Last night I attended a social function. There were several people that I had not seen for years.
One was my old/ex friend Lucy. When I met Lucy, she was a successful writer, model, actress and vocalist. Lucy became a very good friend of mine –within our small circle.
Lucy was beautiful, talented, fun and funny. But Lucy had a drinking problem. And she was not a “good drunk”. She became obnoxious, insulting and overbearing. Friends and I tried to intervene. She refused treatment, and her husband who adored her was an enabler.
One by one her friends left her behind.
After not speaking to Lucy for about 10 years, several months ago, I had on-going thoughts about her for one full week. I picked up the phone, called and discovered she had just come home from being in the hospital for over a month. She had been close to death. Not only did she have to give up drinking completely, but she had to have a liver transplant.
I spoke to her a few times and ultimately, she did get the transplant and stopped drinking.
When I saw her yesterday, I was shocked to see how much she had aged. There was not a glow in her eyes nor a sparkle in her spirit. She was initially “cool” to me saying that I “promised” we’d get together and I never followed up.
I explained that Walter had being diagnosed with Parkinson’s and all the other “stuff” going on I had been a tad bit busy. She warmed up. As I pondered our chance meeting, I realized Lucy was right. I dropped the ball.
When she was an alcoholic, I should have tried harder and even been more understanding.
As we reconnected, I definitely should have helped her feel positive about herself. I don’t want her to be thought of and/or remembered as the sad alcoholic.
So, as I set my New Year’s Resolutions…I decided that Lucy is going to be “stuck with me” in 2020. That’s what friends are for.