There's no pictures with this mornings blog. This has been on my mind for the last week or so and I just feel I should get it out there.
Remember my neighbor? Maybe I didn't give you the whole story. It's been a little weird. When I bought this property I was the County's Property Tax Manager. The house next door had sold just a week before I bought mine. I knew it was purchased by a single woman, probably divorced since her name had been part of another house at one time. It was funny that there seemed to be a husband at the house. Let me just say this is a pretty nice expensive neighborhood.
People in California are not very friendly when it comes to being neighbors. We never talked for probably six years. Wasn't I surprised when I came home one day to find a murder had happened next door. I knew they raised goats for high school FFA and 4H projects.
This guy bought a goat for a pet and kept it there. Turns out he was in love with the married (male) minister from a local church. When the minister rebuffed him, he lured him over on the pretense of feeding the goat. He waited for the minister to arrive, then shot him in the head three times. Amazingly, the minister lived.
During all of that, I sat on the driveway with the neighbor/ex-husband (about 50 years old) who seemed to now live there, and we chatted. He said he worked nights about sixty miles away. Sure enough, I would see him come home every morning since I'm up so very early.
One morning as I walked outside, I smelled marijuana. When you worked in Yosemite National Park in the 70's, you definitely knew what that smell was. I never tried any because just the smell made me sick as a dog. The neighbor proceeded to tell me he got it from his "doctor" out of town and that he absolutely LOVED it. It made him relax he stated.
About that time was when he disappeared for awhile. Turns out he had a fight with the ex-wife and was now parking his car around the corner and walking to the house, sneaking into the garage and sleeping in the attic, unknown to his ex who worked days. When he finally got caught (he told me the whole story) apparently she let him back into the house, or at least the garage.
The marijuana smoking happened every single morning. He would apologize for talking a mile a minute, say I could probably tell he had been smoking and changed the subject in a split second. I could definitely see the change happening and I could see his "doctor" bringing him more and more stuff.
One day when he had their dog out in my front yard, he told me he had tried meth. WOW he stated!!! That stuff is amazing!!! No it's not .... stay away from that. Funny, I noticed his truck was no longer around and he was out and about during the day, when he would normally be sleeping. I wondered if he lost his job.
The next thing I know, he's knocking on my door wanting to use my phone. He said he didn't know why, but he had lost SEVEN phones in the last six months. Of course I figured he had sold them for drug money. I'm sorry I stated, but I don't want you calling your marijuana supplier friend on my phone. Oh no ... I just want to call my daughter. I listened to the conversation and he was asking her to bring his "package", more like drugs, with her when she came this way. He was very insistent when she apparently said no.
When he hung up, he said he was moving back East, that I wouldn't see him again. Good luck I said as I closed the door. As it turns out he has been seen on many occasions by other neighbors, riding his bicycle near the worst part of town, drug city to be exact, and looks like Hell.
I'm very sad because he used to be such a nice guy, rather friendly after all, very good looking and in great shape. Now he's a drug addict.
For those who think marijuana is just like tobacco, it can soon become a slippery slope that you may not return from. I rather expect to hear of his death any time. Even sadder to know his family just doesn't care.
A life completely wasted for nothing.
I now keep my garage doors locked every second of the day and night.
it’s amazing you watched the transformation The key to that whole conversation was it made him Relax Most go from meth to Fentanyl
ReplyDeleteRagged, no sleep , skinny as hell, look at their face and you could tell… open sores self-inflicted now Step over to Fen, same but act. like zombies
What I don’t understand is where the money comes from drug dealers don’t give it to you for nothing
Meth is cheap they tell me .. at least at first so they can hook you in, then they make the real money. I suppose you sell yourself when you have nothing left, or steal and resell things. It's sad to watch someone go downhill like this. He was such an easy going nice guy. Makes me wonder if it's a certain personality type that gets hooked.
DeleteOur nephew has been into drugs for years making up stories that his unbelieving mom would take hook, line and sinker. She was hooked herself for 30 years so you would think she'd know better. She says he's clean now, honestly we doubt it. He's such a liar, conniver you wouldn't believe the stories. So sad...
ReplyDeleteThey do seem to become expert at lying and are so believable. I actually believed he was moving away, but I was wrong.
DeleteJust this past week the news and newspaper is warning about a new drug called 'Paint', with the statement: “This drug is a pill with psychedelic effects and is known to be highly addictive.” Here we go again...
ReplyDeleteI stopped 'token' back around 1980. Once two friends laced a joint with something that freaked me out...but got me to stop using the stuff. They thought it was funny, hoped I would move on to other drugs...I had two less friends to worry about as I did not want to be around them.
Drug use was very high in the Restaurant business...still is I suspect. It took one straight A student and turned him into a zombie who had trouble cutting lettuce. (I had been transferred to another location, came back 8 month later and he was half the young man that he use to be.)
And NOW, marijuana is legal in 18 states plus D.C. (of course D.C. so that Congress can look at themselves in the mirror and be able to stand what they see.) And medical marijuana is legal in 36 states. Now I can see some benefit for medical with severe cancer patients, and the 'oil' can relieve pain in many cases without getting the person high...but Sis's neighbor who moved a year ago was on medical marijuana for nearly 10 years and totally stopped working his family owned business. He was very moody, and we are all thankful he moved, but unfortunately took his wife and two grown children (both in mid-20's) with him because they were decent people. Today's 'legal' marijuana is so much more powerful than the stuff I used back in the day...it is just scary stuff now.
I didn't realize drug use was so prevalent in the restaurant business until my Chef friend got caught. So sad to see a good person go downhill like that. They rarely get off the stuff.
DeleteGood call keeping your doors locked day and night, desperation will make people do desperate things.
ReplyDeleteJust recently that family began keeping their garage doors shut all the time, whereas before, they were always open. Now I know why.
DeleteOh my, what a sad story. 😔
ReplyDeleteI have no personal experiences, thank God, but I'm sure it was/is hard watching and hearing of him going downhill like that.
Even worse, that's only one story. I can just imagine how many millions more are out there.
DeleteHow sad to read this. I think like anything else it can lead to abuse and the sad story you shared. I know people that have traveled that same sad path with alchohol. On the other hand I do know people who smoke occasionaly, hold down good jobs, have raised families, lead normal lives, and it has never led to any other drug use. Personally it is not either Tom's or my thing. Keeping your doors locked is not a bad thing. Take care.
ReplyDeleteIt makes me wonder if it's a personality type that gets addicted. He seemed to be so easy going, no conflict, quiet, always wanting to please. Maybe that has something to do with it, I don't know. I do agree that alcohol sometimes ends up with the same results.
DeleteAre you missing your catalytic converter There’s a new one out there now and even worse
ReplyDelete://www.revyuh.com/top-news/featured/a-new-drug-called-bombe-made-from-catalytic-converters-crushed-honeycomb-and-pills-is-rattling-authorities/
U tube vid
https://www.tumgir.com/tag/kensington%20ave
There certainly was a desperate someone out there to come up with this!!
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