"Nobody believed in me. That was their first mistake.”

I've practiced this speech for months and the day is finally here for me to deliver it at Montain University. The director personally reached out to me stating that I am the best person to do it. Not only because I graduated top of my class, but also because of the successful career I have paved for myself. His words, I just agree, I am fabulous! I turn toward my homeless patient, he's sweaty, anxious, and rightfully so. Up until yesterday he was a mere lost soul, wandering the streets, reeking of piss and alcohol, looking for his next fix and he found me. I led him to my home offered him a meal and some Brandy that made his eyes twinkle with delight. What he didn't expect was to immediately drift into a deep sleep, only to wake up hand cuffed to a bed frame, gagged, hung over and confused. He's mumbling words through the cloth in his mouth to me. "Oh you don't remember me? See you came home with me, looking for drugs and a hot meal, because I'm so kind I gave you everything you needed, and now I'm going to fix you up." I gave him a reassuring smile that seemed to make him nervous. He started jerking his hands forcing the cuffs to tighten on his wrists, then he tried kicking his legs which were double zip tied. Junkies are tricky, so you can never be too careful. "Calm down, or I will calm you." I said through clenched teeth. "Now I'll be back, I have a speech to deliver. I'm a real life changer, you will bear witness soon enough." I blew a kiss and walked up the stairs, out of the basement, locking the door behind me. I headed to the University to deliver my speech.

"Ladies and Gentleman, Dr. Lyn Whitmore!" The sounds of cheer and applause fills the auditorium as I walk onto the stage smiling and waving to them all. My heels click briskly as I reach the podium but not before shaking the hand of the Dean. "Thank you so much everyone! Thank you Dean Perinmore for inviting me to speak here today." I shifted my gaze from the dean to the students, making a point to look at each and every section of students so they know what I'm saying applies to them. "Being a young adult is hard. Your going through so many internal and external changes, so many new things to process, new feelings, new friendships, relationships, and pressure. It's important to lean on each other, but never lose focus of the college experience. Greatness requires sacrifice. If you want it bad enough...you must sacrifice whatever's getting in the way of your greatness. "The day I applied to Nuwark hospital was so nerve wrecking. I would be the first woman to be hired, there would be sexism, discrimination, but I wanted to work here so bad because when my father had a heart attack and was on the brink of heart failure, he was rushed to the best hospital, with the best doctors, Nuwark. My father was extended 8 more years because of the doctors and surgeons there, and I knew I wanted to be apart of a team like that!" Eyes sparkled, low inspired conversations started up. I smiled brightly as I wrapped up my speech. "It took all of six years for me to win over my team and prove that I too am capable of great things. Possibilities are endless so always, always, always choose one of the many great possibilities for you. Thank you so much everybody!" The auditorium stood up and roared with cheer, Dean Perinmore shook my hand and thanked me again. He expressed how wonderful he found my speech and bid me farewell. Something about saving people makes me so hungry. I stop at a nearby Stackby's burger joint, ordered a large number 6; 2 stacked beef patties with extra cheese, lettuce, pickles, mayo, mustard and ketchup with fries and sweet tea. It don't get any better than this, my goodness! I thought with every bite. My mother would be shaking her head at me if she saw me enjoying this many calories. She's such a fitness and nutrition nut ever since my dad's first heart attack. 8 years later, she's still on it. She looks good, but I'm sure she's mentally cooked as much as she works out. The thought, makes me want to call her, but I pull into my drive and am too excited to meet this homeless man in the daytime. I lock my front door behind me, and burst down the basement door causing the homeless man to jump out of his drug induced nap. "Did you miss me?" I smiled. He's calm, staring at me, he smells of piss even more now. With more light on him, I see just how dirty he is, as if he works in motor oil on a farm all day. "Man you stink!!" I cover my nose and walk around him, examining his medium length wavy hair that I'm going to cut off, his gauged ear piercings, that I'm going to take out and sew back to their original design, nose piercing, that I'll be taking out. Lucky him, no tattoos. "So, I'm going to remove the gag, get you some water and we'll have a little chat so I can fill this eval out ok? First, my rules...there are consequences for lying, you must cooperate, scream and you'll wish you hadn't." I laughed at myself, gosh I sounded like someone out of a bad horror film. "I'm sorry, point is, there's consequences for doing the wrong thing, so, just do what's right, ok? I look to him and he nods in agreement. As agreed, I removed the gag, he remained quiet as he drank water from the gerbil like straw I propped up for him. "So what's your name? and remember the rules." "Calvin Montehugh III" I write that down, "and your age?" I ask clickling my pen habitually. "37" I stop clicking my pen, I cannot believe an almost 40 year old man is laying in this bed. How easy it was for me to lure him here. "Family? mom, dad, siblings, cousins, grandparents, kids?" He scoffed as if to say "yeah right" I waited for him to respond. "Well, if you were to ask them they'd say they don't have a son, my habit drove a lot of people away, family first. Keep'n it honest I have 1 mom, 1 dad, no sisters, 1 brother, who knows how many cousins, grandparents, rest their soul they never got to see me like this" He's fascinating, tied up and just spilling his heart out. "What drugs are you on...were you using?" I have only had him for less than 24 hours I know the sarcasm in his tone is partly due to that. "Oh a little bit of everything, whatever I can get, I'll do it." He sniffled, sweat covered every inch of him from the blades of his hair to the heels of his feet. "What's the last thing you took?" I persisted. "Uhh, crack and some uh ecstasy." I wrote that down as well. "Why do you do those things? When did you start using drugs and why?" This question made him squirm, he got agitated and began trying to pull his hands forward causing the cuffs to tighten and him to wince in pain. "Who are you? Why are you doing this to me? Do I owe you money?" Poor Calvin he's so confused, I place my hand on his knee and he moves away as much as possible. "I'm the woman who's going to fix you. You don't owe me anything, I'm just here to help." I smiled proudly. Confusion paired with disgust drew across his face, I could tell he was debating on screaming so, I shoved the gag back in his mouth, cut out the light, went upstairs to prepare for "Socialhouse" an idea some college friends and I came up with as a promise to always keep in touch. Each month we rotate between houses and this month it's my house. I arranged for some Southern comfort caterers that are scheduled to arrive in the next hour. I prepare with a shower, spritz of "Tease" perfume, and since this is a causal event, I opt for the blue high waist jeans with my white low-cut blouse and tan wedges for a grounded straight out of a magazine look. "Damn you look good!" I blow kisses at the mirror and with a smack of my ass I trot down the stairs back to the basement. I interrupted Calvin surveying the place with his eyes. "I'm back but only briefly. I quickly glove up, grab a syringe from the counter behind me, push out a tiny bit of its liquid to ensure there are no air bubbles and inject in between his toes before he can flinch. I empty all the liquid inside of him then place it in the trash bin by the counter. "I'll see you later Calvin, sweet dreams." He wriggled and more than likely cursed me, but the gag muffled his words. I locked the door and was just in time to meet the caterers at the door before they knocked. I gestured them in and pointed them in the direction of the kitchen. 30 minutes later Carly, Rae, and Santana arrived squeeking and cheering as they entered greeting me into a group hug. They made their way into the kitchen making plates and pouring shots. Taking pictures and pointing out new things in the house they noticed since their last visit. "So project chick, any new projects lately?" Santana blew the smoke from her blunt into the air. Carly and Rae ran to open the windows, then flopped back to their place on the couch to hear what I had to say. "I picked up my shot glass and swallowed the liquor in one quick gulp. "Actually, I am working on something new, more like a hobby or non-profit. I wanna help the homeless." Her friends exchanged looks, but it was Rae who broke the silence. "Girl the homeless don't really want help, pity and change is more their speed." She turned to the group laughing and they joined in. "I think it's a sweet thought, what do you have in mind?" Carly asked curiously. "I wanna work with the ones suffering with addictions and help them turn their life around....medically." I said then gulped down two more shots. Santana scrunched his face in thought, "medically...meaning?" "Well, I'm still in the brainstorming phase, but I think if I can get them clean first through detox, and then with microdosing small amounts, that'd be enough to help them get sober, and stay clean." "...yea, but you'd still be feeding their habit just in small amounts." Santana noted. "I know, I know like I said, still brainstorming. I just know all of my medical expertise could be used for this project. Anyways....let's change the subject, what's new with you guys?" I could feel my body temperature rise after they grilled me. I knew they wouldn't get it. "Santana and I are also working on a project." Carly stated gleefully. "We are wanting to open a private practice for children with diabetes, we'll be working with different companies to create new remedies with better faster results. Kind of like what you're wanting to do with the homeless people, right?" She looked to me for approval and I gave her just that with a bit more excitement than they gave me because that was a brilliant idea. "Well, call me selfish, but work works me enough for me to do anything more for the good of mankind!" Rae said, now filling her face with shrimp filled sushi bites. They helped me clean up and with a group hug they waved me goodbye.

"Alright Calvin, I've pretty much had you sleep through your withdrawal period, are you feeling sober?" "FUCK YOU LADY! I AM SOBER and I WANNA GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!!" He begins wriggling his wrists causing the cuffs to press into his wrists making him bleed. I take note of his behavior. "Hmm let's add proper language to the rules, ok? I don't like being spoken to that way, it's mean and rude to speak that way to a lady. You're almost 40, I know you were taught respect. You are nothing but a worthless junkie! If you died today, nobody would care!! NOBODY! Calvin I'm going to change that for you. I'm going to make you clean, and ensure you stay clean, that's why you're here." I flash him a reassuring smile. "Now let's get you some water." "Am I ever going to eat?" He asked. "For now you'll drink your food, once we've built some trust you'll get a solid meal." As I turned to walk away he called out, "Wait! Why are you doing this to me?" I can't help but laugh at him "Calvin I'M not doing anything to you, I'm doing this for you...and me too of course, see you're going to be my success story. You are apart of a project that's going beyond rehab facilities bc I am going to configure how to ensure that you, Calvin never turn to drugs again. So, see, I'm not doing anything to you, but maybe when we're done here you'll be able to get in good with your loved ones. Think about that. Now, do you have any allergies to food, I doubt medicine, but I have to ask that as well." "No, none." He grumbled. "Excellent! My first project is starting off on the easier side!! Tomorrow the real work begins." I danced up the steps and out the basement locking it behind me.

Feeding Calvin through a tube, caused him to nearly choke to death, I probably shouldn't have told him he'd be eating through a straw. Should've said it was something else. He's stubborn even when he's cooperating. I'm having to keep him sedated which is really interfering with my progress. Today is the day I start introducing my new medicine to Calvin. I have combined 4 different types of medication that gets prescribed to patients in hospitals and rehabs to help with nausea, depression, mood swings, and anxiety. He better told the truth about no allergies, or this could end bad for him. I inject a small dose in between his toes just so he doesn't look like a junky poked up with needle marks. His veins are very healthy so he probably wasn't doing any drugs involving injections from what I can tell. I start the stopwatch, so I can measure how long the medication takes to kick in. He has a little bit of food in his system and he is hydrated. I wait for 25 minutes before he starts moaning. "Tell me what you're feeling." I press down on my notepad prepared to write and he begins laughing from the pit of his belly. "I feel amazing! I haven't laughed that real and hard since I was like 16! I feel good Doctor." He said with a smile that made his face beam brightly. "Wonderful." I note the time it took to kick in, started another timer to measure how long it lasts. "If anything shifts or changes, or you notice anything, let me know." After 2 hours of bliss he starts a conversation with me on his own. "You asked me about my family, and why I started drugs before. Truth is, I'm adopted. That family is cool and all but they expect me to be like their son, and I'm nothing like him. He's the golden boy, compared to him I'm always the fuck up....er screw up, sorry. One day a couple of my buddies was sniffing Coke and asked if I wanted a line, and well a line turned into many more, and well the rest is history. I started at 17 and this is the first time I've been sober for this long." He glanced up at his wrists that were still cuffed to the bed post, covered in dried blood and scabs. I clicked my pen. "I will get the stuff for your sponge bath. Enjoy the wave you're on, there's a bell that you can pluck with your finger, I'll hear it when you do. The moment your effects shift, if I'm not back flick the bell ok?" He nodded and I retreated upstairs to gather the necessary items. I couldn't contain my excitement, I jumped with joy and did my happy dance. Three months and I did it! I grabbed the sponge, soap, towel and then I realized I don't own any men's clothes and once those clothes are off they're trash! She raced downstairs, shoved the gag in his mouth and locked the door as she darted back up the basement stairs and rushed to the nearest goodwill. She really didn't want to leave because what if he rang the bell. She ran into Goodwill, took a best guess on his size, grabbed some sweat pants and a T-shirt and hurried to the cash register. "Would you like to round up today?" I just nodded my head yes, snatched my bag and bolted out the door back home. I could hear the bell ringing and I wasn't sure if he was trying to get my attention...or someone else's.