Roller Coaster or Train Wreck?

Bob, Chad’s father called.  My heart broke for him. The pain in his voice cut through me. I already knew some of his family’s troubles, but things were worse than I could have imagined.  Pauley had sent some pornographic pictures to his boss by mistake.  Sam had had enough and was moving to Colorado to get away from his family.  The twin who hadn’t OD’d had made a weak suicide attempt.

Bob said, “We’re going off the tracks, Ken.  Mikey said you could help.”

I explained that I was in a tricky spot because of my involvement with Doc and the licensing board.  I gave him some phone numbers to call.  I asked him about the tracks.

“Are they the tracks of a roller coaster or a train? When you hit bottom will you use your momentum to start back uphill like a roller coaster? Will you change your lives, maybe deal with your addictions?  Or will you crash and burn like a speeding train? Will you find someone to blame, or maybe just wallow in self-pity?”

If today goes badly I will ask myself: roller coaster or a train wreck?

Life on Life’s Terms II © 2015 by Ken Montrose

(Just a reminder: LOLT II is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to anyone you might know is purely coincidental.)