M2's Drinking Problem

On the way back to work after lunch, Mindy made the compulsory turn into Sonic Drive-In for cokes. From the backseat, M2 said "I wonder if I can get a free coke today, too?"

"What are you talking about?" I asked. Mindy started laughing, so I knew I had missed something good.

The day before, Jennifer came to see M2. M2 has been working with her for months. Years, even. Jennifer is a victim of incest. Her father is in prison for raping her. As happens to so many throw away children, the only relief she could find was in drugs.

Jennifer grew up and got into trouble. Eventually she was sentenced to a SAFPF (drug prison). When she got out she was doing good. She finally understood that M2 was her advocate, her confidant and pretty much the only person in her life that thought she was a worthwhile human being.

She tried.

Life was ok for a while, but then pressures started to build. She was back in the same old neighborhood with the same old people. They treated her like an addict and told her that was all she could ever be. She started to believe them and began to act like an addict.

She relapsed.

M2 tried to get her back on track. It worked for a while. But yesterday, Jennifer showed up at the office with pupils the size of dinner plates. She admitted using $400 of crack the night before. M2 asked her how she got the $400 and Jennifer said the drug dealer gave her credit. M2 laughed.

Drug dealers are not known for such altruistic customer service.

M2 asked if she'd had to earn the credit on her back. Jennifer didn't really know - she couldn't remember. She had burns on most of her fingers - some of them severe - from the crack pipe. She admitted she was still so high she couldn't feel the pain. But she knew they would hurt like hell as soon as the high was gone.

M2 took her car keys. Jennifer was in no condition to drive. We are not allowed to transport defendants but Jennifer had not one to call for a ride. M2 took Mindy along as a witness/co-conspirator and they drove Jennifer home. Home, where hopefully she would stay until M2 could get an arrest warrant issued for her.

On the way back to the office, M2 whipped her car into Sonic. She careened into a drive-up space and jammed the speaker button.

"Welcome to Sonic! May I take your order?"

M2 leaned out of her car window and yelled at the disembodied voice, "I need a free Dr. Pepper!"

"Excuse me ma'am?"

"I've had a really terrible day - even though its only 11:00 in the morning - and I NEED A FREE DR. PEPPER!"

"Um...one moment ma'am."

By this time, Mindy was hunched down into the seat, hoping not to be recognized. All the Sonic employees crowded around the window of the building, trying to see the crazy lady. They were laughing wildly.

Obviously they'd never seen "Falling Down".

A new voice crackled out of the speaker - evidently belonging to the manager. "May I help you, ma'am?"

"Listen - I have had a terrible day. People keep telling me they are getting all their marijuana and cocaine for free, so I ought to at least be able to get a free Dr. Pepper!"

"Well, ma'am, we'd be happy to give you a free medium Dr. Pepper," the manager said brightly.

"Lady, you don't understand how bad my day has been! I gotta have at least have a LARGE Dr. Pepper!"

Mindy told me this story as we waited on our cokes at Sonic. I was laughing so hard I was crying. M2 sat in the back seat, ginning sort of evil-y.

I asked M2 if they gave her the large Dr. Pepper.

"Hell, yeah!" M2 said, then sighed. "But I paid 'em for it anyway."