Insanity's Bouquet

(Surimi): Sotto, there's a certain truth to what you're saying about Jim using words to separate him from reality. The symbol, the word, can be a kind of substitute for the reality it is trying to describe. Worse than non-alcoholic beer.

   Words are signposts along Jim's road to recovery. I think you're right though, Sotto. His recovery lies beyond his words, whether it be Jane's death or the birth of a sober  self.
    Insanity's bouquet is not of different colored roses, or different flowers of various sorts. It's a bouquet of weapons, destruction, defense and offense, all wrapped in lies and gin-soaked tears, false laughter, hollowed-out bones. This is insanity's bouquet.
   I will fill the black holes of my memory with my retrained brain. Live my waay sober or lie my way drunk, powerless victim or sober victor.

   One foot in front of the other.


from All Drinking Aside (Rough Draft, Chapter 72)