Wasted Away Again In Johnny Walkerville

I have a friend who is tragically, miserably, disgustingly, and I'm afraid unstoppably an alcoholic. And I don't mean "Oh my goodness...Three glasses of wine a night!" alcoholic. I mean "Can you please go for one hour without drinking?" "No - I don't think so." alcoholic. Aside from Nick Cage in Leaving Las Vegas; I've never seen anything like it. It simultaneously disgusts me and rips at my heartstrings.

I thought he drank like people who drink drink. But now I realize, he's been way past the edge for a long time. He lost his job here in my fine city and moved back to infamous small town, but here unnamed, Texas and moved in with his mother. He's in his late 40s. That's ok...We all come upon hard times and have to do these things. But that was two years ago. And he's been drinking Johnny Walker Black 24x7 ever since.

I understand not wanting to say "I'll never drink again." I like my cocktails...Anyone who knows me will tell you that. But I have to think when they say "You've got 2-3 years left."....I'd hang it up in a second.

This is the person who used to travel more than anyone I knew, drove to rural destinations to sit and watch trains because they were his passion, knew everything about the latest happenings in the Democratic Party, knew what Morrisey's latest gallivants were, and could spit out a witty zinger that would put you in the floor in a second. That person - Is gone. Johnny Walker has taken him away. And none of us know how to get Johnny to move out, and L to move back in.

2-3 years. He says he's eased up on the juice, but I don't believe him. He sounded wasted last time I talked to him. They've got him on 12 different medications...One that's supposed to help ease the drinking. Isn't working.

I've tried being nice, I've tried being mean. I know all the rhetoric...I can't say anything to make it different. And he has to decide for himself. But does that mean I should stop trying?

I told him yesterday that if we were having this same conversation in a month, I'd cut him off. And I told him he might as well put a 45 in his mouth, cause it'd be quicker. And I asked him if he wanted his mother to have to put him in a nursing home...Because she won't be able to take care of him. I asked him if it would help if I broke down and cried...Cause I can do that too. Obviously, yesterday was one of the more 'being mean' days.

What if I AM the one who has that one little thing to say that will light some spark in his head? I can't just give up on a human life....Can I?