CHAPTER ELEVEN
Back in the present, Noah opened his eyes and shook his head sadly, " I will never forget the way Don looked that day-never."
Max was scribbling furiously, " Yes, poor Don. He's had a lot of traumatic events in his life. I think I'll talk to him too."
Noah hesitated, " Go ahead, but I warn you-he's been really moody lately."
" Why?"
" I think his arthritis is bothering him. It's getting colder now and that's when it gets worse."
" Poor guy." Max sighed and closed his notepad, " Listen, will you do a huge favour for me?"
" It depends on what it is." Noah stood up and began cleaning up the empty beer bottles that were lying around.
" Quit drinking and go find yourself a job." Max said bluntly.
" Sorry but I can't do that."
" Why not? What's stopping you?"
" Who would want a homeless drunk working for them?"
" Then quit drinking Noah. Go to a rehab clinic. It might be a rough ride, but you won't regret it. Then find yourself a job and a place to live. Do it before its too late."
Noah smiled sadly, " I think it's too late for me Max."
Max shook his head, " That's what I thought too but after going to the rehab clinic, I never regretted it."
Noah blinked, " Excuse me? Why did you to go to rehab clinic?"
Max looked right into his eyes, " Because I am a former alcoholic."
Noah stared at the younger man in astonishment, " You?"
" Yes me." Max answered, " It happened a few years ago when Tamara and I had been married for just two years and she was working full time. I was in the middle of a third book when I got a really bad case of writer's block. Since Tamara was away quite a bit, I found solace in the bottle. I was drinking full time instead of writing."
" What made you quit?" Noah asked.
" Tamara fell pregnant with Joanna," Max recalled, " and that made me realise, who'd want a drunk for a father? Tamara helped me a lot and sent me to a rehab clinic where I stayed for two months. After I got out, I was clean. I started writing again and never looked back. When Joanna was born, I dedicated my third book to her."
" Joanna, that's a pretty name," Noah commented. He was in his late thirties and still yet to become a dad. It was one if his secret desires.
" Joanna Sophie Sutherland. Sophie is her grandmother's name."
" Well, you shocked me Max. But you've come a long way." Noah looked down at the empty beer bottle in his hand, " Do you really think I can do it?"
" Yes I do. I can give you the name of the clinic I went to Noah. They also encourage you to join AA."
Noah wrinkled his nose, " Don't think I'd like to do that."
" C'mon Noah…do it for me."
Noah glanced at Max. The younger man seemed so earnest in helping him, " Okay max. I'll do it because you believe in me."
Back in the present, Noah opened his eyes and shook his head sadly, " I will never forget the way Don looked that day-never."
Max was scribbling furiously, " Yes, poor Don. He's had a lot of traumatic events in his life. I think I'll talk to him too."
Noah hesitated, " Go ahead, but I warn you-he's been really moody lately."
" Why?"
" I think his arthritis is bothering him. It's getting colder now and that's when it gets worse."
" Poor guy." Max sighed and closed his notepad, " Listen, will you do a huge favour for me?"
" It depends on what it is." Noah stood up and began cleaning up the empty beer bottles that were lying around.
" Quit drinking and go find yourself a job." Max said bluntly.
" Sorry but I can't do that."
" Why not? What's stopping you?"
" Who would want a homeless drunk working for them?"
" Then quit drinking Noah. Go to a rehab clinic. It might be a rough ride, but you won't regret it. Then find yourself a job and a place to live. Do it before its too late."
Noah smiled sadly, " I think it's too late for me Max."
Max shook his head, " That's what I thought too but after going to the rehab clinic, I never regretted it."
Noah blinked, " Excuse me? Why did you to go to rehab clinic?"
Max looked right into his eyes, " Because I am a former alcoholic."
Noah stared at the younger man in astonishment, " You?"
" Yes me." Max answered, " It happened a few years ago when Tamara and I had been married for just two years and she was working full time. I was in the middle of a third book when I got a really bad case of writer's block. Since Tamara was away quite a bit, I found solace in the bottle. I was drinking full time instead of writing."
" What made you quit?" Noah asked.
" Tamara fell pregnant with Joanna," Max recalled, " and that made me realise, who'd want a drunk for a father? Tamara helped me a lot and sent me to a rehab clinic where I stayed for two months. After I got out, I was clean. I started writing again and never looked back. When Joanna was born, I dedicated my third book to her."
" Joanna, that's a pretty name," Noah commented. He was in his late thirties and still yet to become a dad. It was one if his secret desires.
" Joanna Sophie Sutherland. Sophie is her grandmother's name."
" Well, you shocked me Max. But you've come a long way." Noah looked down at the empty beer bottle in his hand, " Do you really think I can do it?"
" Yes I do. I can give you the name of the clinic I went to Noah. They also encourage you to join AA."
Noah wrinkled his nose, " Don't think I'd like to do that."
" C'mon Noah…do it for me."
Noah glanced at Max. The younger man seemed so earnest in helping him, " Okay max. I'll do it because you believe in me."