First names

Last night I was asked to introduce myself to the small group my supervisor works with at the halfway house. I will be with them twice a week until mid-September.  

Of course the short answer is that I am an intern learning how to work with and counsel people struggling with addiction.  I ended up saying a lot more.  There were a lot of questions.

What an impressive group!  

And

I like the first name thing... a lot.  Reminds me of being back at Earlham.

We are all on a first name basis

At the halfway house.

There are two guys who share a first name

In group.

Every time they speak

They use their first name,

Last initial.

It reminds me a little of grade school

Or even the cartoon Recess

With Ashley A.

Ashley B.

Ashley C.

All blonde and virtually

Indistinguishable.

These guys are nothing

Alike

Except for heroin,

Their drug of choice.

They are nothing alike

Except they have made a choice to learn

To stay clean.