His brain had kicked into high gear. Years of alcoholism had been holding back the sort of aimless rapid stream of thoughts that shot in and out of his skull like glowing tracers in a midnight firefight.

There was so much to think about. There was so much to do. He was having trouble focusing. He was bored. He needed a drink.

He wanted to not drink. Just for a little while. Just to see how it went. This first week had been rough.

Keeping the mind occupied seemed to be the key. Stay busy. Stay entertained.

He was beginning to think this was impossible.

Booze lets you just sit back and relax. Drugs, to include alcohol, are an activity. You don’t need much more than that. They amplify the mundane. They illustrate the world and highlight the parts you don’t notice.

Without them, there was just too much.

Plans for the future, regrets from the past, people, relationships, troubles, joys, money, experiences, nightmares, lost dreams, opinions, politics, tasks, jobs, wants, needs and loneliness.