Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Alternatively, a fortune to be had in erotica?

I read my Bathsheba monologues in Zac's last night. On reflection it probably wasn't a good idea although Ric did suggest that I was in the wrong business and that I could make a fortune writing dirty books.

I had a really good chat with Jerry last night (okay, he did most of the talking). We had exchanged greetings on the road on Sunday morning when I was going in to the prison and he was off to the Marina. He said last night that he had recognised me but he couldn't place me. He said, 'Next time I'm in prison, if you're in for the Sunday service, I'll put my name down for it.'
'Why not try not to get into prison again instead?'
Jerry has spent a lifetime in borstals and prison. He shrugged, 'It's all right in there.'

Jerry is an alcoholic who, when he's totally plastered, can be aggressive, changeable and thoroughly unpleasant but when he's the closest he gets to sober he's funny and gentle. Alcohol addiction is an evil that creates monsters.

But he doesn't do drugs. Unlike his friend, who was with him last night. Jerry told me about him. 'He used to have a good job, house, wife and child. He lost them all because of the drugs.' Jerry is regretful at this tragedy. 'Now he's in a wet house but sometimes you'll find him sleeping down by Spar.'

His friend's eyes don't focus or meet mine when I talk briefly later with him but he's listened and seemed to take in what Sean has said as we've continued the study of David. It's been a fantastic story of flawed humanity and God who chooses to use those who aren't perfect. Amazing encouragement for all of us who acknowledge our failings only too well.

5 comments:

James Higham said...

The Bible has quite enough of the steamy stuff as it is.

jams o donnell said...

Go on Liz there's good money to be made from saucy stuff!

NitWit1 said...

You certainly meet a lot of interesting people.

The BIble has its own quantity of "erotica" doesn't it.

Anonymous said...

"Alcohol addiction is an evil that creates monsters." I'd agree with that, its a terrible place to be and its not much fun to watch someone you care about killing themselves slowly either. Any addiction is destructive though, to the addict and also their family/friends.


A. xx

Furtheron said...

addiction is the evil that creates monsters - we who have it chose our drug of choice either willingly or unwillingly if you see what I mean.

The first day I ever had an alcoholic drink I was doomed - my body and particularly my brain doesn't react right with it, I crave more of it, I need it to cushion me against the emotions of life which I simply cannot deal with on my own... then as the thing takes hold slowly you don't just crave it, you need it, you need it to function, you obsess about it, you believe it is the only thing that makes you the human you ought to be, then it bites back and it clouds you, it stops you doing things, you get angry at the world at the booze and at ultimately yourself.

Alcohol does indeed make monsters of those who fall into its grip however they are simply waiting for it and are helpless against it for the most part and definite until it is too late and the damage is done both to them, those around them and the bits of the world they blunder through without recourse to sense