A Sober Stranger in the Night Brings Unexpected Intimacy and Desire It's a Tuesday night, and I'm walking home from a Narcotics Anonymous meeting in the dark. It's about six blocks from my apartment, but it seems like longer. The meeting tonight was the same as usual; junkies from town, most of them on parole, telling their somewhat fabricated stories. There was a new face, someone I had never seen around town, and he didn't speak. Usually when someone doesn't talk in group, they "used" that day. He was handsome, but in a damaged way, his blue eyes dull from years of use. His black hair was curly, but greasy, and he had sores on his face from picking at it. He was wearing a maroon and black striped sweater, and dirty black jeans with a pair of black skater shoes. We made eye contact once or twice, and I could feel his pain in those seconds. I'm about a block or two from the church where the meetings are held when I notice footsteps behind me. I turn around, and am met face-to-face with the guy from group. "Oh fuck! Hey..." I trail off, swallowing nervously. It's tough being around users, I need to stay clean and to do that, I usually avoid people that could endanger my sobriety. "Um...hi. I'm Curtis...I saw you at the meeting, was wondering if you wanted to get coffee or something...I used this morning but I need to go somewhere I can be away from that shit...if you don't mind." He talks fast, and shakily, very common amongst users, and he looks desperate. "Yeah, sure. Um, I'm Cecilia, I know a place that's open this late," I respond, and turn right at the next intersection towards the 24/7 donut shop. …the next moment changed everything
