Chris called the Narco office about 2 a.m. four days after he took off. Joe went to pick him up. When they brought him back they really tried to keep him away from the other students. First of all, so we wouldn't see him high, that can make an addict really get cravings. Second, they didn't want him bragging and giving anyone else any bright idea's. However, sauna students didn't have to start until 10.00 a.m. Everyone else had to be in the classroom at 8:30. so I was doing laundry with Enrique when a brutal looking Chris wandered in. I immediately started in with the questions. At first he said he was in trouble and was not supposed to say a word about it to anybody. I called bull shit on that, and he started talking. His girlfriend got him high, they partied pretty much all night then she asked him if he wanted a ride back to Narco. He instead asked for a ride to L.A. She didnt' have any money to give him so she just dropped him off and he had to sleep on the streets. Somehow he managed to scrounge some money and buy heroin and stay high. It was winter, so it got pretty cold at night. Chris said he would still be out there if someone hadn't stole his shoes. Chris said that once he was barefoot it was pretty unbearable. He was also mad that he lost his "Old School" high top Vans. I had so many questions, how does a guy do that? I asked him if he was worried about using dirty needles? He said he already had Hepatitis so he wasn't too worried. I was like " What about Aids, dumbshit" his brilliant response, "Hey, that is the chance you take". Chris had a lot of pride in his ability to live on the streets and survive, in his words he had a lot of "Hustle". I agreed. I asked him if he knew what his "Ethics Cycle" was going to be? He still didn't know, but it was going to be tough and atleast 45 days. that would obviously postpone graduation for awhile. He wasn't happy about that. We talked for about 30 minutes, Enrique listened the whole time and never said a word and then we left for the sauna. Like I said earlier, Chris B is the "Super Hero of Junkies".
Every Friday night Narco had a Graduation ceremony. They were a lot of fun. Almost all the students attended and a lot of the friends and family of the graduating students would come as well. A student named Johnny Rigg, a musician from Michigan who had moved to Hollywood to start a band, would play guitar and sing. Rigg was an awesome musician, he sounded like a mix between jack Johnson and Dave Mathews but he could play anything. Back in Michigan Johnny had gotten clean, he got himself a tatoo on each arm where it bends and you would insert the needle. The tatoo was in shaky cursive and it said "No Mas" and it had a small date by it. The date was the last day he slammed heroin in Michigan. He decided to come to Hollywood to try to make it big in the music industry. At first he was working hard. He had a job and a new band and was staying clean. He said he was making some killer music, the music he wanted to make. Then his band mates started doing speed balls in front of him. He knew his mates used, they just never used in front of him. He held out as long as he could. Speed balls were his favorite. Speed balls are a mix of cocaine and Heroine in one syringe and injecting it into ones veins. I understand it is just the ultimate high, it is also what killed John Belushi and Chris Farley. I had experienced Speed Balls in my own way, not through the viens, but through the nose and it was incredible that way. I can't even imagine injecting it. Johnny R. had fashioned a homemade tatoo tool and crossed out the date on each arm and checked into Narconon. He dressed funny, he wore one of those funny little round hats with the brim all the way around and it was plaid. He always wore funky pants that were too short with Converse All-Stars, and wild shirts and jackets. He had huge curly,wild hair and thick, dark brown lamb chop side burns. Johnny was a little guy, maybe 5'9" and 145 lbs and maybe in his early thirties or late twenties. Everyone was expected to exercise for 30 minutes before beginning their sauna treatment each day. Johnny's exercise outfit and sauna attire was hilarious. He would wear bright orange short shorts, striped socks that went over his knees with his black Converse All-Stars and a tiny little wife beater tank top. He usually wore a hat unless he was exercising. His hair was wild and curly and went everywhere. I guess he looked like you would expect a musician who was just trying to make it.
Johhny's performances at graduation were awesome. He got the whole crowd going. Whether he played one of his own songs or covered a popular song (he hated doing that) that was requested by someone in the crowd everone loved it. Duga, the guy you might remember from softball also considered himself a musician. Sometimes he would go up and sing with Johnny. I guess everyone still loved that except me, Duga ruined it for me. He was such a "Suck up the glory guy". Steve Duga would always take a guitar up to the front with him, but never play it. He would only sing, I guess he sang alright. At graduation the staff who were close to the student would say some things, and the staff member who was closest to the student would say the most and introduce the graduate. Then the graduate was expected to speak for awhile. Jack would quietly ask the grad to speak and try to inspire some of the new students struggling in detox or book 1 who were required to attend graduation. Most of the graduated would do a great job with their speech, then any friends or family could speak it they so desired. Most would say a few things. There was always one Father or Grandfather who would go on too long. After all that everyone was allowed to go down to the second floor and have brownies and milk or water and visit. Graduation was held in the classroom on the third floor. Each Friday class would end early and some of us would take down all the tables and set up the chairs in rows for the ceremony. We could hang out for a while on the boardwalk or whatever, and around 7:30 graduation would start. Afterwards, the graduates and their friends and family would hang out on the second floor. All the students and staff would say their good bye's and then we were free for the rest of the evening. A lot of students got into trouble on Friday nights. Mostly we would just go over to 7/11 and go walk around Newport pier. It was always fun to walk down to Balboa peir as well. A lot of the guys would go down there and get sushi for dinner. I hated that because I didn't have any money but sometimes I would tag along anyway.
One night Friday night after graduation I went with Johnny Rigg and a couple other guys to a tatoo shop in Newport. Johnny had his new clean date tatoo'd on his arm. I thought it looked kind of cool. He had the "No Mas" then the first clean date with a line through it and then a new date under it. I would say that is the closest I ever came to getting a tatoo. The week before I had Agro draw up the tatoo that I wanted. He was with us and he had his notebook with the sketch. The only way we could get stuff like that was to be with a staff member and have them lend us the money and then pay them back when we got back to Narco. Unfortunately, or fortunately I didn't have any money on my books so I didn't want to borrow any money. I had no way of making any cash. so I just watched Johnny get his. Even though Agro offered to loan me the money and let me pay him back when I could. I just used the money as an excuse, I was pretty nervous about getting a tatt. My mom would have cried.
That is all for now,
Peace.
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