An attempt to save an alcoholic friend.

[Tobin S.]

I lost one friend to substance abuse in August and I'm afraid that I'm about to lose another. An alcoholic friend of mine has recently been diagnosed with heart problems. If he doesn't stop drinking and smoking he will soon be dead. He's only 42. Jason influenced me heavily back when I was considering getting into trucking. I loved his stories from the road and his mentality back then. He was full of pride and attitude. I credit him with saving my ass a few times because he helped me get into trucking. Damn, it's a long story. One that takes up about 60,000 words. I have written a book about my adventures on the road. I am hoping that that book will help save Jason's life. I can think of no better purpose for having written it although that wasn't my original intention. I'm going to send a letter and a copy of the manuscript to Jason's mom. What follows is the letter.

Hi Jean,

I’ve been thinking about how I can help Jason. I understand that there is not much I can do unless he truly wants help. However, I have come up with an idea. I wrote a book of short stories about my experiences as a trucker. They are very short. You can easily read one in a few minutes. I told Jason about the book and he told me that he doesn’t read- that he has trouble with it for some reason. This is where you come in.

I have sent you a copy of the manuscript of my book and I was hoping you could read the stories to Jason if he would like to hear them. If he does not, that’s okay. At least you two will have a copy of the manuscript and maybe Jason will be interested at a later date.

There is a story in the book about Jason. I have changed his name to Rick in the story and that is the title of the piece. You will know that it’s about him when you read it. If you run across this story, read it before you read it to Jason. It’s not a very happy story and I don’t want to upset him. I have not slandered him, but I have told the truth about the way I feel.

Jason has told me on several occasions that he is sorry that he got me into trucking. I’m not sure why he feels that way. Maybe it has something to do with his own experiences in the industry. Personally, I see it as a godsend. When I first got into trucking, I was in a very bad place in my mind, and I didn’t want to be around anyone. Trucking allowed me to make a living while having limited contact with people. Yes, I was very anti-social, but I couldn’t help it. I was mentally ill. It would be ten years before I finally started to get the treatment that I needed. I don’t know what I would have done if it hadn’t have been for trucking.

Fast forward to today. Trucking has bailed me out yet again. I lost my job on July 5th of this year through no fault of my own. It was the first time I had ever been fired from a job in my life. It was a terrible experience. But guess what? Because I have a Class A CDL, a clean driving record, and a lot of trucking experience, I was able to land a new job in trucking by August 15th. That was actually the longest I had ever been unemployed since I’ve been a trucker. So I’ve always been able to turn it around with a quickness thanks to being a qualified trucker.

Jason seems to think that he has done me a disservice by influencing my decision to be a trucker, but he has in reality saved my ass on at least two occasions without even knowing it.

So, I feel like I owe Jason. Like I said, I know I can’t really help him unless he asks for it, but when he does I will do what I can to help him turn things around. I’m also hoping that if he decides to hear these stories and if you decide to read them to him that it just might plant a seed of hope in his mind that has the potential to blossom into a recovery. Trucking is a great adventure and I think it is still possible that Jason has some trucking days left in him…but he needs to change, and that’s the hardest thing for a man to do on his own volition. He has a lot of work cut out for him if he ever wants to be well again.

Peace to you and Jason,

Toby

P.S.- Without Jason these stories do not exist.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. That's a great letter, my dear Tobin!

I'm sure she will be touched by your words.

And I hope Jason will want her to read those stories to him.

Not many people would do what you have done here.

I hope Jason will see the good in himself...and reach for it.

[applegrove]

2. This is how I quit smoking which I never thought I could do. Go

to the doctor and get a prescription for champix/Chantix. You smoke for the first week you are on it. By day 7 you no longer get that mental kick you always got. But you can't cheat because smoking no longer affects you. Pretty soon there is no point in trying to cheat. Stay on the pill for 3 months or so. When you wean yourself off the chantix/champix have a pack of herbal smokes nearby. Anytime you want to really cheat, only smoke your herbal smokes. After a few month you will equate the desire to smoke with awful herbal smokes. You have successfully baited and switched your own DAM brain into being disgusted by the idea of smoking. I have only been grossed out by cigarettes when I see or smell them since. Seriously. I though I would pine for smokes my whole life after I quit cause that is what happened before. I have craved a smoke exactly 4 times in the 8 years I have been quit. Vibes to your friend.