Posts by april
Check out the August issue of Changing Lanes
The F.H.B.s * in my life #16… “Come with us to Georgetown”
It was a tempting invitation and had the kids been out of school and on their own we might have taken it up. Larry & Winnie Wattell were visiting the Houston area from Georgetown, Guyana. They were very warm, compassionate, simple people, very devoted to God, Jesus Christ and the people of Guyana. They were…
Read MoreThe F.H.B.’s in My Life #16…Alarm, Alarm, Alarm
I had received a call from Major Winters, the ARC Administrator telling me to stay in my office until he called me to tell me it was safe to come out. Jimmy, an ex-boxer who was described as being punch drunk * had come back to the center with a gun and was threatening to…
Read MoreJuly Issue of Changing Lanes
The F.H.B.s * in my life #15 “…recovery in shattered bottles”
Les was an eccentric, open, friendly and very likeable man. He did however, sometimes border on being a little foolish, but this gave him a certain charm that endeared him to others. He entered the Atlanta ARC program in the mid 90’s, and Gene assigned Les to the house keeping department as his work therapy…
Read MoreThe F.H.B.s * in my life #14 “honest, I’m not a hooker …”
Jerry, a huge man about 6’4” weighing at least 295 pounds was in and out of the Houston ARC in the mid ‘80’s. One morning, drunk, he called the Administrator, Major Winters asking for help getting into the V.A. for detox. Major had Gene make the arrangements and asked that we take Jerry to the…
Read MoreThe F.H.B.s * in my life #13… “Damn it, Doc, you’re the doctor…”
It was about 3:30 A.M. when the phone rang; half asleep, Gene answered it, and in my mental fog I heard him say, “Damn it, Doc, you’re the doctor ……” He hung up and lay down again. I asked who and what was that? He said that was Doc and he called to ask what…
Read MoreThe F.H.B.s *in my life… #12 “two cans at a time”
It was hot and muggy in Houston June of 1983 we had just arrived from Twin Falls, a town in the high altitude dessert country of Idaho. Talk about climate shock, culture shock, every kind of shock! Going from 108 degrees at 4:00 pm with 18% humidity to 103 degrees at 8:00 am with 98%…
Read MoreJune issue of Changing Lanes
The F.H.B.s * in my life # 11…”God takes care of old drunks and silly counselors”
1985, and the first time in my life that I remember having to look death and disease in the face on a frequent basis. I had just begun my journey in the field of Substance Abuse, working, as I have told you before, with the men of The Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Centers (ARC). We…
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