Breaking from the past
Casey Cheney
Issue date: 10/29/09 Section: News
"I'm not tall," Long said, then raised his hands to a defensive position and punched at an imaginary opponent. "I'm not a boxer."
She said at first she was scared of the man, especially after hearing of his condition. Then he told her that she and Dale make a cute couple and within five minutes, she said, she felt completely comfortable with him.
He's improved since he first arrived at New Way. Mason said he couldn't understand Long at first - Mason said Long was on the phone with Disney the day he walked to their door.
But even after his time of recovery, Long remains damaged - he is schizophrenic because of the drugs. His conversation is dotted with phrases he has picked up at his addict meetings. He presses his fingers to his eyes when he stops to think, one of the many nervous ticks brought on by the medication.
The thought of being in the paper, the thought of fame, excited Long, wearing a large grin and bouncing on his toes.
"Who knows, it might get you a girlfriend," Mason told him.
Bashful, Long looked down and reached for the house dog, Chloe.
"I might take a fancy. I've had enough of the old dogs. I'm ready for a few foxes," he said.
Nearing his second year at the recovery house, Long has been clean the whole time, and he plans to stay that way.
"Don't set yourself on freedom," he said, recalling the wisdom he's adopted in the process of sobering up. "Don't go singing if you can't sing a whole song."
She said at first she was scared of the man, especially after hearing of his condition. Then he told her that she and Dale make a cute couple and within five minutes, she said, she felt completely comfortable with him.
He's improved since he first arrived at New Way. Mason said he couldn't understand Long at first - Mason said Long was on the phone with Disney the day he walked to their door.
But even after his time of recovery, Long remains damaged - he is schizophrenic because of the drugs. His conversation is dotted with phrases he has picked up at his addict meetings. He presses his fingers to his eyes when he stops to think, one of the many nervous ticks brought on by the medication.
The thought of being in the paper, the thought of fame, excited Long, wearing a large grin and bouncing on his toes.
"Who knows, it might get you a girlfriend," Mason told him.
Bashful, Long looked down and reached for the house dog, Chloe.
"I might take a fancy. I've had enough of the old dogs. I'm ready for a few foxes," he said.
Nearing his second year at the recovery house, Long has been clean the whole time, and he plans to stay that way.
"Don't set yourself on freedom," he said, recalling the wisdom he's adopted in the process of sobering up. "Don't go singing if you can't sing a whole song."
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