Dear Anyone,
My friend John was put in prison a few days ago for stealing cough syrup from a local supermarket. This is the third time it has happened over three years, and he may be in jail for quite a while to pay the price. He is in a rehab unit where he can hopefully get over his addiction to the active ingredients in Robitussin, and move on in life.
His family and most of his friends have abandoned him. They have given up on him because every time he tries to get ahead in life, he ruins things for himself. He's like a cat - he's got nine lives, but as soon as he keeps coming back to life he gets himself killed again.
I do not condone his habits, and part of me is glad he is in prison. But at the same time, I still care about him, and I want to support him as much as I can. He has never involved me in his drug use, and has only ever wanted me for my friendship. Several of my other friends and my family are coming down on me, saying that I shouldn't deal with him anymore because he's "using me for my friendship," "his own FATHER has abandoned him," and he "deserves what he's getting."
I am certainly not following down the same path he is - I am a senior in college about to graduate and pursue a professional job, and I expect to be very successful in life. I have been friends with John since we were sophomores in high school, and I care about him very much.
Do I go with my gut and support John, who needs help in countless ways, or do I listen to worried friends and family who say I should give up on him, just like everybody else has?
Living Here in Allentown