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Upon my release, my parole conditions kept changing, which, after admitting to a dirty test, eventually required my reluctant presence in a mandatory six month live-in rehab in downtown L.A., (after 60 days in County Jail) to fill a bed space which ensured them state funding so necessary around the time of California state budget signing delays. Not only was this final imposition, once again, disruptive, but it was also excessive.
I believed that four years was more than enough time to serve for possession of a hundredth of a gram of heroin.
I decided to leave the rooms full of whining gangstas, the every-two-week visits, the one fifteen-minute phone call a week, the brain dead counselors projecting their insecurities and fears into biases shouted at me, the fighting and debates over which television program to watch, agonizingly long speeches about "grown menz-esses" not picking up after themselves, and other infantilizing treatment given in imposed therapeutic communities that's just too embarrassing to mention.
I decided to drop out of society.
One night, I snuck out, married my girlfriend from 16 years ago, packed up everything we owned in a 15 ft. moving truck with a hitch for the car, and headed East.
Let me just say at this time that dropping out of society is expensive. The initial trip to Alvarado Street in downtown L.A. for the new identity, complete with the proper documents, i.e. driver's license, social security
card, etc., was the first financial setback. The second was gas money.
Things were strained at first, being in unfamiliar territory. But I was able to put in 50 hours at a restaurant last week, which only required those forms of I.D. and my resume, to start.
I've gone from having a bunky who died from a heroin overdose to waking up next to my beautiful wife and going to work everyday. I'm even being considered for a management position.  For the first time in years, I am
free. You tell me which scenario is more conducive to recovery.
 Funny thing, even without constant excessive supervision, I still don't feel like using.
Free in the Heartland
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