When an Addict Recovers

I never really thought about how an addict becomes a former-addict/recovering addict. It was something that I never dealt with personally, so it didn't ping my radar...


Until recently.

So what does it take?

Recognition
Of course, the addict has to see she's an addict, and that it's not ok. Whatever "not ok" looks like, how ever "not ok" is defined- that doesn't matter. But the addict recognizes that where she is isn't ok.



Action
Then a decision to do something. Quit. Self control isn't always enough. Support, medical supervision, an in-patient program.

Support

Then there's the other lifestyle changes. Maybe the addict goes to meetings- AA, or other group meeting program. Get rid of the old friends, and make new friends. Learning to live without the addiction, finding other ways to cope with stresses and boredom.

Time
It takes time to develop these new behavior patterns and habits. Time to end old friendships (or rather convince the old friends that they are no longer welcome in your life), and create new friendships.

It seems that most of that time is required to prove that the "old me" doesn't exist any more and to build a reliable track record. So what to do in the meantime? As I said in a previous post, when one person changes, others in the same circles will resist. Family will continue to accuse or judge, friends will continue to tempt (that's why the addict sometimes has to ditch the old friends and find new clean friends). Even law enforcement sometimes will sometimes try to round up "the usual suspects."

Changes

Families have roles. And even non-biological "families" have roles. Every group we belong to has individuals who fill a certain niche within the group.

There are leader-type rolls, like parents or the voice of reason. They're often more experienced and wiser. These are the ones who prepare. MacGuyver with his pocket knife and chemistry knowledge.

There is the joker/clown always laughing, telling stories, and making jokes. They can be counted on for a good time... or trouble.

The golden child is the favorite who can do no wrong. They get away with so much more, and are given extra privileges, more leeway, etc.

The black sheep or fifth whee is the odd man out, the different one, the one who is often left out, sometimes intentionally, sometimes because they're labeled as not fitting for one reason or another. Maybe their interests don't quite match up with everyone else.

There's the scapegoat. Sometimes, also the black sheep, this role is opposite of the golden child. This one is always in trouble, always gets the blame.

But what if the VOR decides to throw caution to the wind and take up sky-diving?
Or the scapegoat says, "Thanks, but I'm not the one at fault this time."
Or the joker has a health crisis and gets serious.
Or the golden child just quits.

The irony is that if any of these roles wants to be something different, the rest of the family actually fights them on it. See, people like predictability, and change is exactly NOT predictable.

But it's not just the family or the friend-group. Even society at large does this.

So what does it take for someone to change and be accepted as the "new you"...?

Time. 

That's the answer: time.

Found it!

Oh!
Em!
Gee!

I found it! This is a short story I wrote in high school (senior year, 1993-1994). Thought it was super cool at the time, but I was also well-aware that there was a huge monumental plot hole in it. A couple years ago I figured out a plug for the hole.. modern science gave me the solution: colored contacts. Yes, that's the solution.

But I didn't know where I had saved the story (on a floppy somewhere, probably), so I chalked it up to lost.

The other day I was going through a tote of what I thought was books. Actually, it was handouts and notes from classes, fliers from church and such, articles from magazines,.. just yeah- I think I tossed about half of it...

And papers I'd written for high school!.. and I found the original story!

So here's my Sci-Fi Lit/Comp short story. I'm taking suggestions for the title.




[Clever title]

"Mom, I'm home," Liz Anne said as she passed the motion-detecting sensor at the door.

"Good, can you help me with dinner? Your brother has a date tonight, so we will be having a guest for dinner." Mrs. Hansen was in the kitchen starting dinner.

"Kim?" Liz Anne wanted to know.

"Yup. Would you get a fried chicken kit out of the pantry for me, dear?"

"Mom, why do you have to use that archaic microwave oven? Mary Sue's mom uses a re-hydrator, even though it's been on the blitz lately. And it's not like we can't afford it. It's the 22nd century, for heaven's sake!" Why does Mom always have to be so old-fashioned, she thought.

"Dear, if you think the microwave is old, you ought to hear about the old convection ovens..." Elizabeth Hansen was interrupted by a loud bang on the door as Liz Anne almost groaned in fear of another "When I was your age" story.

"Beth, dear, would you PLEASE call the repairman tomorrow to fix that door- the outside sensor isn't working again." Ned Hansen came through the door as Liz Anne opened it for her father.

"Hey, Mom, I need to call Kim," Robert said as he scanned the room with his new Eyes. The doctor had told him to practice using them as soon as possible.

"It's in the living room by the old reading lamp."

"Thanks, Sis," was the reply as he went into the other room.

Dialing verbally, "347-8074... Hi, Kim? We're having fried chicken from the MICROWAVE!! Real home cooking, if you want to eat over here.. Sorry, I forgot... What's with this thing? I HATE YOU!... Oh, no, not you- the phone was acting up. How about if I pk you up in the Hover at 2000 and hen we go to Tammy Rohda's?.. Ok, bye."

"ROBERT," Mr. Hansen's voice almost echoed in the spartan room. "Did you forget that I have an appointment tonight and need the Hover? I've told you to check before you promise something..."

"Hey, what on the planet Earth happened?!" Liz Anne was suddenly very frightened.

"What did happen?" Robert was unaware of what had happened since his Eyes sensed infrared light. "Liz, you look like you're blind. What happened? Mom, Dad, what's wrong??"

"We CAN'T see," was the unison reply.

"Well, I can see, but.. Hey, the door is locked. I know what happened, we're having an electrical failure."

His father then said, more to himself than anyone, "We haven't had one of them for over 50 years!"

"That's very nice  Dad, but if there's no electricity, how do we get out of the house? The door uses electricity to open. Should I try to force it open?"

"Sure, it seems the only way for us to get out." After some thought, "Do you want some help, Son?"

"If you can get over here without taking out your knee."

"No prob--" There was a loud thunk, followed by a loud groan of pain, a variety of mumbled obscenities, an apology, and a strained, "I'm fine, I promise."

"Dad, take one step to your, uh, right. Good.. ah, three steps forward. No, smaller... that's better. Put your hands out in front of you, that's good. Now, about a half step forward. There's the door."

As Robert guided Ned to the door with his words, Liz Anne started to cry. "Mom, I'm scared," she mumbled as she fought to control her voice. "I feel like we've been reduced to cavemen. No lights, no heat, we can't even get out! We're trapped!" The hysteria in her voice was all too plain to a mother's ears.

"Honey, it's okay..." Mrs. Hanson tried to comfort her daughter but was interrupted by a thick sliding sound.

"Beth, we got the door open. But we're not the only ones without power; the entire city is dark." Ned looked out over the great metropolis that spread from the coast as far as the eye could see. It was dark where it should have been bright enough to reflect off the clouds. The panorama scared him and as his family joined him at the battery door, he heard his wife, daughter, and even his son guest in fear, fear of the unknown.

Suddenly the clouds flickered, and they were blown out of the way by a gargantuan disc that could be described as two football field-sized plates turned it to face each other. As it lowered, three great legs begin to extend from the lower half. It seemed that the legs were directed; they were moving about as if to find a suitable spot to set down. The three legs, terminating in plate shaped feet about a half meter across were placed in three nearby intersections where traffic and halted with the power failure.

Beth Hansen suddenly felt compelled to proceed down Residential Hill and go to the vessel.

"MOM, where are you going?" Liz Anne almost shrieked.

Shaking her head as if to wake up, she replied, "I don't know. I just suddenly feel compelled to..." and she continued, hurriedly down the hill.

***

"Superior, I've sent the message. She should be showing up within the chron," replied Number Two. As she disengaged herself from the T-comm.

"Very good. Number Four, is she within visual range?" the Captain asked her technical advisor.

"Not yet, but within the next few centi-chrons she will be."

"What is the condition of the planet?" Captain inquired of Number Three, the ecological specialist.

"This race appears to be quite stupid. They have depleted almost all of their natural resources; fossil fuels, and environmental. Their atmosphere is a total disaster; Massive amounts of carbon monoxide, Smog, and no shielding there either, unless you want to count the cloud cover." Number Three showed his efficiency in the answer.

***

"Roberts, get your mother! Tackle her, hit her, just bring her back." Ned was terrified for his wife's life but could do very little as he watched his son get thrown to the ground with a sickening thud he wasn't even sure he knew the woman who had thrown his son to the ground like a rash and drop her. She was soon racing down the hill.

***

"Superior," Number Four interrupted the captain. "She was attacked, but defended herself without guidance. I think it was her... son."

"Was he hurt?"

"No, I think he just got a knock on the head. He will survive with no damage. But, Sir, isn't he supposed to be coming with her?"

"If he comes, he comes. Is her husband's coming?"

"No, Captain."

"How about her daughter?"

"I'm sorry, superior, but she isn't responding either," Number Four said apologetically.

"Captain, should I open the portal, yet?" Junior One asked anxiously, almost interrupting.

"Not quite yet, J1. Wait until you can see her with the Eye." Captain spoke of the Sacred Eye.

***

"Dad, should I follow her? To see where she's going?" Liz Anne asked her father.

"Yeah, I'll go with you."

"But, Dad, Robert needs help. He's just laying over there."

"He'll be okay. We must go."

***

"Captain, change the previous report. Her husband and daughter are coming," Number Four commented. "Superior," she said almost in a whisper, "why are we collecting specimens?"

Curiosity has gotten the better of her, Captain thought. "That is for me to know, and you to find out. You will eventually know, I promise."

"Captain, I think she's within visual range," Number Four broke in.

"Let us see what the She looks like." The officers could hear the capital as Captain spoke.

The view screen lit up the bridge, and the officers all gasped. The woman looked exactly like Captain. They looked at Captain synchronously and realize that she was weeping.

Junior one silently open to the portal.

***

Has Mr. Hansen accompanied his daughter down the hill, Mrs. Hanson reach the portal to the alien ship. She stopped, and seemed to awake from a trance. "What am I doing here? How did I get here?" She spoke in almost a whisper, and put a hand to her head. She turned around just as her daughter and husband arrived.

"Come," Ned commanded, sending cold chills up Beth's spine.

"Why? We need to get home, not get on this ship." Ned grabbed her upper arm, and propelled her toward the menacing maw in the side of the ship. "What are you doing? Let go of me!" A wave of panic washed over Beth as she slapped Ned. "Wake up! Liz Anne, wake up! Help!!"

And she suddenly realized that she would have to run to her husband unconscious, she let her fist fly. She went to her daughter, took her by the shoulders and spoke, "Elizabeth, come out of it!!"

Suddenly, Liz and blinked her eyes rapidly and shook her head. "Mom, where are we?"

"Don't worry about that now. We have to stop your father!"

"Why, what's he doin-" as Liz Anne turn to find her father, he stepped through the portal and was followed by total darkness.

***

"Hey, where am I? What's going on?" Suddenly came out of his trance and discovered himself utterly disoriented, and in complete darkness; as total is when the power head going out at home earlier that evening, which seems to have happened ages ago.

"Calm yourself, Ned. I've brought you here to help you," an unfamiliar voice responded.

"What is going on? What are you talking about? My home is back on Residential Hill." By now, mister Hanson was too uneasy to think clearly.

"If it will help you be calm," the first voice interrupted you can call me Captain." Then after some thought, added, "although turning at the lights would probably easier alarm quicker," in an almost motherly tone. "Lights up."

There appeared to be an inordinately dim glow from above Ned's head, and he could almost make out five pairs of glowing dusky multi-colored eyes. "Which one of you is Captain?"

One pair of opal colored eyes raised about 15 cm, "I am she."

"She?" Ned queried disbelievingly.

"That is correct, we have a female for a superior." The second voice stated, "I am known as Number Two, and I am also female. Is that bad?" she asked thoughtfully.

"No, it's just that... I don't know. Speaking of which, where are my wife and daughter?"

"They are here, Captain." A third voice penetrated the conversation.

"Where are they?"

"Here." As Captain spoke, the lights brightened fractionally, and Ned saw Beth and Liz Anne. But the women's faces were pale with terror.

"Are you two all right?" Ned went to his wife and daughter and embrace them and turning to the eyes, "What do you want with us?"

As Captain took a closer look at the trio, she looked at Number Two and it said in a damning voice, "You called the wrong ones!"

 ***

It wasn't until the Captain and her crew were half way home that they intercepted a stray transmission from earth about a new mutation that had been found.

But it wasn't really a mutation. Contact lenses. Colored contact lenses had been developed that gave the illusion of both different colors of eyes as well as motion within the iris.

Romance Novels, and the Real Fantasy

Romance novel formula:
Displaced broken woman: new place, environment, etc.. just out of a bad relationship.
New place = new guy. And he's also vulnerable- some kind of heartbreak... but he's a good man. Not the cliche "nice guy".. but an actual good man- responsible, honest, hardworking, etc.

They meet, he's gruff and abrasive, so she doesn't like his rough exterior. But then she finds out his vulnerability. Whether he lets it slip or one of his friends tells her, or she's just super observant, she finds out... and softens toward him.

Then they get their freak on.

But I realized recently: The sex isn't her fantasy- her fantasy is the good man, the man who will respect and protect her. He will treasure her heart.

See, I really think that in these books, the real fantasy, what the readers are really looking for is the dream that there are still good men available. Someone who is intelligent, kind, honest, hardworking, willing to commit, and capable of loving her and treating her the way she wants to be treated.