As I filled my mug with hot steaming caffeinated goodness, I chatted with one of the waitstaff, all dapper in his uniform - black pants and vest, crisp white shirt and tie. He asked if I wanted anything from the kitchen.
"Nah, thanks", I replied, "just need this coffee, heh"
"Want some spid?", he then asked as he brought his thumb and forefinger to the lapel pocket of his vest.
"What?", I asked, thinking I didn't hear correctly. Spid?
"Some spid?", he said again with his bit of Spanish accent.
Oh... SPEED. He was offering me drugs.
"Ah, yeah, no thanks... just the coffee" *smile*
I thought of another coworker from my previous sheriff hotel. He worked graveyard maintenance shift and told me how he'd do speed before coming in, get all his work done in about an hour, then have the rest of the time for whatever. Yeah, okay.
I never had the urge, although I did my fair share of underage drinking and dabbled a bit in weed before it was legal. But it was really more of wanting to see what the hype was about. Okay, been there and done it. A coworker at another hotel I worked at suggested she get us some cocaine to do after our shift sometime. Never happened due to lack of enthusiasm.
(Now I'm wondering if hotel staffs are rampant with drugs, or was it just where I happened to be working when I was of drug-introduction age?)
I've read that genetics factor strongly in a person's vulnerability to addiction. With that in mind, I'd say I have little to no genetic disposition, although, yeah, I confess to being addicted to caffeine. Still. 😏
I recently read the book, "Reborn on the Run" by Catra Corbett. It was suggested from the local running club I joined before COVID, to get discounts on race entries and other events, meet some locals, volunteer, etc. Yeah, all that stuff's pretty much cancelled, but hey, they have a newsletter! And they read stuff!
Anyway, Catra's book is a memoir of her becoming an ultrarunner to overcome her addiction to meth, or spid.
It was an engaging enough story as she's, literally and figuratively, quite a colorful character - full of tattoos and piercings, likes to wear loud colors. In her previous drug life, she'd been a big time goth.
I have no interest in ultrarunning and no need for overcoming addiction(s), but was interested to hear one person's point of view. She claims to not be addicted to running, but I wonder after reading. She also mentions that there are a lot of reformed addicts in the ultrarunning world. As I read, I felt that she is predisposed to addiction. If it wasn't drugs then ultrarunning, it would be something else.
It's commonly advised that, to effectively quit a bad habit or addiction, replace it with something else. Getting to a point of tripping on meth almost constantly required an obsessive replacement. She does admit to being "obsessed" with running.
The book is neither steps to overcoming addiction nor a guide to becoming an ultrarunner. It's Catra's story, and I give it 3 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐★★ because it's a story deserving of a book. But I had to gripe a bit about the writing. Awkward sentence structures, poor wording, and full on grammar errors show up throughout. I don't know what her co-author contributed and honestly wondered if maybe the wrong draft got sent to the publisher.
What are you reading? Addicted to anything?
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Linking up this week with Mama Kat for the prompt:
2. Write about the last book you read.
9 comments:
Interesting story about the waiter offering you speed.
oh man, i could certainly use some spid about now. covid slug has set in and set in hard. Think I will pass on reading the book but i do love your story and the one about " are you the law". You could have said "Obviously, sir, and there is a hundred dollar fine for asking..."
John, that waiter just offered it up so casually, like offering me a breakfast sandwich.
Linda, a little drug-filled escape from the pandemic is enticing about now, right? Omg, wish I'da had that comeback when I was the law!
I haven't read her book, but she's pretty active in an unltrarunning facebook group I'm part of. She posts about her dog a lot. haha. If you would like an ultrarunning book rec, Nowhere Near First by Cory Reese was one of my favorites. Even if you have no interest in running that distance.
Larz, her ultrarunning dogs sound amazing - their Dachshunds for chrissake!
The only other ultra book I've read was one by Dean Karz.... something something. I didn't like him. Maybe I'll check out Nowhere Near First.
I didn't like Dean Karnazes either!
"Spid"...this will now remain on the tip of my tongue for probably forever.
With regard to running, temps here are currently dwelling on the almost insufferable; humidity so thick...well you get the idea. I'm an avid walker but just cannot psych myself up into doing it at present...makes me wonder about the many runners I see on the roads. Some just look so miserable and possibly in need of a 911 call. I gather this categorizes them into the "ultra" group but I do admire their perseverance...and ability to do long distances, no matter what the conditions.
Patty, I agree, it's hot out! Spid or no!
Ultra runners are those who race, I think, farther than a marathon. There are 50k's (abt 31 miles), 50-milers, 100-milers, 200-milers(!). Many of the races are in the wilderness. Sounds pretty crazy, but C.C. says it keeps her off the drugs.
Excuse me. I'm just going to be over here trying to figure out how someone could possibly be addicted to running. ;)
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