I got into a lot of drugs, alcohol, party all the time, continued to drink.
I ended up on the street, so I was homeless for about a year and a half, and I kept trying
to get Social Security disability, but I ended up finally, after the fifth go-around, I got
SSI, so I was able to get off the street, got a little room.
I had some back-backed money coming, about seven grand, I drank that away, in and out
of AA, and, you know, I'd be doing good for a while, and I'd start drinking again, I'd
stop, start, anyway, this doctor took a stethoscope and he's examining me, and he tells me I've
got emphysema.
I don't know what came first, I have prostate cancer, hepatitis C, and I get these nosebleeds.
I was in my room one day, and I got up to use the restroom, and after I stood up from
using the restroom, I fell, my legs just went out from under me.
I fell on my face, on my head, and I had a real small bathroom, a little narrow, and
I was stuck, and I couldn't move, and I just, I mean, I couldn't, you know, I thought it
was because I was stuck I couldn't move, but I couldn't move, period, and after two or
three days in the hospital, they put me in a nursing home, and I was paralyzed, I couldn't
move.
Through physical therapy, and exercising, I was finally able to, you know, make a fist,
and move my hands, and so I started walking a little bit, and so, you know, I got up,
and I had, they were getting tired of me there, I couldn't afford to stay in the nursing
home, so one day Jimmy and Pat came over and introduced themselves, and Jimmy was telling
me about, you know, he had a place that I could go to, and I tell you, I really have
great respect for Jimmy.
I mean, I've got Jimmy up here on this pedestal, because he helps everybody, and just goes
out of his way to do whatever he can for everybody, and I'm just playing the guitar,
and the sax, it's kind of like that, I kind of get down, you know, what the hell's, why,
what am I living for?
I can't do anything anymore, you know, Jimmy gets on me for smoking cigarettes, and I said,
that's like I left, you know, let me enjoy a cigarette.
