A Visit to Rehab

Last week the one thing I was able to do was visit Dorothy at her rehab program. The program she was in has visiting hours every other Thursday. I arrived to find nearly a couple hundred people sitting on folding chairs with some old white guy up front yammering on about interventions and how they often don't work. I did listen, and some of it was interesting, but I couldn't figure out why they would have someone try to give a lecture when friends and family are seeing someone they're not allowed to see very often.

When that was over, Dorothy and I talked for a while. She told me she's tried to quit "about 15 times" and she never made it past detox before. She introduced me to some of her buddies from rehab and we watched one of them with her family, including a little toddler nephew who was making us all laugh and flashing his big smile. The dad of one of them brought candy for the whole floor at Halloween, making himself very popular.

She will be changing residence soon-she may have done it already--she's moving from one program to another. Last week she told me she has eight hours off tomorrow. She's planning to visit Ms. Ribs, who promised her a plate of turkey, etc. I'm not supposed to be anywhere until later in the afternoon, so I told her to knock on my door, too. I have leftover Halloween candy I'd be happy to send back with her. It beats buying cigarettes.