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Volume 11, Issue 36, Week of September 15, 2014
Saskatoonʼs REAL Community Newspaper
The Prairie Lily cruises down the South Saskatchewan River on a late summer day (Photo by Peter Wilson)
If only I would have had a second chance to see Lyle
I
am a believer in second shifting my mindset. Basically, chances. Mostly because I convinced myself I was on the of other people giving me path of recovery until I said it a second chance or, in many enough times it came true. cases, a third and even a fourth It wasn’t an easy road. I chance. fell down so many times I was The whole point is to scared of getting back up. That never give up on someone who was when other people stepped stumbles and falls more often up and helped me. Most of than they are standing. I know these people were once expeople who were so down and treme addicts. Many of them out it looked like they would spent years battling their own never get themselves up. In demons. These were people fact, I was in many ways one of who understood, because they Columnist those people. were there. I have made no bones of After a year or so of staying my past struggles with addictions and the clean, I decided to try to return the favour revolving door that seems to wait for me in and assist those who are seeking help. The one of the country’s iron-bar hotels. best way I know how to do that is to share If there is one thing I learned about my own personal experiences. Maybe addictions, it is that is no one wants to be someone will take something from them there. This is especially true with extreme that will help in their journey. abuse of alcohol and drugs. It’s been a few There was this one man I took extra years since I stopped with extreme drug time with. His name is Lyle and he was abuse. originally from the northern part of the I don’t like to say “I quit” because I province. When I first moved to Riversknow how easy it is to fall back into the dale, I would run into him all the time. spiral abyss. What changed for me was Some days he was in happy spirits, and
KEN NOSKYE
some days even I couldn’t recognize him. But I can tell he had a kind spirit and tried to escape from his lifestyle. After I got to know Lyle a little, I found he was a talented musician with a great sense of humour. Not one time did he ask for money or anything that would feed his addictions. Mostly he was looking for company. He simply wanted somebody to talk with. That was the least I could do. Lyle had no family in the Saskatoon area. He had a long list of people he hung around with. This is pivotal when it comes to recovery because a person becomes who they are with. Surround yourself with musicians and see how fast you start playing and singing. This is basically true with anything else. In Lyle’s situation, he really had no choice, because he always needed a place to sleep and eat. He was staying in a rooming house in the inner city. We tried to find a more decent place for him, but it wasn’t possible with the little income he had from collecting cans and bottles or the odd job he picked up. The last time I saw him he looked great.
He had stopped everything and was gaining weight. He was telling me how he was looking forward to going back up North. He thanked me for being a friend to him. He reminded me so much of myself I could almost predict his next move. Early one morning I was listening to the radio when the news came on. There was a report of a stabbing death. Even though the address of the violence wasn’t released, I had this sinking feeling, because it was close to the place where Lyle lived. I decided to take a walk. Sure enough, it was the same place. I asked around with a couple of the guys I recognized. One of them told me Lyle had been stabbed and killed. It took me a long time to get over his horrible death. “Maybe if I tried harder,” I would say to myself. Of course I realize there was probably nothing I could have done to prevent the tragedy. However, in the back of my mind, I thought I could have tried something. If only I had a second chance. kennycree@outlook.com