It has a dark side to it.
He's managed to cope, but at a serious price- he is two years younger than I am, but looks and feels older. He has damned little in the world in terms of material possessions or money, because he squanders it on expensive things that he then breaks or neglects or abuses- the fancy cell phone that he leaves sitting in the rain, the furniture that he leaves lit cigarettes on and spills beer on, the boombox that sits for weeks in the back of his truck getting rained on, and so forth. His health is not good, and he can't keep doing this physical stuff forever, as he's not taking care of himself. He mooches off of his friends until he alienates them, and has ruined his relationship with his sister and grandfather- his only remaining relatives. He moves from one apartment to the next, always on the verge of being evicted because of his mess and because he's perpetually late with his rent, and lives in a state of constant chaos.

He's basically a very good guy and I really do love him as a friend, but I'm pretty sure he won't live much longer. And therein lies the tragedy- he's more intelligent than anyone else I know, but he's cracked and is throwing it away. He'll be dead and few will remember him, because he keeps the world at a distance with his erratic behavior and his stench.

He's a fascinating person to know, both in good ways and in the manner of watching a train wreck in slow motion and knowing that you can't stop it.
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Fri 31 Oct 2008, 1:44, 1 reply)

whoa
I think that someone who knows a bit about this kind of thing needs to be made aware of his condition.. There may be some help available for him.. he sounds like he needs the right kind of ear to fix his issues..
(AndyC4m Eject Eject [><], Fri 31 Oct 2008, 9:58, closed)

Yeah, but first
he would need to agree that there's something wrong, yes? And in his view there's nothing wrong with how he lives.

He has become the ultimate live-in-the-moment person, going hand to mouth and not thinking about the past or the future except sporadically. He's happy as long as his dog is fed, he had cigarettes and frozen pizza, and his internet connection is on. Those are his main priorities.

Like I said, it will be tragic when he goes- but he's on the way there now. I've watched his health decline steadily the past few years.

I've reached out to him, as have dozens of others. He refuses to acknowledge that he's in trouble. So everyone has reacted the same way- if that's what he chooses to do, then he has a right to go to hell as he wishes without anyone else pissing in his ear about it. (Cool points if you recognize that reference.) So I sit back and watch the drama unfold from a safe distance, and wish him well anyway...
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Fri 31 Oct 2008, 10:20, closed)