the drug dealer

I was 20, maybe 21 but I think I was 20 - he was 35.  He was handsome, sexy, charming and "my type".  He was the kind of guy that I met and when I would talk to my best friend I would say, "there is just something about him" - she would later laugh at me when I would say that in years to come - there was always something about "them".

Michael was no different.  We met in a normal, non bar way - he came into my work.  Seems he had been out of town and used an ATM in a different city and voila! it took more than it should.  Since I worked at his home bank he called us to fix his problem and indeed I did.  In a matter of a few hours he had been reimbursed and life was good again.  Little did I know he would come in a day later, with a dozen red roses to say "thank you".  When he walked in my heart stopped.  I can still remember, some 20 years later, those blue eyes set against tanned skin with dark hair.  The smile could and did light a room - ah, there WAS something about him.  Little did I know that something was not good.

We started dating, hanging out with friends, he spoiled me - it was nice.  He had money, a good job and was so much fun.  He also had a side job, he sold drugs.

I learned this one New Years Eve when we were out with his friends and mine - he excused himself to the facilities and during this time a friend of his asked me, quite pointedly, "do you know what he's doing in there?".  Of course I did, he was going to the bathroom!  Um, not so quick.  She made sure I knew, he was using the bathroom for other purposes - it was his remote office.  It all became clear - the money, fast pace, gifts and never ending energy - it all made sense.  Cocaine. The words to this song say it best...

If you wanna hang out youve got to take her out; cocaine.
If you wanna get down, down on the ground; cocaine.
She don't lie, she don't lie, she don't lie; cocaine.

When your day is done and you wanna run; cocaine.
If you got bad news, you wanna kick them blues; cocaine.
She don't lie, she don't lie, she don't lie; cocaine.

If your thing is gone and you wanna ride on; cocaine.
Don't forget this fact, you can't get it back; cocaine.
She don't lie, she don't lie, she don't lie; cocaine.

She don't lie, she don't lie, she don't lie; cocaine.

I would learn more as days and weeks went by.  I would find he was running from the law, was dating several other girls and on the verge of a collapse, an emotional collapse.

I decided this was my time to free myself of all this fun and we went in different directions.  I would meet up with him in years to come and find he was involved with a friend from jr. high school and she was deep in his web.  She had deteriorated due to the drugs and later, she passed away - I am not linking the two in any way, but regardless, it was a sad state of affairs.

What happened to Michael?  I have no idea.  He could be alive - he could be dead.  I've googled him to no avail.

And so, I say, drug dealers are a definite - run don't walk.