Matt, you come across to me lie a good parent in your accounts of your interactions with Phil. Certainly, it is not the parent of an actual child, but maybe of a teenager. You are incredibly nice and totally accepting but don't let him take over your life because that wouldn't be healthy for either of you. It's all about trying to help him while letting him be his own person. I wonder how your role is different from that of a parent? And I wonder whether there are any distinctions between being a parent of a teenager, a good friend, and the brother of someone in need? I think there is always a model in our head we try to adhere to, but I don't know if there is any distinction between these roles. I suppose a difference is that as a friend you have no actual legal tie or responsibility, in most cases, so there is less pressure. If you don't technically "love" the friend also, there is less pressure. But here again we get down to what love is or isn't.
"His strategy in these moments is to drink or drug even harder than usual, as if to stock up on his intake before being denied access to his poisonous comfort." I loved this -- felt certain it was right.
I think the typical reaction to hearing of Phil's delighting in the amenities provided by the Super Eight would be to call it pathetic. Pathetic, I suppose, as in affecting, as in feeling sorry for him. But clearly there is still a real love of life there. At that moment he was not apathetic (there's that word again), but appreciating the good things more. I don't think I would have expected that.
Matt, you come across to me lie a good parent in your accounts of your interactions with Phil. Certainly, it is not the parent of an actual child, but maybe of a teenager. You are incredibly nice and totally accepting but don't let him take over your life because that wouldn't be healthy for either of you. It's all about trying to help him while letting him be his own person. I wonder how your role is different from that of a parent? And I wonder whether there are any distinctions between being a parent of a teenager, a good friend, and the brother of someone in need? I think there is always a model in our head we try to adhere to, but I don't know if there is any distinction between these roles. I suppose a difference is that as a friend you have no actual legal tie or responsibility, in most cases, so there is less pressure. If you don't technically "love" the friend also, there is less pressure. But here again we get down to what love is or isn't.
"His strategy in these moments is to drink or drug even harder than usual, as if to stock up on his intake before being denied access to his poisonous comfort." I loved this -- felt certain it was right.
I think the typical reaction to hearing of Phil's delighting in the amenities provided by the Super Eight would be to call it pathetic. Pathetic, I suppose, as in affecting, as in feeling sorry for him. But clearly there is still a real love of life there. At that moment he was not apathetic (there's that word again), but appreciating the good things more. I don't think I would have expected that.