When I was in an IOP after my 28 day stint, I met a dude named Dan. Really cool guy, early 40s. So laid back...in to meditation and yoga and guitar...GREAT songwriter and singer. We became good friends really quickly and I've mentioned part of his story before. In short, did a 6 yr stint in fed prison on a distribution charge under required minimum sentencing. He was in his late 20s at the time. Started a dive shop in Bahamas with his dad. Would stay sober for a year or two then crash, in a big manner. Primarily coke. Got married and had a kid. Couple of years ago, relapsed. Wife found his car at a seedy hotel, she called the cops. The busted door down, beat the shit out of him, tossed him in jail. 3 years probation.
Then last May, he relapsed again. Ran from cops, big chase, pitted him...rolled his car on interstate. Woke up in hospital, chained to a bed. But they never put him in jail. He thinks county didn't want to have to deal with his hospital stay. This is when I met him. Once month after this happened. Again, laid back, about the nicest, friendliest, kindest person I've ever met. He is a born leader.
In July of this year, they worked out a sentence for the eluding chase (with about 10 other charges....none drug related). And at that time, his other history hadn't surfaced. If he had gone to trial, it would have. So, 10 years to serve 3. Everyone estimated it would be about 6-8 months. 1 county jail, 2 state prisons and back to a state work camp to be released. Right at 7 months. Today was the day.
His wife drove down and was sitting in the parking lot at 7:45 this morning. He called me at 8:15 because I was the only one with money left on my phone account. His wife had used hers up since he was getting out. He was wondering where she was......couple of calls between the 3 of use. Then they come out and tell her that the 3 yr outstanding probation case reared it's head and that county might want to see him. I had to tell him that....then I got a phone call from his wife, bawling her head off, that the state patrol was in the parking lot and the warden called her to say they were transporting him to that county.
We talked about me going, in case something like this happened. I drove him the 3 hours to his signing of his case where he turned himself in. We just thought he was actually getting out since no one had mentioned the outstanding case. And there she was....stuck 90 minutes from home and having to drive back without her husband. My wife and I have been taking lunch to her and their 2 yr old son while he has been away. We talk several times throughout the week. Things have been so great the past month because we knew he was getting out and the outstanding case hadn't been mentioned. I was freaking out with him over the phone and he could tell. He just kept telling me, "Hulla, this will be OK. Just breathe through it." fuck.