121 Paper

Andrew Singer
Marlen Harrison
English 121
18 October 2009

Journey to become Sober
It was like any other day in Indiana PA, rainy, cold and just plain miserable. I know this because I have lived here my whole entire life. It is your typical college university town with great people, great friends and thriving town that depends on the college. Never in my life would I ever think I witness one friends’ tragic, but inspirational journey.
My Name is Andrew and I am an existing resident of Indiana County. I grew up here going to elementary school, Jr. high, high school and then on to my hometown college, IUP. When I hit the college seen I began to meet and make some great new friends from all over the country. My three particular best friends who they still are today are Matt, Jake and Brian. Man oh man did I meet the funniest kids on earth. I couldn’t tell you how many parties till 4 in the morning we would go out to. We were all quite the drinkers and handled our selves very well. Nothing ever seemed out of the ordinary till we noticed Matt’s alcohol intake for a while. Before we all waited for the weekend and would just go wild drinking everything we could buy. We would party on the weekends, then have school for the next week. Like I said earlier, we noticed Matt was doing a hefty amount of drinking on his own during the week and when he should have had classes. He didn’t seem to drink to get intoxicated, but his excuse simply was, “I just love the taste of beer and liquor.” Being a college student we just laughed it off thinking Matt would get his shit together. Boy we were all certainly wrong.
I think it was a couple weeks into our Jr. Year at IUP when I got a call from the hospital. It was two in the afternoon and I just got done eating lunch when I heard that Matt was in the hospital. Brian, Jake and I rushed to get there. Soon we were told of his alcohol poisoning that he had. I don’t know about your self, but alcohol poisoning in the afternoon is just unacceptable. We all got on his case about his drinking habits that day he got out from the hospital. All Matt would say is it’s not going to happen again, I messed up, I wasn’t thinking, all that bullshit. We gave in to it like a bunch of hypnotized animals. I’m almost certain it wasn’t more than 3 days till Matt was in the hospital again for alcohol poisoning. When I went to visit Matt again to rip him a new one I was approached by him in a manor I never had seen. His eyes were balling as he reached out to tell me he was an alcoholic. After this event that was no surprise, but Matt had told me how much he had been drinking in the last few years. The doctors had explained that his liver was just rotting away from all the alcohol and he needs to change a.s.a.p. That is when Matt and I talked about rehab.
This was Matt’s idea to me. I did not want to pressure him into right away but we all saw the problem and we knew rehab was calling him. So in the next week I had gathered Matt’s mother, close relatives and our closest friends for an intervention. When we all approached Matt and explained our love for him and how he has become such a different person and an alcoholic, he almost died from emotion. Thinking it would cheer him up telling him how much we love him, he stormed away saying he can’t do rehab anymore. Matt’s mother and I followed him out side and sat him down. Matt was scared to let everyone down who is counting on him to get help. He realized he needed help but at the same time he couldn’t just up and leave. All it took was his mother telling him, “If you don’t go to rehab your already letting everyone down who wants you to get better.” His mom had loved him so very much and poured her heart and soul out to Matt. He was ready to get clean.

Matt had gone away across the country for his rehabilitation. He was in his first week and trying to cross that threshold of soberness. He did well with urges and could have been a clean road right away when he gets a call the second week in. Our friend Brian was hit by a car and died. All hope Matt had build up just got up and flew away. Devastated he broke out of his rehab and went on a binge drinking night. It wasn’t long before we received a call across country telling us Matt was in the hospital from drinking too much. All of us back home had lives and couldn’t go across country but with many phone calls we talked him through Brian’s death. Matt was able to return to rehab where I got the best call I could ever wish to get. Matt called me saying right away, “Don’t talk, listen, I am done with drinking, I’m done with that life. I want to get better. I don’t want to die. I was in the hospital feeling complete utter loneliness thinking I had nobody. I have you, my mother, Jake. You guys are my life and I want to still have life left in me to live it with you all. I am getting better from this day on.”
I think Matt’s mother and I cried all that night when I told her about the call. Our friend was in for the long haul. I got to talk to Matt a few times during his rehab. He told me how tough it was, that the classes and outsides trips are so strict you have to sign out to use the bathroom. This is what he needed though, no more slip ups. Matt was assigned a counselor who soon became his best friend in rehab. That was Fred, also a recovered alcoholic. Matt and Fred could relate to all of their problems together which made them bond quite well. Fred was there to help guide Matt through his recovery the whole entire way.
At Matt and Fred’s last visit, Fred informed Matt about a vacation coming up and that Matt wouldn’t see him for a week. He told Matt to take a break from class and just have some good old fun at the resort. Matt took the advice and enjoyed days in the summer and at the pool. The pool is where Matt had met the new girl Tara. Matt had thought she was one of the most gorgeous girls he had ever laid eyes on. She was also an alcoholic, so they had material to relate to. The last night Matt had to him self, he had planed out a little date with Tara for them to have some fun. They were able to get passes and go to a restaurant bar for dinner. On that date Tara can only talk about sneaking some drinking of alcohol while there out. She tried to talking Matt into only a few drinks, or even just taking a sip of beer. Matt constantly said no till temptation finally gave in. He ordered a beer and when he took that first sip, he quickly smashed the mug and left.
Thinking all hope was gone because he gave in to Tara’s argument to drink; Matt knew he did the right thing by getting rid of the beer after that one sip. The next day when Fred was back, Matt quickly told him of the situation, but Fred was already well aware. He told Matt that Tara is a test to recovering addicts. She comes in as the “new girl” and tries to tempt you in to failing your goal. You did give in to a beer but I heard what you did after that one sip and I am very proud of you. Matt had showed such great patience and focus since he took rehab seriously. Fred was so pleased with his progress. Fred had also told Matt and at the end of their meeting to be prepared for a big day tomorrow.
At Matt’s next meeting there is a stranger in the room with Fred and him. Fred introduced him to Matt and told him his name in Chris. Also that Chris is his father. Chris had left Matt when he was still a baby. Matt is now 23 and is meeting his father for the first time. Matt was furious and asked why you would do such a thing and was just an emotional wreck. Fred had left the two alone because Matt’s father Chris had something to tell him. Matt’s father explained himself for leaving and got into the more important part of why he was there. Matt’s father was also a recovered addict. Chris had graduated from the very resort in which there at now. Even more ironic, Chris’s counselor was also Fred. At that point Chris was able to explain how he went through the same process you are. Also, apologized numerous times and could only say I’m here for now on son. I want to get you better like I did myself.
Later that night in bed Matt had a revelation. After of being clean for months and already pass the addiction, he still felt something leave his body. All sadness and sorrow had lifted away. His pain from the pass had suddenly just disappeared. And for the first time in years, a genuine smile was on his face. Matt knew he would never take another sip of alcohol in his life. He now figured out he had people who loved him to death and that alcohol was not the answer to his problems. That next day, he told Fred about his revelation last night and knew he was ready as well. Matt was going home.
I had gotten a call from Matt and he sounded great on the phone. He was so happy and just full of stories. Also he was so proud of his progress, and told me how he’ll never drink ever again. Finally we were able to believe him. I was also so surprised to hear about his father visiting him and how they had the same problem and solved it with the same counselor.
Matt had landed on a Saturday morning and was supposed to be back in Indiana by the mid afternoon. What happened next was a little scary but Matt pulled through. Before he had come to visit us, Matt had contemplations about seeing all of us. He was a new man now. Sober, happy, motivated to get his life going and all that didn’t happen when he was with us. He was scared he would fall back into a bad life and not make anything of it. That when he bumped into Fred at the airport. Fred knew this contemplation would come and talked him right through it and they set off to see friends and family again.
When Matt saw that sign, now entering Indiana PA, he knew that this was the final line, that the final threshold had been crossed. He was home. Matt learned how to balance his life and to stay sober. When he had problems or was upset, he talked out with his friends or would even give Fred a call. Matt escaped his alcoholic life and is now free to live.
Matt’s Journey to a new life is a great and common one. There are all types of addicts and other situations that involve a journey to better them selves. This Journey of Matt of is a great one and will always be an inspiration to us all.