John was a 20 year heroin addict. Even so, he was extremely smart. He read the papers daily, was politically astute, and knew jewelers and doctors in town. He knew which ones were addicted as he was their runner. Others were as well. This is not an unusual set up; homeless as drug runners. The doctors, jewelers, and other business folks can't afford to get caught so they would hire John.
John eventually got tired of the street life and his body was paying the price. He decided to go clean. Since heroin detox does not require a hospital and since John had no insurance we had little choice but to detox him in a shelter. Myself and several other outreach workers would visit him everyday; change his dirty sheets, bring him coffee and Pedialyte, convince him to bathe, and clean his bedding again.
John detoxed and stayed clean. It was pretty amazing to watch him go from a scrawny addict bent over in pain to a rolly pollie Santa Clause. This happens with a lot of addicts Coming off drugs and eating regularly adds weight quickly.
We moved John from the shelter where he detoxed to a shelter near a college that had a running field. We connected with some college students and they agreed to befriend John and start walking with him to see if he could shed some weight. Like John, they were adults, and also like John they could talk a blue streak about anything. It seemed a perfect match.
John came into my office and one day and I told him about the students and asked if he wanted to start walking the track. John looked all serious as I was telling him and when I finished he stood up and yelled "I thought you liked me". "I do John", I said. "Then why are you trying to kill me?" Though I tried not to laugh I did not understand where this conversation was going. John continued to look at me with rage and asked me again if I really did like him. "Then why are you trying to kill me with that third rail? That third rail will kill me!"
By now I could not contain my laughter and John just got angrier. I eventually explained that I was suggesting he walk the running track at the college not the train tracks or subway tracks. He didn't get it and still thought I was trying to kill him and was angry but also hurt as he thought I liked him. I brought in a co-worker to try and explain (also to share in this funny encounter) and he did not succeed either. Now John thought that two of us were trying to do him in. We added another co-worker and the same thing happened and now three of us were on the floor in tears and poor John, well, he just got disillusioned.
Eventually John did understand and when he finally did he just got mad at us for laughing. Still he remained clean and sober, got healthier, and eventually forgave us. To this day I still laugh every time I pass a running track, subway, or train station. I don't see John anymore but I remember him fondly. Now you can too.
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