Al Lucas

The First Step Al Lucas

Paul Undes, protagonist, starts out in the lobby of the Tampa VA, looking for shelter on the day of 9/11 from unabated crack usage. Unable to deal with reality on a person-to-person basis, he reads from his journal to anyone who will listen. It is a crying out. From the VA he is transported to Safe Place, a transitional housing facility, but not before he goes home to try crack one last time so as to get his monies worth. At Safe Place, his roommate kills himself from the stark truth of Paul's journal. Then he goes to Avon Park, renown rehab center, where he is kicked out for unabashed cigarette bumming. It doesn't stop there. Between the VA, Safe Place and Avon Park, he has acquired a glimmer of hope and a tentative acceptance of AA. He returns home, attending AA religiously although not accepting the program as the final word. In fact, he hates the word 'program.' Its like going to the opera. The book ends with a gratuitous gift of a piece of ass from the blacks who have so mistreated him. The music in the background is a combination of Louis Armstrong and Glenn Miller as the latch on his bedroom door reads in true AA fashion, 'Do Not Disturb, He's Hi' Steppin'.