Every now and then

So. Yesterday morning, the guy who I took to rehab called, wanting to come home.

I said that I did not have the gas to come and get him, and would not even if I had. That he'd been there less than a week out of a 60 day treatment course, and he needed to stick it out.

He checked himself out anyway, two hours later, having bullied the facility there into getting him a train ticket back.

I met him at the train station last night. I met him with his phone and his house keys. I drove him back to his house. His house was clean, his cat had been fed and petted each day, the litter box was clean, his mail was neatly stacked - all two envelopes - on his couch pillow.

"Where's my money?", he slurred, still under the influence of the librium that he had said they gave him there.

He was referring to money that he had been hoping his cousin would send him. $50 cash, theoretically. Who knows whether such was sent or not. It sure hadn't come. And who knows whether anyone really robbed him, or if his cousin was just full of it.

"Can you give me a ride to Jamal's?" came the second question, even before I explained that nothing from his cousin had come in.

I explained, as I had earlier that day, that nothing had come in but the two envelopes on the couch. I took my leave.

Ever since, my phone has been peppered with texts - angry texts - looking for his $50. I finally blocked him.

Today, he drunk bicycled over here, having apparently found some money to get some beer, and demanded $50. I was polite for as long as I could be, but eventually had to advise him that if I found him on my property again, it would be a police matter.

I started to go back in, he called out a threat to my wife.

I stopped, turned and went down to the driveway in my robe, where he was trying to mount his bike, and finding that hard.

"If you'd like to say the word 'wife' or mention her in any way again, you're going to learn that you are not the only short-tempered *&$^*er in this town."

Then I went inside, and listened to him yell the more. But he only yelled the more after he was on the bike and got a bit of a start.

Smart drunk.

Well, I can guess I can mark a fourth check off. I've had three others out of over 75 people helped in the past three or four years go off on me.

Terrible each time.