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Vijaya Ramesh's avatar

An alconolic's life so vividly painted. sober for 30 years! amazed. Wish more could give up their addictions

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Mary Kay's avatar

Thanks for this poem Sherman, just now got to listen to it and your commentary. Like so many others here, I know the reality of that poem. I also know the current wonder at being able to wake up wide-eyed and alert.

Hope you have a nice meal and conversation (that you will be able to remember) to celebrate this Saturday.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you, Mary Kay.

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Pennie R. S. Nelson's avatar

Congratulations on your sobriety. Keep it going.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you, Pennie!

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you, Pennie.

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Kate Bradley's avatar

Tough one. Today is the first anniversary of the death of my 20+ year partner. He was a pack-a-day smoker from his late teens and died of bladder cancer. The hardest thing I've ever done is care for him while his body deteriorated - and he could not stop the smoking.

I am so glad you were able to quit drinking.

You'd make a great pediatrician, but I'm glad you're a poet and story-teller!

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Condolences on the loss of your partner. You must be feeling so much grief. I haven't bested my alcoholism. I'm playing it to a soccer draw and I'm proud of that.

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Trish's avatar

Wellpinit won!!!!!

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Trish's avatar

Kicking butt and taking names!

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Trish's avatar

God bless you for making the choice for sobriety. I just read this because I did a search for your Substack because I am watching Wellpinit kick butt at the state B tourney and the announcers brought you up. I remember you writing about playing in the tourney and could really relate.

Here’s a (sober) toast to these kids giving their all for the love of the game, their team, their families and communities and those of us who can remember what that was like!

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

I got a lot of texts from folks who heard my name on the broadcast. Yes, Wellpinit up by 11 at half! I hope they bring home the championship. My other tribe, the Coeur d'Alenes, won the Idaho small school state championship yesterday!

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LeighK's avatar

Powerful poem and comments too - thank you Sherman and fellow readers

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you, Leigh.

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Elena Yates's avatar

Thank you for your raw honesty! And for breaking the pattern. So important to talk about it. I often think that addictions (especially chemical ones) are price we pay for so called “progress” and a disconnection from nature and therefore from ourselves. And maybe some populations that had that connection much stronger in the first place end up being affected more... I don’t know...

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Joshua Doležal's avatar

Lori Arviso Alvord has a similarly loving tribute to her father in her memoir The Scalpel and the Silver Bear.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

I started college as a chemistry-math double major with the plan of becoming a pediatrician. I need to read her book.

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KathT's avatar

Sherman, I truly admire you for continuing to be sober and for understanding and forgiving your father.

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Carol Leibiger's avatar

Thank you for this poem. In 2006 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. There was no history of breast cancer in my family. It was lifestyle cancer, specifically from too much drinking. It was easy to drink too much in a family with extreme alcoholism. I recovered from cancer, and I have it to thank to making me stop drinking.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

I'm happy you have recovered in two ways!

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yvonne's avatar

It didn't matter if the first was good beer, it was still hard to choke down. The second was a bit easier and then who cared after that.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Yup, the nihilism...

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LeighK's avatar

I love the poem and love reading the comments. Thank you Sherman

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you, Leigh. It's so awesome to have you here.

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Magpie Mama's avatar

History is not destiny. Sorry for your loss.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

You are right. And thank you.

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Kelly M.'s avatar

All your pieces about alcoholic but beloved fathers are part of what got me so hooked on your writing. This one hits so beautifully. I can relate, my dad can relate, and his dad would’ve related too.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you, Kelly. Yeah, the family alcoholism is a very strange gift that keeps on giving to the writing.

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Kelly M.'s avatar

I’ve also gotten pushback for “reinforcing stereotypes” when writing about the alcoholism in my Irish family. You set a great example for ignoring that type of nonsense!

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

I've got a cousin who is Irish and Native!

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