did it for me was remembering various situations which alone seem insignificant, but become undeniable when put together. The situations ranged from my nose bleeding from snorting too much, to showing up on my friend's doorstep in the dead of winter with no coat and a dozen needle marks in my arm asking for a ride home. I hope the guy will remember a fabulous young man telling him to get help. I wouldn't wish the downward spiral of drugs on anyone.