25 Comments
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Patris's avatar

Disorienting, horrifying, and loving… but no guarantee of redemption.

There is no guarantee, is there?

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Paul R's avatar

If Eric fails, it won’t be for lack of support

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

No guarantee except that trying to clean up is better than not trying

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Patris's avatar

Of course it is.

Seen it. I’m part of that choir, j.

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Viola Weinhold's avatar

Thanks for being real with that. That is a rough go. It takes courage and good friends.

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

Thank you. Authenticity and honesty are always among the goals

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Joe's avatar

Reality.

As bad as it might be, stories like this give a glimpse of what a piece of the road back looked like for Eric.

He has friends who care.

Thanks for the look.

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

Thanks for reading. It was a crazy day. The streak almost came to a halt (not because of booze or drugs or friends detoxing, but it was a challenge nonetheless).

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Joe's avatar

I'm glad you were able to persevere...and with a long, detailed piece, no less!

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Germaine Gebhard's avatar

Once again in awe of your writing talent. I am always immediately placed in the story like an unseen silent observer in the background from the very first line.

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

Thrills me that you took a chance on this and you really like it

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Fargo DuBois's avatar

Good stuff, Jimmy. A great advertisement against ever finding oneself in such a terrifying situation.

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

No one ever thinks they'll wind up there. All addicts start as people who think they can handle it. Some of us find a way to climb or crawl out

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Patty Mallett's avatar

Glad you made it to the other side of self detox, as horrifying as it must have been. Grateful to have you clean and sober and writing kick-ass short stories.

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

Thanks Patty. I'm glad I made it through. Publishing is getting to be an addiction now.

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Heather's avatar

I couldn't read it. I tried 3 times, but I just couldn't do it. If that bitch that claimed she loved my son had just called 911 when he was going through this, he wouldn't be dead, and I wouldn't be always eternally grieving. Addiction sucks. I'm an alcoholic too, but I never had withdrawals. I drank about 6-8 days a month.

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

I'm sorry this was a trigger, but I had to write it. I don't take it lightly.

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Heather's avatar

I'm glad you wrote about it. If it can make someone realize that they are starting to get into dangerous use with a substance and they need to stop, or at least plant something in their brain, would be fantastic, but I think that it educated people who really needed to know just how fucking powerful addiction can be. I wasn't criticizing you for writing it!!

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

I didn't think you were just sorry it was tough on you

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V. C. Ackerman's avatar

“I purposely threw grammar out the window in favor of the urgency and insanity of self detox...” That was the right call. I don’t think this story would have felt as real otherwise.

“…which I personally experienced and do not recommend.” I can’t imagine how awful that must have been. I’m glad you didn’t die.

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

I was gonna die if I didn't. Couldn't afford rehab and didn't feel like doing one of those freeish downtown medical detoxes. Feels like a whole different life.

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erniet's avatar

Awesome tale..."His tongue was pregnant." only if you've been there...white knuckling sucks...

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

That's why I never wanna have to do it again

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Steve-orino's avatar

I just came to your site because of the ice cream story. It's hard for me to believe that was true, but either way it was really cool

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

It's true. I write fiction but I've had a very interesting real life too.

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