GIRLS’ NIGHT OUT: Blood, needles, pills, stolen checks, ODs...

Let’s take a look at our drug problem as it pertains to our young women.

Brace yourself; it’s bloody, it’s ugly, it’s deadly… it’s anything but pretty and “ladylike.”

It’s unfortunate these days, that when a significant number of our young women get ready for a “girls’ night out,” they’re talking about needles and pills…

They’re talking about stolen checks and jewelry needed to support their habit.

They’re piling into some white Volvo station wagon and looking for a secluded side-road out near the highway where they can spike up and get in arguments over pills…

… it’s only a matter of time before the fists start flying.

WEST BARNSTABLE – Last evening was a typical night out for some of our young female active addicts.

At around 8:30pm, police were dispatched to a report of at least two women arguing loudly on a secluded dirt road near the Service Road that runs beside the Mid-Cape Highway. The caller told police he believed the women were intoxicated, possibly on drugs…

Police arrived and discovered four women (not two, as initially believed) inside a white Volvo station wagon parked and blocking a private road.

What really had happened leading up to this point is still uncertain, but officers needed to separate the women. One woman was bloody from possibly being punched in the face. Another woman was so high she could barely stand up. The other women were cursing and annoyingly running their mouths.

A rescue unit was called to the scene and at least one of the females was transported to CCH to be evaluated for the negative effects of whatever drugs she had ingested. A second female, the one with the bloody face, may have also been transported to CCH… (I say “may” because it was like watching a bunch of whirling dervishes and I, quite frankly, lost track of who went where during all the confusion…)

In the end, nobody was arrested and charged because nobody would cooperate with police. Pills were found near the scene, but no one claimed responsibility for them, even after all the flying fists, drama, and commotion.

After the women had finally all left – with the seemingly sober one surprisingly able to drive – things became amazingly quiet, giving witnesses and cops time to reflect and discover additional evidence scattered amongst all the junkie debris, quite likely discarded and left behind by the four dervishes.

There were uncapped needles, plastic baggies with the corners ripped off, more pills, a gold ring, a lip-balm container with what appeared to be a hunk of crack… There were cigarettes that had been lit but barely smoked, empty drink containers, checks (likely stolen), a lipstick tube, and puddles of blood…

… the lovely remnants of an eventful “girls’ night out.”

(“What happens in the Volvo, stays in the Volvo…” or something like that… 🙁 )

UPDATES & HN NOTES: From what I observed, the young women were very uncooperative and not forthcoming with information. Also, it’s tough to connect someone to evidence when it’s not directly in their possession. I think police were more concerned about their well being. Also note, things have changed in regards to arresting active users compared to getting them emergency help. For example, when police respond to an overdose they are unable, in most situations, to make arrests based on evidence scattered around at the scene. It’s complicated, and the police did what they could realistically do in this situation. It’s also important to note that active users are experts at being deceptive and less than honest. Deception is an all day fulltime job for active addicts. It’s okay to hate the drug and what it does to people, but it’s never wise to hate the individual person. I have extensive experience with active users, as well as ones in recovery. Active users are quite often a danger to themselves and the community as a whole. They often leave a wake of deception and criminal activity. For example, they sometimes discard uncapped needles in areas where children frequent… Having said that, I have seen people fight their disease and clean up their acts. Deep down inside, many of these people are good individuals. But lets be clear, when they are active, their actions are ugly, dangerous, and disturbing to say the least…

“Tough love” is a tough balancing act. It’s good to be tough and honest about what they are doing themselves and others… but it’s equally important to let them know you still love them. Tell them you hate the drug and their actions while they are actively using, but let them know you care enough to not enable them either… I’ve had active users get angry and “hate” me for speaking the truth, only to later have the same recovering addicts become much closer with me because I spoke the truth.

Don’t ever be afraid or intimidated into not calling this type of behavior what it really is. But also do not let hatred and anger influence you to the point where you are no longer strong enough to show compassion at the appropriate moment.

Only the strongest amongst us are able to muster compassion when it is truly needed. Which is why “tough love” works when used by people who care.

In other “girls’ night out” news:

At about 11:40pm last evening, a young female overdosed at a residence in Hyannis…

Two viles of Narcan were reportedly used before first responders arrived on scene.

The young female was freaked out, but awake and breathing while being wheeled out on a stretcher. She was crying and overcome with fear as she was hoisted into the ambulance, with another young female following the stretcher seemingly trying to diminish the severity of her situation, saying, “You f***ing overdosed, you’re fine dude!”

(She wasn’t being much help and a rescue worker needed to step in and have her stand back.)

It was quite a spectacle, but at least the young lady was alive when transported to CCH.

She’ll hopefully smarten up before it’s too late.

3/20/2015

Robert Bastille,

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P.S. – Today’s HyTown Vignette is brought to you by Elvis Costello… [Turn it up…]