I Called In Sick Today

[KDawgCometh 2]

wow is all I have to say in regards to my catchup, i really don't know where to begincaleb, you're making the right decision. There always comes a time where you have to decide to start getting on with lifeIQ, um wow, that's some obscenely sobering shit so far. I really don't know what to say, other then its mad interestingso, I finally stopped procrastinating and finished a stupid paper that is due in an hour. It's really weird being awake at 6 am when you're just waking up. Usually when I'm up that early its cause I haven't gone to bed.

[IQCrash 1]

No sooner than I hit the road for California, Natalie (the young hottie) and I start talking on the phone. A lot. We talk on the phone several times a day during the course of my eight day drive to California. It took me eight days because apparently I hadn't screwed up everything quite enough yet, so I decided to stop at every casino that was even remotely close to my path down Interstate 40. Tunica? No problem. That weird little indian place in bumblefuck? Been there. Naturally, I kept this all to myself. Telling Natalie and my parents that the drive was taking longer than expected because I was tired and strung out, so I wasn't able to drive for longer than a few hours a day.Of course, I couldn't keep the lie going once I hit Las Vegas and my remaining $6,000 was no more. I had to ask my parents to wire me fourty dollars gas money to finish the trek from Vegas to Los Angeles.Yes, I was that bad off. Natalie and I still spoke several times a day.I finally made it home and my parents treated me like a weird new puppy for the first couple days. They weren't too loving, but very understanding at the same time - if that makes sense. It didn't hit me at the time, though it should have, but my parents had moved from our original house to a new apartment with a spare bedroom that had all my old stuff in it. Insulting? Foreshadowing? All I knew was that I never expected to be living at home again in my mid twenties. It was crushing for the ego, but I had to get clean and find my way again.Natalie had agreed to not do cocaine anymore, as I told her that I wanted her to quit as well. She said she did, and as far as I know, she didn't do any while I was gone - but she liked to drink. Heavily. She was an awful drunk most of the time, and it didn't take long for me to see she had a huge drinking problem. One night, maybe a few weeks after I had gotten back to Los Angeles, she and I had started talking about her visiting in January. The original excuse was that it was an easy way for her to return my dog and just fly with him here. That didn't last long, however, because just a few days later, while drunk, she told me she loved me while over the telephone. This relationship, whatever you wanted to call it, had a very high school feel to me. The whole talking on the phone every single day, missing each other crap - it wasn't me. But I guess I needed something to occupy my mind while I cleaned up, though - so I went along with it. Apparently I loved her too.Keep in mind, besides the fondling on the couch and some making out, this girl and I hadn't even slept with one another yet. She had a seizure before I could get to that.Anyway, I decide to run with my own firm and to hell with the consequences. Sure enough, within a week, I had my first client and there was no looking back after that. I was making money again, I hadn't touched drugs or alcohol for several months, and Natalie and I were "in love" and she was coming to visit very soon.There were no available hotel rooms the day Natalie arrived (none in a part of town where I wanted to stay, anyway) so the first thing we did when she got into town was go back to my place and fuck. And when I say my place, I mean my parents house - with my father in the living room. It was very surreal. And weird. And dirty. At least the next night we'd have a hotel room.So we go out the first night and we get pretty drunk. I mentioned previously that she was an awful drunk, and now you'll see why.We're at one of my old watering holes in Los Angeles and the bartender is being very friendly, giving us one free shot for every one we purchase. Things are going great. Suddenly, she storms out of the bar and starts walking down Hollywood Blvd at one in the morning. If you're at all familiar with this town, this is NOT a good idea. I go after her and try to find out what's wrong, but she won't talk. She just keeps stating that she's worthless and I should leave her there.Oh Jesus. What have I gotten myself into now.I calm her down and drive her back to my parents place. When we get there, she says she has something to tell me. She tries to tell me how she's worthless because she slept with someone before coming out to California to see me. I try telling her that we hadn't even slept together at that point yet, and she lived three thousand miles away. In fact, I continue, if I weren't so involved with my business and staying clean, I'd have gone out and banged a broad or two myself. That should have been the end of it.It wasn't.Now she's telling me I need to hit her because she's so worthless. She's grabbing my hand and trying to hit herself with it. My parents are in the very next room, and this chick is getting louder and louder. I turn on the music to try and at least drown some of it out. She's getting more and more belligerent by the minute, demanding I be a man and hit her. Much to my dismay, I was strangely turned on by all this. So much so that I finally flipped her over and just stuck it in her pooper. Not to get terribly graphic, but we're going at it pretty hard in a location you shouldn't exactly storm like it's Normandie fucking Beach if you know what I mean. Next thing I know, she starts grabbing my hand and choking herself with it. Now I like me some damaged goods just as much as the next guy, but was this really the time for it? But Fuck it, I ran with it. It was exciting. We finish off by going ass to mouth, and I go to bed wondering if I now absolutely love this girl, or hate her. I decide it's both.The next day, while she's showering as we prepare to leave for our hotel, my mother tells me that she could hear everything last night and would appreciate it if I didn't do that in the house anymore. I think it was the first time I'd blushed in many, many years. I said "Okay mom. Sorry." And we never spoke about it again.The following night, as we're once again out and getting quite drunk, we decide to get some cocaine. I had no contacts in LA since I had just moved and hadn't done any since getting back, but if there's anything there's no shortage of here, it's drugs. We went to the one place you can score yourself some coke in any town, any day of the week - a strip club. Within the hour we had a guy meeting us on Laurel Canyon drive in his spiffy new Mercedes handing us two 8 balls.If this wasn't enough, she wanted to try it the way I had been doing it before I moved, and asked me to get us some new syringes. I did.We spent the next two days high as can be, and you couldn't even begin to imagine how disgusted I was with myself. I had my business going, I was doing great - and in one night, it all went down the drain. Even after she left, I continued using. In my parents house. I was doing drugs at home now.Miraculously, I kept up with my business just fine. I convinced myself I could keep the drug use under control while I maintained a normal life otherwise. I would crank out all the work I would need to within the first couple days of the week, and spend the rest of it high. I eventually stopped, and I can't exactly tell you why I did. I just woke up one day and could barely move my arms again they were so bruised and bloody, and decided I'd had enough. Again.Natalie came out for one other visit, but at that point it was just a formality. We'd fooled ourselves into thinking we could have a normal relationship and I would continue to grow my business with her as my assistant. She was to leave school and come live with me in California. We found ourselves a great townhouse, and not a few months after her original visit, I was helping her drive out to California - but on one condition:We wouldn't do drugs anymore. We wouldn't even drink.Believe it or not, once we moved in together, we didn't touch drugs a single time. Unfortunately, I was completely miserable. Turns out that the sex fiend I thought I'd moved in with didn't exist outside the alcohol-space continuum. It was like I went from a cat in his mid twenties having fantastic sex every night of every day to an old married guy who had to convince his wife touch his pecker once a week, if that. If you haven't been able to tell already, I can put up with a lot of garbage - but not having sex is not one of them. By the end of the first month I knew this was a huge mistake. I absolutely loathed this girl. Instead of just cutting our losses quickly, though, we did what any disfunctional couple would do in our situation - we lived in mutual hatred of one another. Having promised not just my parents, but myself as well, I couldn't turn to drugs this time. For now, that lifestyle was out of the question. That didn't mean I couldn't piss away my money gambling, though.I spent countless hours and days in the casinos, not playing poker, but the table games and slot machines. So much so that the neighborhood casinos quickly upgraded me to high roller status and gave me whatever I wanted. This put even more strain on our already-doomed relationship, because she absolutely hated gambling. I had to eventually start lying to her and tell her I was in day-long meetings when in reality I was gambling away thousands upon thousands of dollars on a weekly basis. Thank god business was good.Our relationship got worse and worse, and eventually, it was obvious that this would not work out like my past bad relationships had - you know, where I simply just become an evergrowing asshole until they leave me. I had to put aside my complete inability to break up with a girl and just bite the bullet on this one, and dump her myself.We had set a sex date for one Sunday morning (yes, we were literally putting fucking DATES on when we'd have sex at this point) and, as usual, at the last minute she said she wasn't in the mood. And just as the words "This isn't going to work, you need move out" were about to leave my lips, she said:"I think I'm pregnant."To Be Continued (Last piece to the story coming up)

[mk 11]

didn't think i'd have the patience to read turd's or IQ's stories, but those were some real page turners.turd - gl sir. it takes courage to do what you're doing - something i have none of - so i applaud you.IQ - you either have a really vivid imagination and have watched a lot of movies, or you're a pretty effed up dude. and yes, if these stories are even 5% true, you won't really fit in here. too much tang.

[IQCrash 1]

IQ - you either have a really vivid imagination and have watched a lot of movies, or you're a pretty effed up dude. and yes, if these stories are even 5% true, you won't really fit in here. too much tang.

This story is 100% accurate and true. No implied joke this time, I just took the cue from Turd to share something.The final installment will be posted shortly, working on it now.

[leftygolfer 7]

I just had a Ding Dong from our vending machine.I think I like HoHo's better.

[KDawgCometh 2]

it's valentine's day Brag/Beat time Brag: one of the places I order wine from is offering free shipping today for the 04 tognibeat: I'm not getting the money that I'm supposed to get for another 10 daysBrag: I finally have a GF for valentines daybeat: she's in italy right nowbrag: She hates valentines daybeat: it's because her mom died on valentines daybrag: I'm gonna have a bottle of 05 Amon-Ra tonightbeat: there are no beats, its Amon-Ra

[JoeyJoJo 18]

Good luck with all of that, turd.I think these responses best sum up how I feel about it.

caleb, you're making the right decision. There always comes a time where you have to decide to start getting on with life

turd - gl sir. it takes courage to do what you're doing - something i have none of - so i applaud you.

[ajs510 122]

Oh Jesus. What have I gotten myself into now.

You have no idea how many times I've asked myself this very question, and I'm atheist. Great stuff Dan, unfortunately I need sleep. Or Burger King. Maybe sleep, *then* Burger King. A very good morning to all.

[MisterB 2]

I just had a Ding Dong from our vending machine.I think I like HoHo's better.

Leftygolfers on his way to looking like lefty golferIQ- thats pretty ****ed up man, but damn what a great story. Im thinking Ben Affleck for the lead role> thoughts?edit*- Since Im snowed in, I get to do laundry. So im going through the DvD collection of the wife and realize she has **** for movies. So I settled on Constantine. And I ated 473mL of Brownie Batter by the co. that bought Ben and Jerrys. No laundry done yet

[mk 11]

maybe the thread should be re-titled "E! True Hollywood Stories: Valentine's Day" just for today.

[MisterB 2]

maybe the thread should be re-titled "E! True Hollywood Stories: Valentine's Day" just for today.

Exactly 4 years ago today I was in Fort Sill, Oklahoma. I didnt have much to do that Valentines day for I had no Valentine. I went to my buddys room and asked him if he had plans, to which he said no. So we decided to go to the best restaraunt in the area Olive Garden. Now mind you OG is a good hour away in Whiskey Flatts aka Wichita Falls, TX. So we drive...er I drive down there and we have a great meal. As great of a meal that you can have at Olive Garden. During said meal we partake in 3 bottles of wine just for the 2 of us. Im pretty drunk by this point as so is my friend, Joe. Now this is when I make the mistake of ordering our 4th bottle. It was a Chiati Classico Riserva by Ruffino maybe 30 a bottle. We are hammered, very hammered by the time that 4th bottle finally went down. So as were leaving I decide that I am fully fit to drive, which in itself would be the first time I ever drove drunk. Get behind the wheel turn on the car and turn off the car and open the door. I puke everywhere. Thank God I feel better. 3 parking lots later were both knocked out for the night. Why 3 lots, I left each of them a little something special for V-Day. It was a good time, and I needed it because...7 Days later I was on a plane headed for Iraq

[Ron_Mexico 4,219]

I'm not sure exactly how interesting this story will be too many people in this thread, but I feel like telling it. It is very rare for me to be honest with the people in my life or even myself for that matter, and I think this is a good opportunity to do so. There won't be any fake dialogue or situations, and it isn't funny in the goofy sort of way that many of my previous stories have been. That isn't to say that the situation doesn't lend itself to humor, but that isn't the main purpose here. My story starts about a month ago on the day when Jen and I usually celebrate our yearly anniversary. This would be the second. For me the relationship had been in a steady decline. For the most part she didn't have a clue. I don't talk much about how I feel. We woke up that morning and started arguing right away. I hadn't really prepared anything special for the day partly because I didn't care much at that point, and partly because I'm a very lazy person. She was on my case about it, and rightly so. We went to The Green Burrito for lunch. I had the taco salad, and she had the nachos while we discussed our plans for the day. The beef was dry. In the end we decided to head on down to the beach for a while and then eat at a nice Italian place I found online. On the drive back to our house to get ready I began to resent her more and more for various strains she put on my life, the prominent one at the time being that I was broke and the evening would use up the last of the money in my bank account when payday was still a full week away. Of course, being myself I didn't tell her any of this. Instead I just blurted out that I was done with the relationship. Obviously, the money thing wasn't the whole issue, but I won't go into any more detail. It wasn't fun. She had just given me season one of Scrubs along with a really sweet card earlier that morning. I hadn't gotten her anything. By the time we pulled up to the house she was in tears, and I was trying not to get emotional. It comes easy for me usually, and this time was no different. Eventually, I made her get out of the car, and I drove off to watch football and drink beer in a crappy bar with my friend. When I came home later that night I moved out of the master bedroom into a smaller room down stairs. Things were awkward living together, but we were being evicted in a month so we decided to just put up with it until then. We weren't bad tenants or anything, but the owner was dicking us around, and giving the status of our relationship we decided not to contest it. Over the next week I moved all of my things out of the room, which was always a depressing affair. She would cry, and I'd be an emotionless asshole. The downstairs bedroom didn't have a curtain on the window so I moved the mattress I was sleeping on into the closet so the sun wouldn't wake me up in the morning. It turned out to be surprisingly cozy in there. Now ninety percent of all my possessions are in that closet. It's like my own little rat's nest. Two weeks later I received a letter informing me that I was being laid off from my job due to budget cuts. My last day was two weeks later, and they gave me a small severance package. It was pretty poor planning on their part to give me notice though. For the next two weeks I really held true to the principles of this thread. It didn't bother me a whole lot though. I take bad news pretty well. Jen, on the other hand, does not. I didn't tell her, and still haven't, or any of my friends that are close to her. She would feel sorry for me and I don't need that. Plus, she doesn't need another thing to worry about. You see, she discovered that she was pregnant about the same time I found out I was fired. Like I said, she didn't handle it well.Jennifer came into my room drunk as a skunk rambling on about this and that. I was doing my best to ignore her when she broke down in tears and gave me the news. Naturally, I was thrilled, and seeing that she was completely sloshed made me feel even better. I could see right off the bat that she was going to be mature about it. I tried to get her to stop drinking, but she just spewed cliché after cliché and kept downing the shots. It didn't take me long to give up and wait for her to pass out. Things between us were pretty tense for the next week. She wanted to keep the baby for some reason that she couldn't explain to me, and I wanted her to give it up for adoption because neither of us were ready to take care of a baby. For Christ's sake we couldn't even get our own lives in order. She was feeling sorry for herself, and I was my usual asshole self, which didn't help the situation. After about a week of her telling my how bad she had it and me telling her to grow up and deal she miscarried. It's kind of hard to know how to feel when you find out something like that. On one hand I hadn't wanted to keep the kid, and it could only disrupt my already chaotic life, but then again I'm not going to be happy to hear that he/she/it died. Either way I was relieved. That issue resolved, I needed to find a job quickly so I turned to the only thing I could think of that I'm qualified for. I've been talking to an Air Force recruiter, and I'm pretty sure that that's what I'm going to do. In a couple weeks I'll be taking the mental and medical tests. I'd do it sooner, but I have to wait until the weed clears out of my system. It's been about a month since I've smoked. A very long month.My roommates (there was another couple living with Jen and I) moved out of the house this weekend, and I have to be out by Thursday. They got a nice place a few miles away, and Jen moved with them. It was strange helping them move because they kept asking me questions about where I planned on going, and I didn't have the balls to tell them that I was fired and that I'm moving back with my parents until I leave. They don't even know I'm planning on joining. So I sit now on the second story of a very empty house writing about my life for a group of people I vaguely know hoping that nobody from my real life sees this. I'm not drunk, but I'm working on it, and things are looking up. On Friday I'll be at my parents' house, and in a couple months I'll almost certainly be in boot camp in Texas. Hopefully it won't be so bad. I'll be able to see a little bit of the world, and it can't look too bad on my resume. Last week I looked over the jobs available, and so far being a cryptological linguist seems like the best option. If I pass a test they'll send me to Monterey Bay, which isn't too far from home for a couple years after boot camp, and I'll learn another language. That's got to be useful after I get out, and there's a small signing bonus. That's about all I have for now. Thanks for reading if you got this far. Wish me luck.

So seriously, the beef was dry?

NO! I WILL NOT DO WHAT YOU TELL ME TO!It's a good thing this is an internet forum, that line is even more half-hearted being said outloud.Caleb, we've had our ups, and our orgasms. Well, it was typically me. Can I please be the top, just one time?In all seriousness, you've got a large group of people here who are going to stand behind you and support anything you do, and most of them are here if you ever need them for pretty much anything.If I had to give you one piece of advice it would be this. Figure out what it is that makes you happiest. Then figure out what you need to do to be able to have that as much as possible, while keeping a semblance of balance in your life. Proceed from there.

Well said. I'm 34 about to be 35, and I still have no plan or no idea. Think the Air Force wants a fat guy with 5 knee surgeries and no gall bladder?

I just had a Ding Dong from our vending machine.I think I like HoHo's better.

You sonofabitch. I love Ding Dongs, and HoHo's, and Ring Dings, and Devil Dogs, and Swiss Rolls, and Star Crunches, and...

[JoeyJoJo 18]

My favorite part of Phil Gordon's one and only post thusfar here on FCP, it applies so perfectly well to the situation with Peter's FT analysis last month:The whole thread in the Blog section is definitely worth a read, and might turn into quite the war.

I think Phil's response was done well and it won't turn into anything. If it does, I'm going to add Phil as one of my friends.

Ya'll need to check out the new video blog before it gets deleted. Goddamn hillarious, I have no idea what he could have been thinking.

I posted a chinkemotion in the long thread about it. I hope somebody overreacts. I do enjoy me some overreactions.

[IQCrash 1]

maybe the thread should be re-titled "E! True Hollywood Stories: Valentine's Day" just for today.

Cute. Maybe this wasn't such a great idea after all. : little tongue face (not for making out) :

[RhinestoneCowboy 2]

So seriously, the beef was dry?Well said. I'm 34 about to be 35, and I still have no plan or no idea. Think the Air Force wants a fat guy with 5 knee surgeries and no gall bladder?You sonofabitch. I love Ding Dongs, and HoHo's, and Ring Dings, and Devil Dogs, and Swiss Rolls, and Star Crunches, and...

Don't forget Nutty Bars...

I think Phil's response was done well and it won't turn into anything. If it does, I'm going to add Phil as one of my friends.I posted a chinkemotion in the long thread about it. I hope somebody overreacts. I do enjoy me some overreactions.

Off to the blog forum I go!!!

[mk 11]

yeah, phil gordon handles himself a little better than DN in most cases. DN sounds like a teenager saying his Dad could beat up Phil's Dad.we get it. none of you think phil gordon is a great poker player. he'll be okay anyway.

[leftygolfer 7]

DN: What the??????? Did PHIL GORDON just matter of factly say that Erick Lindgren has two big weaknesses in his game? Then go Phil, did you proof read that column before you sent it? It makes you come off like a complete bafoon. You started out the column complimenting Erick, but you are like the king of the backhanded compliment or something, lol. PHIL: Yes, I proof every column. And I spell check as well despite being a complete buffoon.PHIL: Best of luck. Hope to see you soon... Maybe we’ll draw one another in the Heads Up tournament for NBC. You’ll be salivating, I’ll be crapping my pants, and then I’ll be figuring out how you’ll play against me since I’m such easy money. I’ll probably write something about it too. Who knows, maybe I’ll even get lucky and win.... No, that wouldn’t really happen.Phil Gordon

POW

Off to the blog forum I go!!!

Speedzy, DN needs some of your man love.

[leftygolfer 7]

Leftygolfers on his way to looking like lefty golfer And I ated 473mL of Brownie Batter by the co. that bought Ben and Jerrys. No laundry done yet

what happened to the other 2 ml of batter Fatty? and yes my boobs are bigger than Phils but smaller than Amy's.

[speedz99 145]

Caleb - Ron stole my response to your story (dammit), but I'll just say you know I've got nothin but love for ya (baby).Dan - You've been upgraded from "cool" to "very cool...possibly too cool for school". Seriously, great story.I'm off to go watch DN make a fool of himself, I guess.

[Ron_Mexico 4,219]

Yeah, I might get banned.In the Phil Gordon thread, I insulted him and his religion.In another, I called him unfunny. (The thread where the guy asks if DN considered acting)Fanboys abound.DN is good at the poker table, annoying everywhere else.I like Phil Gordon and a company my friend works for hired him to do a bunch of seminars and she said he's the tits. Great guy, gracious.

[speedz99 145]

Ron's Christian comment was hilarious just because it was so far out of line.I actually think DN's Jamaican accent is pretty damn good.

[renaedawn 1]

That's about all I have for now. Thanks for reading if you got this far. Wish me luck.

Wow, Caleb. Just wow. Hang in there. If there's anything we can do....well.....you know.

[zimmer4141 0]

Turd, good luck man. Military might be good for you. Nothin but gay, gay man love for you.IQ- Great Story, look forward to part IV. Also, you are a screwed up dude.MK- Does your shift key work?I can't watch the video blog right now, but I will when I get home.

[IQCrash 1]

This was impossible. What bizarro world had I become trapped in the last year? Drug use and knocking up girls - I was no longer the man I once was."How are you pregnant?" I asked."What?" she asked back."I mean you're on the god damn pill, how are you pregnant?" I demanded."I stopped taking the pill around when I moved out." She said.We got into a huge fight. How could she do this to me? I was too young to have a kid. And with a girl I couldn't even stand? This couldn't be real. She had to have made this up in her insane little membrane. This wasn't the first time a girl had tried to use that line on me, so I left the house without saying a word to pick up not one, but two pregnancy tests. I returned and handed them to her."What? You don't believe me?" She asked like she was surprised."Just take the god damn test." I growled back.Plus if she was pregnant. Minus if she wasn't.She was pregnant.My head started to spin, and I could barely stand. I sat down on the bed to compose myself. She tried talking to me, but I wouldn't respond. All I could think about was how my life was over, and how I'd end up having to pay child support for the rest of my life and share a child with a girl I could barely stand to look at anymore, let alone be friends with.I had a conference to attend that weekend, but I cancelled it. I asked her to go visit her sister for a week in Georgia, and that we'd figure things out when she got back. I had to clear my head. She agreed, and off to Georgia she went.Instead of clearing my head, though, I gambled for five straight days until I had nothing left in my bank account. In fact, I was overdrawn by the time I stopped.Two days until she came back, and I didn't even have the rent money any more. Way to go, me. But apparently I had at least one more get out of jail free card to cash, as one of my clients accidently paid me two weeks early simply because I had sent the invoice in sooner than I usually did. With rent money in hand again, I was able to focus on what needed to be done here.I reminded myself that family values were something that was very important to me at one point in my life, and I had promised myself that I'd never have a child without being in a loving marriage. Idealism be damned, we were going to make this work.Natalie had a different plan.She returned from Georgia having decided to move in with her sister who was also pregnant."I didn't know your sister was pregnant?" I asked oddly."Yeah, she's three months along." She told me."Three months, as in right around the time you moved here and stopped taking your birth control?" I quizzed her further."Yeah," she said.Interesting little coincidence, don't you think? I definitely thought so.Anyway, her mind was made up. She wanted nothing to do with my proposed solution, where she'd stay in California and I would pay her rent and put her through school, even if we didn't remain together. This was no longer an option for her. She was going to move to Georgia and play house with her sister.It took her all of three days to be packed and on a plane to Georgia with all her belongings. She even took my dog.I couldn't help but laugh at where in life I'd found myself yet again. The real laugh, though, came two days after she'd left when she called me asking for $5,000 to help with her move, because she couldn't cover all of the expenses and the moving company wouldn't release her stuff. I asked her if she was crazy, even though I didn't really need to.She said if I didn't help her with the move, that it would be a clear sign that I was an unfit father and would never be allowed to see my child again. I told her to shove it.Always a woman of her word, I've never from her since that day. I moved back in with my parents.I stayed clean and worked on growing my company, out of site out of mind. Business was doing great, and I was happy again. I was making enough money and putting enough away where I felt comfortable moving out on my own again. It was time.But in November of 2005, two things happened. One, it was the month she was due to give birth and the one mutual friend we had left told me in confidence she had a son. Two, I was offered a job by one of my clients here in Los Angeles for well over six figures - and I accepted.As a sidenote - I'm an only child. An only son, for that matter. To make matters worse, I'm the last of my surname in my family. I was born in Lebanon, I'm not sure if I've mentioned before or not (I'm half Greek and half Lebanese) - but I point it out now because the only other men in my family who could carry on the surname had died during the war in Lebanon many years prior. I was alone on this, and now I had a boy out there who could have carried my name and become great.Two completely different emotions overwhelmed me at once. And as we all know, I could handle major life swings with ease.I met a group from MySpace and we went out drinking together. It was my first time out since Natalie had left. We had a wonderful time, drinking and talking smack. I felt in old form again.As the night was winding down, one of the girls in the group suggested we get some coke and get ourselves a hotel room. Another girl in the group overheard and said she and her boyfriend would love to join us. So off we went, to some shady little motel off Sunset Blvd with a couple 8 balls in hand. It didn't take long for the night to heat up, and before my girl and I had even gotten a chance to start making out, the other two were naked and going at it like a couple of rabbits on the bed next to ours. This was my cue that I was getting rusty and had been slacking. I kicked things into overdrive and not long after my date and I were going at it as well. After the first round the guy looked over at me and said, "Wanna swap?" Did I want to swap? Hell yes I wanted to swap, his girl was hot! But my date put the kibosh down on that idea and whispered in my ear that she wasn't interested in him. Like a boy on Christmas morning who woke up to no bike under the tree, I had to tell him no. So as we're taking a break and doing a few more lines before we continue, this guys phone rings. It's his wife.You heard me right. His wife."He has a wife?" I ask the girl after he'd put on his pants to take the call outside."Yeah," she giggled like it was no big deal.We weren't even done laughing at how awkward this just was when he walked in and said, and I quote, "My wife is being a cunt. I need to go home." We laughed even harder, this time before he left the room. Thankfully he laughed along with us instead of getting offended. "I know, I know" he said as he put on his jacket and kissed the his date goodbye.Now it's just the three of us doing copious amounts of coke and talking when the other girl, still sitting across from us on the other bed asks, "Can I join you guys over there?" There is a God, oh yes there is. We both said yes and she hopped on over. The rest of the night was absolutely fabulous, and I don't think I need to go into too many details. The three of us had a marvelous time.Until I got my first nose bleed.The other girl had left in the morning to go get some sleep before work, and it was just my date and I again doing lines and having a good time when all of a sudden my nose started to bleed. I was embarrassed to say the least, this had never happened before. She looked a bit turned off. I tried to make light of the situation."I know guys usually say this about erections, but I swear it's the first time it's happened to me." I spit out like a true champion, holding a bloody wad of tissues to my nose.She gave me a pity laugh. The evening was clearly over now.I walked her to her car, but instead of checking out and getting into mine, I decided I wasn't quite done celebrating over my job offer and mourning over my newborn son. Two weeks. Two weeks I spent locked up in that hotel room, with a box of new syringes to keep me company. That and my dealer who would come by every couple days to bring me a new supply. Until he couldn't be found, that is. I had to find a new contact, and quick. I had an 8 ball of my regular stuff left, but that wouldn't last me but another day or so.I called around and found a new hookup. A girl I had met came over and introduced me to her dealer, a nice enough guy who was a lot cheaper than my old dealer. She stayed for a day and we got high together, but she quickly got on my nerves and I asked her to leave. I kept the contact, though.It didn't take me long to realize that the bitch did speed, and not coke. And only used me so I'd pay for some without telling me. At first I didn't notice the difference because I mixed his in with my original supply, until mine ran out and I was just down to his. If you don't know the difference between coke and speed - the highs are not just very different, but they need to be taken in different doses. I didn't know I was doing speed, so I did it like I would do my coke.Four hours later, and I snap out of my tweak to realize I've been poking at my grossly bruised forearm that entire time looking for a new vein. That wasn't enough to stop me, though - as I finally found a new vein and went ahead with it."That was one too many," a voice said to me.I knew he was probably right. I had been locked away in that hotel room for two weeks, staving off the pain. A blood-stained bedsheet was my only companion. My arms were bruised beyond recognition - at least they matched my pride now. Not to be overly dramatic, but time, I thought, was no longer a luxury I had.I decided to make one phone call before I left myself to the hands of fate. I rang my parents. Much to my relief, the answering machine came on. I tried to be concise."Hi Mom and Dad, I guess you aren't there," I said. "I just wanted to say I love you both."Before I could hang up, there was a click on the line. It was my mother, in tears."Where are you? Are you okay?" she asked."I'm fine. I just wanted to say I love you," I said, trying to get off the phone as quickly as possible."We haven't heard from you in over a week," she pleaded."I'm fine. I'll see you soon, I promise. But I can't talk now, I need to go." I added.She began to cry as my father picked up the other line."Why are you doing this?" he asked, pained."Everything's fine. I need to go, but I'll see you soon. I just wanted to say I love you," I said in closing, as I hung up the phone.I didn't want to leave them like that, but it was getting difficult to speak. I looked around my stale hotel room off Sunset and Vine, everything was blurry and dark now. I could make out shapes, but nothing more. Light was my enemy. I wobbily stood up, barely able to maintain my balance, and shut off all sources of light in the room before crawling back into my casket."So this is where it's all going to end," I thought to myself.My attention drew to a small streak of sunlight that found its way through a crack in the curtains. Laying on my back, almost paralyzed, I looked up to confront this intruder. As I grabbed focus on this seemingly benign ray of sunshine, it began to zig and zag painfully, like a lightning bolt streaking across the ceiling of my tomb. I thought if I shut my eyes it would stop.It didn't.As my eyelids met, the lower half of my body shook for a second. Not to be outdone by its neighbor, my upper body too began to shake.I took a deep breath. It seemed to subside.I warily opened my eyes and stared straight ahead. What I remember to have been a mirror on the wall directly in front of me, was now a fog hovering over my body. I could make out the shape of a man, sitting within the fog, looking in my direction."God?" I hoped. There was no answer."Didn't think so," I would have said, if irony was a sentiment I was still capable of. Instead, my legs shook again for a few seconds, followed by what I imagined was my final gasp for breath. My heartbeat rose dramatically, I could almost feel it trying to puncture through my chest. I put my hand over my heart, it was hot. So very hot. I could feel my body shutting down.I started to cry."This is not how it's supposed to end," I managed to say aloud.My watchful friend said nothing, continuing to stare at me."SAY SOMETHING!" I shouted, as my chest fluttered in pain. I grabbed a fistful of my bloody pillow as painful streaks of lightning began to dance in front of me again. I'd never felt my heart beat so fast, it was on overdrive. Molten lava where my chest used to be. I could barely breath. I looked to the man still seated in the fog for comfort, for assurance. He didn't speak."There's so much I haven't said yet," I pleaded. "So much I haven't accomplished. Where have you been? Why won't you speak? I'm alone, I'm afraid. Why won't you help? I'm so sorry..."This impotent archon just sat there, doing nothing as buckets of tears escaped down my cheeks.The room would grow dark occasionally, and more blurry. But he stayed the same. Unmoving. Uncaring. My immobile deity. My mute savior.My incapable hero."Just give me a chance to make things right," I cried out in pain, still faithful. The world went black.That lonely Thursday morning, I died.I awoke Saturday, face down in a puddle shame. I stood up to make sure it was real. I could barely walk. I hadn't eaten in almost a week at this point. Suffering from severe malnutrition, I smiled in relief as I walked to the bathroom and flushed away the remnants of my destructor. As I left my sarcophagus that day, I looked at my reflection in the mirror where the fog had hovered. A final, lone tear made its way down my face."Thank you," I said unnecessarily, as I shut the door behind me.Good riddance old friend, I will miss you never again.I went back home, and my parents once again took me in. The job offer was no longer on the table, as they hadn't been able to get in touch with me for two weeks straight. I had lost everything.And that's the end of my story. I have managed to get a client here and there, found a new girlfriend who I moved into a new place with, and have never done drugs or looked back since. I'd be lying to you if I said life has been the same since, though - both positive and negative. It's just been bland. My career no longer interests me, and even though life is otherwise great, it's still bland. I've considered becoming a novelist and screenwriter. Maybe one day./end story

[speedz99 145]

Good story. So what the hell do you do for a living?I'm now depressed knowing you fucked up a solid 6 figure job.