St Marks Avenue House
These two guys, Andre and Dan lived here. We used to have wild parties over there. When I
met these guys, that was 8 years ago. And I have the store for 8 years, but I’ve been straight
for 7. So the first year that I was here, we’d go to their house and, you know, girls and guys,
all kinds of people used to be over there, and I’d get sloshed. But when I used to come here,
I used to be so alone. When you’re drunk the day before, I don’t know how drunk you’ve
gotten, but you don’t feel like doing nothing the next day. And me, I get mad at the world.
Her fault. That bitch made me do it, she gave me that first drink. Right! Or, that sonofabitch
Dan, what he did to me last night, you know? If it wasn’t for him coming by with two bottles
I would have never drank. Then, by the end of the day, I look in the mirror and say, nobody’s
fault but mine. I could have said no. Could have said no. And finally, finally, I said, my god,
enough is enough, now I’m gonna see, because everyone tells me that these people from
AA can help me. Let me see what these people can do for me. I’ll give it a shot, you know,
for heaven’s sakes. Then, when these people used to come by, Dan and Andy, I’d tell them,
“not today.” (Mike)
Figure 1.
Source: Author.