Dougy Detox Wrap

Well Sunday a week ago I stayed up all night (walked with Alice and learnt about the heroin dealers/cash for mobile phones 'black market' trade) and through to Monday evening before I saw Dougy. He came over to the Meeting Place (green seats out front of St.Pauls) and was fairly drunk. I asked him about the rehab program, that he was due to start today, but he was reluctant to talk about it other than to shake his head no. The other crew were sitting there and so I was hesitant to discuss it further until we were alone. Just as the others left, an hour later, and I asked him if he would start the program tomorrow and if I could go there with him? He said ok, but again was too drunk to make much sense (or probably he didn't want to discuss it). Before I could press the matter further, the cops rolled up to talk. They said they just wanted him off the streets this evening, and didn't want to lock him up, and so they told me they were going to drive him to Ozanam House (an emergency/short term accommodation place) where he could 'sleep it off' overnight. He got in and away they went.

I had always planned to checkout one of the first level short term (3 to 6 months stay max) accommodation places at some point. As I had $15 in my pocket (the cost of a room for the night) I decided to head up to Ozanam House for the night, so I could try and catch up with Dougy there in the morning, when he was sober. When I got there (about 10pm) I spoke to the reception guy who said he didn't think they had any places available, but when I qualified that I was only interested in staying for one night, he said I was welcome to use the emergency room. This room is kept in case the hospital releases someone who needs somewhere to stay at short notice, but if it isn't filled by 10pm then it is up to the staff's desecration on how it is used. I was given it for the night, at no charge, and went for a look around the place to see what it was like. Well I found the room secure (swipe card entry) with plenty of space and bed and window. In fact the building was designed to give every room a window, even if it was just one meter between walls, but it still felt good. The rest of the building had a few pool tables and tv rooms, with some being watched, but there were no groups of people around, probably too late. All the halls and spaces were clean but bare, which gave the place a sense of emptiness that a few pictures or plants might have abated. Overall it was a fantastic step up from sleeping rough and it seemed very livable with nothing really to complain about.

After a good nights sleep (after being up for two days), and some toast from the cafeteria, I was unable to find Dougy and headed back into town, Tuesday. He came by the meeting place and told me he had just been released, as the cops had not taken him to Ozanam House but to the city lockup. There's no law about cops having to be truthful in conversation, and I guess when they're picking someone up they would like to get them in the back of the van with as little fuss as possible. Sometimes the guys do argue a lot when they're told they're being locked up. Now Dougy was back, and sober, we talked further. He said he had been in hospital all Sunday night and gone with the staff the next day to look at the Rehab Center, but he did not feel comfortable there, and the number of days he needed to be there also still worried him. He said he had got off drugs in the past without rehab and said he could do the same with alcohol when he was ready to. I didn't push the issues too far, I could see he had made up his mind, and I just told him "you make your own choices, if you want help to get through it at some point, then I will be here to support you." Then I saw surface, for the first time, a hidden intellect and persona. In a way that was reassuring but completely out of character, he looked at me and said quietly "I appreciate what you're trying to do."

The rest of the day I couldn't help but to feel some disappointment. I realize it is a huge challenge to change (and to what future?) but I felt we had come so close to taking a major step. Perhaps this was what I needed to learn from my fasting attempts this month. Certainly there seems to be some correlation between Dougy trying to give up alcohol and me trying to give up food, and both of us struggling and failing. So despite the letdown I would continue on, as before, to grow and support the relationship, but I also felt I had become a bit too Dougy focused, and I should be just as open to interaction with everyone else that was out here. This is not any level of rejection, just that as I continue on I will try and be more open to other people and directions as situations develop.

That evening I caught up with the Steps Outreach girls and discussed the situation further with them. Susan's experience working with the Savo's meant she had an incredible knowledge and history of many street people, including Dougy. She said she could see a gradual change, for the better in Dougy, over the last six years. He used to go to the 6/14 (Salvo's Church) and be very aggressive and violent with people, and sometimes ask for prayer. In effect she said he goes through cycles of wanting help and then rejecting it, but overall his steps of wanting help have been more and more positive. She said that if he had 'given his life to the Lord' last week, then it would have been completely genuine. That was good to hear. The girls talked about how the concept of 'middle class conversion' (where someone makes a decision for God and turns over a new leaf on the spot) doesn't apply 'out here'. For many it is a long journey, or process, of making small steps that bring them closer to God. It's not such a black and white world. They said if Dougy had not told you to piss off after one week, then you're doing well. They told me it was all positive and to keep going. Those girls are really fantastic, did I mention that! :)

Wednesday I met up with the crew in Elizabeth St and they didn't want to drink up at the meeting place, as they were being hassled by the cops too much there. Yes, the constant grind/attention from the cops at the meeting place does seem to have 'some' effect (which is why they have a few different drinking spots around the city) but I couldn't say when or why they move around some days, and not others. After my mentor meeting time mix up, I got back and sat down with them, and a cop car pulled up. The lead cop (a big fellow) told us all to 'get out of the city and don't come back today or be arrested.' Every western I had ever seen where the sheriff tells the troublemaker to get out of town, flashed back into my mind. He said to go over the other side of the Yarra, and they all got up to move on without much fuss. As we departed, the big cop looked at me and said, "You're not helping, you know," and I said, "I think I am helping," to which he replied, "Your being with them condones (to them) what they do..." and I was called away by the others, although I wanted to continue the conversation.

On the other side of the river we sat down under the sculptures outside the Arts Center (it was a hot day) and that's where Gary started questioning me about what was in my bag, and if I was a Narc. Then Gary asked Dougy about me and Dougy in a very serious way (out of character for the second time) "He's done alright by me" and that was the end of the issue.

Shortly later a few guys moved off (including Dougy heading back into the city to see his favorite stripper) and it was just Gary, myself and another bloke. I sat and thought about what the cop said, and decided my presence was not condoning the guy's actions. When I am with them I do not drink, smoke, swear and degrade women, thus my presence should be a constant reminder of those alternate values. In fact why don't the crew mind me being there? I'm not sure I know. Just then a new group of cops pulled up and told us there had been some complaints and we needed to move on again. The guys headed into the park across the road and I decided to head back into the city and have a break with some prayer in St.Pauls.