You Don’t Gotta Believe

Two days later I got a call at work from a friend of a friend. She wanted me to recommend a rehab. Her son had been caught in front of a sporting goods store loading a kayak into his car.  The judge gave him the choice of going to jail or treatment.

“The kayak was a misunderstanding,” she said. “He was so excited about finding something he could do sober, he forgot to pay. He’s really had a run of bad luck.”

“How so?” I asked.

“He left the keys on the seat by mistake and someone stole his car.   He had to have a tooth pulled, but the dentist’s computer was down and couldn’t bill his insurance. I had to meet him in front of the medical arts building with $500 to pay the dentist. He had a few beers with his friends – which I know he shouldn’t do – and somebody put cocaine in his drink. His probation officer tested him the next day and they added a year to his probation. Now he has to go to rehab because of the kayak.”

As she described his “bad luck”, I wondered how an intelligent woman could believe her son’s stories.  She believed because she wanted to believe. She wanted to believe because she loved him. She remembered him as he was before he got addicted, and thought that son wouldn’t lie to her.

They say faith can move mountains. Misplaced faith can bring that mountain down on you.

Today I’ll beware of believing what I want to believe

Burnout Training ©2018 by Ken Montrose

Burnout Training is a work of fiction. Any similarity between the characters and anyone you might know is purely coincidental.

Other works by Ken Montrose are available at: www.greenbriartraining.com https://www.pinterest.com/kenmontrose/mt-rose/