SAD BUT UNTRUE TALE

Local man Jim Trevarthen was once a surf instructor on Hawaii's renowned Waikiki Beach but now he is one of the many homeless people who are being moved away from Hawaii's renowned tourist areas. 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-2751058/Honolulu-bans-sitting-lying-sidewalks-Waikiki-drive-homeless-tourist-hubs.html#ixzz3D1w7aoYg
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Was gobsmacked to see the photo of this man in article in Daily Mail.  This homeless man is well known to the old geezer.

One might almost blame Jim for being the reason the new laws were passed.  Allow me to enlighten the reader.

Daily I would go for a long walk on the beach in Waikiki.  There was a space containing some benches near the road and upon one would sit Jim.  Long before you came right up on, you could smell the foul odor that came from the bench that Jim sat upon.  It was a mixture of filth and urin and booze.  Right nasty it was.

Being the sort of person who chats with folks, it came to pass that I would strike up a conversation with Jim.  Jim can be personable when he wants something, and Jim saw me as a new victim to get cash from to supply his need for Alcohol.  That did not happen, although I did buy him a sandwich.

Days became weeks that became months and Jim never left his place on the bench.  He had got so good at working the system that social workers would come and deliver his medications, along with toilet articles and fresh clothes from time to time.

It got so bad that I could no longer contain meself.  I walked up one day and asked why he did not seek help, stop drinking or at least give his body a much needed cleaning.  He became angry and told me that I was dressing him and he did not want to hear 'negative' comments on his behaviour.

Jim is well known to police.  Hell, he is well know to all social agencies in Honolulu.

Jim begs for spare change.  Jim is very clever at getting large amounts from tourists, with the promise that will use the cash to better self.  Right, when Jim gets a good score, he gets folks to go to store and buy him the alcohol.  Drinks himself silly.  Mind, he uses the grass to pee and has been know to do the 'poo' there as well.  The smells do not seem to bother him.

There have been several times that Jim's condition became so severe that he had to be taken to hospital.  They would dry him out and at least twice placed him in a 'home' that was off the street, was clean and safe.  That never lasted too long.  Too far from the tourists to beg from.

One would be shocked at the enormous pile of cash that has been spent on 'helping' Jim.  Nothing works as Jim likes the lifestyle.

Waikiki is a dream vacation for many and having to deal with harden homeless alcoholics like Jim ruin the 'trip of a lifetime'.  No local or tourist should have to deal with the likes of Jim.  It is about time that measures were taken to drive Jim and his sort off the street and into programmes suited for turning lives round.

What bothers me most is there are folks who buy into the tales of woe that Jim and other homeless folks tell.  A little checking with local police or social agencies would lay waste the lie.

Truth be told, the article should have given Jim credit for getting the new laws passed.  He is the perfect 'poster child' for the the law.

ALCOHOL FREE BIRTHDAY FOR PAUL

Today is Paul's 72nd birthday.  As these things go, getting to 72 is not that unusual, unless you are a world class drunk and have spent the better part of 2014 inside a bottle.

Paul is my friend.  I like Paul. I do not like his behaviour.  I believe that if you are a good friend to someone, you need to speak up when their behaviour is harmful.

For the past two months, Paul has been recovering from his latest visit to hospital for alcoholism.  Truth be told, this was not first visit to hospital due to alcohol abuse.  Having heard all of the lies about not drinking ever again, I was more than inclined to believe that it would be a short time before the bottle was out and Paul was not able to cope anymore.  I will not lie.  I doubted that Paul was going to stop drinking.  I am not totally convinced that Paul will never drink again, but I am willing to promote his current good behaviour and egg him on to put more and more time between he and the bottle.

Presents have been bought and a nice supper at a lovely restaurant is planned for the big day.

With a little bit of luck, we will be celebrating another birthday next year, alcohol free...

ALCOHOLIC FRIEND WORRIES ME

“I have absolutely no pleasure in the stimulants in which I sometimes so madly indulge. It has not been in the pursuit of pleasure that I have periled life and reputation and reason. It has been the desperate attempt to escape from torturing memories, from a sense of insupportable loneliness and a dread of some strange impending doom.” 
― Edgar Allan Poe

The worst addiction this old geezer has ever had was food.  I used food to punish meself and to have something to blame my being so unhappy.  I know a thing or two about addiction.

Sometime during the holidays, a very dear friend to me started drinking.  Nothing new in that, this dear friend has a long history of taking to the bottle.  Has endangered his life with the drink.

For the longest time, my friend tried to pretend that he was not drinking.  The signs were all there.  I thought it was time to tell him that I knew.

I went to visit.  I sat my friend down and told him how I felt about what he was doing.

A long time ago, another friend had a problem with alcohol, and dealing with him made me realize that the only way I was going to get anywhere was to be totally honest.  I told my friend that I was not stupid and that I did not like being treated as if I was.  I told my friend, this new friend, that I was not going to try and shame him or criticize him.  I knew that he was not going to stop until he can to the point that the drink was not that important anymore.  I wanted my friend to know that I cared.  I was there for him.  The only thing he needed to do was to stop trying to pretend that he was not drinking.  Stop hiding what I knew was going on.

We had a long talk that night I visited.  My friend broke down and cried.  He told me that he was so very unhappy with how some things in his life had turned out.  He hurt and the drink make it easier to deal with.

I read somewhere that drinking alone in your room was the worst kind of alcoholic.  I told my friend that he needed to get out more that be around people.  I guess he heard that part real good.

Shortly after my visit, my friend started frequenting a bar just cross the road from his home.  No longer was he sitting alone drinking, he now had a bar to go to.  My friend drinks to start the day, he drinks to even out the mid-morning blues, the afternoon downs and the evening of regrets.  The drinking has not slowed.

There are times that my friend invites me to join him.  I do.  Sometimes I will have a drink, but more oft than not I just have a diet soda.  Somewhere in my brain I believe that my being there slows him down.

My friend knows full well that his drinking is not doing him any good.  Preaching to my friend is not going to work and my joining him from time to time is not adding to his problem.  My hope is that he hears me when I tell him not to open up a bar tab.  That he should be careful with people he meets and try to get back home safely.

Most mornings I make it a point to stop by and check up on my friend.  I encourage him to clean up and eat something.  It makes my very sad to see him shake in the mornings.  Even more sad to see that so much alcohol is making him unsteady on his feet.

There may well be some who feel that I am not being a good friend.  That I should call the hospital and have my friend taken away.  It is not as easy as that.  My friend still can turn down a hospital visit.  At the end of the day, it is his call.

Rather think the best thing I can do is to continue to let my dear friend know that I care, and that come what may, he must know that he is and will always be my friend.