this imploding heart

never thought you'd be a junkie

2 nights ago it was the guy who took up a table "waiting for his friend" from the beginning of my shift until close, reading books off the wall, writing on a napkin, then a piece of paper he borrowed from on of my regulars, not buying anything while customer after customer looked for a table.

After we closed, he went next door to the Summit and did the same thing.

Last night, the bartender from next door came in to get some espresso. He walked out to go back to the bar, looked at one of the guys at the outside table and came back in.

"Hey Sonya, I think that guy might be unconscious, and he has blood on him."

"Super. Thanks man."

Sure enough, he's drooling a little and there's blood on his hand, but he's not obviously bleeding anywhere. I bent down and tapped him on the hand.

"Sir?"

No response.

"Sir! Can you hear me? Sir, I need you to wake up and talk to me, can you hear me? Are you okay?"

By this time I was shaking him pretty roughly and thinking to myself shit. shit shit shit. Why does some junkie have to OD on my shift. Why can't he OD on someone else's patio?

"SIR! IF YOU DON'T RESPOND, I'M GOING TO CALL AN AMBULANCE. CAN YOU HEAR ME?"

But finally -(praise be)- he drew a deep breath and lifted his head.

"Hmm? Hmm?"

"Sir, are you okay? Do you need a doctor?"

"No nonono. I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"Yeahyeahyeah. Finefinefine."

"Okay, but you can't sleep here, okay? I keep a strict No Sleeping policy."

So I go back in and start cleaning up the front so I can keep an eye out. Sure enough, five minutes later, his head is down in his lap and he's in full drool mode.

"SIR." I don't even mess with the light tap, I go for the shoulder and bend down to eye level. "SIR. YOU'VE GOT TO WAKE UP."

"Wha?"

"Are you sure you're okay? This isn't so normal, you know."

"Yeahyeah. Fine."

"Okay, but you gotta understand that this is not a place for sleeping. Sleep is for at home or at the library or on a nice sunny lawn. If you fall asleep again I'll have to ask you to go somewhere else, okay?"

"Yes ma'am"

"You need some water or something?"

"No thank you, ma'am"

And this time he keeps it together for a solid 45 minutes. I wash dishes and mop and restock before I notice that he's out again.

"Sir? Sir, come on now."

He starts awake and smiles at me.

"Come on, we had a deal okay?"

"Okayokayokay. I'm getting up."

"I'm sorry, but we did have a deal, you and I."

I go back in the shop as he gathers his medley of items. I help a few customers before he comes inside.

"Hey there. Can I get something for you?"

"I need. I think some water. I think some."

"No problem, there's a cooler and some cups right over there."

I watch as he searches in every place but the obviouss and regular for cups. Under the chairs, inside cabinets. Finally I go over and hand one to him. He tries to push on the handle of the cooler to make the water come out, then he starts to take the lid off like he's going to scoop it. I gently guide the cup to the spout and press the button for him.

"There we go. All set."

He's mumbling to himself, then he starts mumbling louder to me.

"I'm sorry? I couldn't hear you."

"I SAID. You been real decent to me. We might have had real trouble you kicking me out but you've been real decent like a human being so I don't have to fuck you up."

"That's great. Thanks. Goodnight!

"Goodnight!"

Posted by Sonya at July 14, 2005 01:44 PM