Tender Heart

There is an older gent who went through treatment just around the time I started working here. Let's call him John. Following Tx he joined my home group and we got to be quite good friends. We would see one another at various area meetings and he'd attend alumni meetings here at 'the house'. Last fall he decided in part because of age and health concerns that he would no longer attend meetings. John and I last talked during the Xmas holidays and he spoke with excitement about a reunion with his two sons who were going to pay a visit from out west.

Last week I ran into John's wife in a grocery store. She related how John's oldest son had taken in a friend who had lost everything and everyone that mattered in his life. The friend had become addicted to crack and needed a place to stay while he put his life back in order. The offer of a room was time limited and when his time was up he refused to leave. John's son was on his way to get assistance to remove the friend from his apartment when he was shot. He died in transit to hospital.

As she spoke I was stunned into silence, my throat closed and tears stood in my eyes. They are steeling themselves for the trip to attend the friends trial. I called and spoke to John on the weekend; we meet for coffee and a talk later today.