a junkie at the end of his rope is a sad thing to see—most of it sadder than i could ever write. shakespeare’s king lear comes close. the play shows a king as his kingdom falls around him, as his own kids and kin turn on him. he still wears his tattered royal gown even out on the heath, where he has sunk to the bottom wrungs of society. he is losing even his mind and the only companion he has left is a fool.
when a junkie finds something they can depend on they make a deal. the substance (as it were) will help get the junkie thru tough times, will help them feel beitter when they feel really bad.
often the deal works for a long time. especially if the junkie knows how to spread the shit out. they make other deals.
but even with a light deal, debt accrues over time. a junkie may make a deal that looks like a ballooning 30 year mortgage. they may get by for a long time on the deal, only having to make minimal payments along the way. they may scrape just fine.
but eventually the junkie will have to pay up. if the junkie has made several light deals they may all come up for payment at the same time, flipping a spiral 50 years in the making.
some junkies make heavy deals. they burn right thru that credit, and the deal runs out quick. then the devil’s on their doorstep. or devils. the tall ones fall hard.