I was half sitting, half laying at a small table in a darken corner of a bar. I was in a drunken stupor and had been since I had buried my young wife, Gale and our child. They were a victim of a head on crash with a drunken driver. No one had survived and I could see no reason for me to carry on. On that fateful day I had lost everything that meant anything to me. I wished deep down inside that I was also in the car and I had also perished. I had lost my job to absenteeism which was due to drinking. The booze made it easier to cope and I had a lot to cope with, but there was also a lot of booze to drink, so I did. I just didn't care anymore. I'm not asking for you to forgive my actions, but to understand just how and why I was at this stage.
Just then someone grabbed my shoulder and gave me a good shake. "Dave! Is that you?" It was my brother-in-law Mike. He was Gale's brother. I hadn't seen him since the funeral. I stood up and gave him a big hug and he hugged back. We both cried in each others arms. He too had suffered a great loss, but not as much as me.
"What are you doing" he said. "You look like shit."
"Mike, I just don't give a dam anymore" I replied.
"Hell man, life goes on. I heard that you had lost your job. Anything I can do for you?" he questioned.
"Ya" I said. "Buy me another drink."
Mike was a good-hearted soul. He was one large fellow. He stood six-six, 280 lbs, a little over weight, but he was one tough dude.
"Dave, let's get you out of here" he said as he looked around at the bar.
"Na, I'm OK" I assured him.
Mike reached around me and lifted me up to my feet. It was a good thing he had a good hold on me or I would have fallen on my face. My leg were like rubber and I had no sense of balance. He half carried me, half dragged me out the door of the bar. There was no point resisting.
"Shit Dave, that place smells of piss and booze" he said with a disgusted look on his face. He dragged me out to his car and put me in the front seat. He did up my seatbelt and got into the driver's door.
"I'm taking you home and getting you sober. It's the least I can do for my favorite brother-in-law."
I didn't remember the drive to Mike's place or throwing up in his driveway. I vaguely remember saying hello to his wife Susan as he carried me upstairs and putting me on a bed.
"This is Katie's room. She's away at college and you can stay here until you are on your feet. OK?" he said. I was in no condition to argue and I quickly passed out.
In the morning Mike came into the room. As I looked up at him he said "Man, I thought you looked bad last night, but hell Dave you sure look a mess this morning." I was sure that I did.
"Sue and I have to go to work this morning, but the place is yours. Sleep in until you've had enough. The house is yours. Just be here when we get home. OK?" he said. I nodded and they left.
I slept until they arrived home nine hours later. I went in and had a hot shower and shaved the six day growth that had appeared on my face.
I went downstairs and greeted my brother-in-law and his wife.
"See" Mike said. "You needed that sleep. You almost look normal again. Now let's get something into that stomach of yours."
Sue cooked us a great meal which I ate as much as I could. I think that it was the first time I had eaten real food since the accident. I was starting to feel much better. Just then the front door opened and in walked Katie, Mike and Sue's daughter. She was a little thing, 5 foot nothing, thin, but with a fully developed chest and a great behind. She was proportionate. Katie had shoulder length blond hair, big bluish green eyes and an infectious smile that showed her perfect teeth. Katie had an angelic look about her. She looked like she was 17 or 18, but as I later found out she was 21.