For Dawn:

You’re ALWAYS there for me. I couldn’t have finished this without you.

Thanks and much love to David, Leah, Michael, Charley, Naomi and Julian for all the love and support, Scott Tyson, Wendy , Steve Gerlach, Brett McBean, Leigh Haig, and, of course, the Legumeman guys and gals (Matt, Rob and Brooke).

You all helped in many ways.

And last, but never least, for Mum and Dad. Thank you!

This is a painfully sharp account of a life that turned around. It avoids the clichés of memoirs of addiction that are “inspiring” and “redemptive”, although it is that finally, in spades. Along the way though, and what I admire about it most, it’s that it’s gutter truthful about the simple, brutal waste of innocence that drug dependence is — on the hour. Most importantly, and what moves this story into a higher register and the realm of larger social concern, is it’s recognition of the insidious nature of self-denial, which is the most dangerous and widespread drug there will ever be.  Neil Young laid it down, ‘A little part of it in everyone.’