...December and we get a visit from M***, brother of J****, the nephew's x-roomate. M*** and his Fiance, M***, major partier and junkie, but he's looking good, well dressed, he's lost a lot of weight, complexion is clear, he's sporting a giant bright gold pendant, Chinese in style, "24 Karat Gold" he tells us as we admire it, it's inset with tiny gems and is cut to give the maximum flash, he's got on a large gold bracelet and ring as well, and as we notice he tells us "24 Karat Gold" without being prompted.
It's his reward to himself, he's been up on the farm in Northern Saskatchewan, 4 months, no booze or cigarettes, "I'm clean" he tells us, this bling is all to celebrate his conquering of his demons. It's hilarious, for me, alcohol and cigarettes, they're a problem, a vice for sure, for him they're a bloody virtue, but I know what he means. This was the guy that a couple of Thanksgiving's ago at J****'s place fucked the turkey in the middle of the dining room, and carried on long after anyone found it funny...the nephew still tells the story, one of many in his repertoire of stories about M***.
I notice his watch, nice, Rolex submariner, stainless steel, this sets him off, he tries to persuade me that it's an investment, shows me graphs on his phone as to how they've kept their value over the years, I hum and haw, I'm not so convinced, but if he likes it that's all that matters...
Talk, politely, of other things, he figures he's going to hang in Calgary for a few months, 'til the end of winter, asks about the cost of hosting his wedding, brings the conversation around to the subject of his watch again, he's merely swapped addictions, constantly rewarding himself with the most expensive and outrageous jewelry he can find, the arguments over investment, their his excuse. He's doomed, the nephew and I know it, there's no chance of him staying clean in Calgary, all of his friends, family, they're all partiers, junkies, addicts, his only hope is to get back to Saskatchewan, tonight...
***
He's in again, a couple of weeks later, he's not holding it together, he's sketchy as all out, we can all recognize it, the nephew guesses Oxycontin, he's come in for the sole purpose of arguing the value of Rolex Submariners his fiance tells me, he's got more graphs, wants to debate the relative value of investments, Rolex Submariner vs Real Estate, Gold, other investments, it's funny and I don't want to wind him up, try and let it slide, he's eating risotto with his fingers and wiping them on the tablecloth, he's not wearing his bling, his 24K Clean out the window, this restaurant, we just cater to a better class of addicts...