[Editor: During treatment, Reggie sometimes wrote letters addressed to himself. Some were humorous or deliberately exaggerated, while others dealt directly with the situations and thoughts that could lead him back to drugs.

The letters provide an unusual glimpse of Reggie talking to himself about addiction—sometimes making fun of it, and sometimes reminding himself exactly what was at stake.]

Dear Reg,

You are walking along the shore when you see a plane full of drugs fall from the sky and crash in a potato field. You take the drugs and sell them, leaving the potato’s behind. You use the money to buy an island off the coast of Nova Scotia and declare yourself king …

Dear Reg,

A friend has just called and told you that a good band is playing at [a local bar] and he has already bought a ticket for you. But all your friends use drugs. If you don’t have a beer in your hand someone will give you one. If you go to the bathroom somebody will follow you and offer you a line of coke. You feel anxiety about going to the bar.

If you take some heroin, this feeling will go away. But every time you take heroin you want more. You tell yourself you can take it for a few days and not get addicted. And then one more day. Just one more day. And then you’ll be addicted, then you can’t stop taking it. You’ll be o sick if you stop. Remember the sickness!? And you may end up back at the detox. You’ll have to watch all the Father Martin videos again, it’s not worth it! [Reggie was almost certainly referring to Father Joseph C. Martin, who became widely known for alcoholism/addiction educational films and lectures.]

Reg, you’re alright, ok, and not bad. You deserve to live a sober life. our wife and kids don’t want to see you sick all the time. You can stay straight – I know you can.

Best wishes & Happy Holidays,

Reg