Alcohol

The door chimed as another customer wandered in through the shop door, I dragged my attention from the Dell laptop I was formatting and traipsed into the front. "Good morning", I chirped out of habit before looking at the gentleman standing there. He was clean shaven, clean looking, perfectly ironed clothing, glistening teeth....and as he said "hello stranger" I remembered to breathe. This isn't a tale of romance, there is no crush here. There is only bewilderment, I was surprised to see him. Alive. "James?" I murmured. It must have been 14 months or so since I last saw him, and I was sure it would be the last. He was once skeletal, dark circles inhabited his eyes, urine soaked his trousers, hair matted, shaking gait, slurred speech, drenched in a horrendous sweat and alcohol smell.
"I haven't had a drink in about 12mths" he said, no slurring of his words, a huge smile plastering his face, pure pride in his voice.
"It suits you", I smiled back.
He told of the alcoholism, the longing for another drop of beer to pass his lips. The desire to live in a world he considered better than his reality, but knowing that the world he was experiencing was more surreal than Alice's trip to wonderland snapped him out of it. Waking in the night to hallucinations trying to stab him, seeing rats and giant spiders scattered around the can covered floor. He didn't eat, and didn't know what hunger was. He knew the closing times of all the local off licences, knew where all the cheapest beer was located. All he thought of was his beer craving, and the fact that his neighbours were "poisoning" him. He'd take his kettle to the police station to get water, and to complain about the poison of course.

He ended up losing all he had, and being moved into a rehabilitation centre. He got a lot of support, he suffered withdrawal symptoms, he craved beer. He got through it, he became stronger than he realised he could be. He left rehab, cleaned up (literally), got a new flat, and started on his path to find a career.

He fights daily not to drink, as much as he craves it. He wants to become an alcohol counsellor, to help those just like him. Alcoholics need support out of rehab too, otherwise they're more likely to relapse. Luckily James hasn't yet, I hope he never does. I've seen it destroy so many lives. I drink in moderation, a few pints is my limit and I know it, I haven't been drunk since I was a rebellious teen, and thats the way it will stay.

Alcohol is a frightening thing.