“You know Cheryl from over on Oak Street, right? She said that Bobby Jo Sue, the one that recently divorced Cheryl’s second cousin, Emery, right? Well, she said Bobby Jo got herself arrested for pulling out a gun on him. Emery stood there an’ well. He peed his pants; he was so scared.”

“No kiddin’?”

“Nope. That ain’t half of it. After Bobby Jo got herself arrested and bailed out? She came back, threatened him again, and got arrested A SECOND TIME.”

I had my phone in my hand — not scrolling, not looking at it. Just daydreaming, wondering how long my participant would be. Overhearing bits and pieces of conversations? That’s all part of what I do. It’s not that I intentionally listen. I just happen to hear what people want to say out loud. Now, being that I was sitting in the waiting area of a treatment facility, people coming in and out to get their medications, was I surprised to hear these two women talking like that? Not at all. It comes with the territory.

He was wearing a trucker’s hat when my coworker came in, hands full. Bryan was carrying a gift bag full of goodies, a laptop, a coffee cup, and a small wireless mouse. He walked in, shocked to see the dude in the trucker’s hat. “Wade? Is that you? Man, I haven’t seen you in a long time, bud. How are you doing?”

“I’m really good. You know, the research program saved my life. I couldn’t have made it without you guys.”

“Naw, man. You did the work. We were gonna be here anyways.” Bryan laughed, patting him on the shoulder.

“Well, whatever you think, if ya’ll hadn’t been there when I was ready? I wouldn’t be doing this well.”

“Hey, man. It’s really good to see you, but I gotta run. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call us.”

“Sounds good.” Wade smiled. “That right there?” he pointed at my coworker, “He’s a good dude.”

“Yeah? I share an office with him.”

“Really? That’s gotta be pretty cool.”

“It can be.”

“He’s put on a lot of weight. He was a lot smaller when I first met him.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. But hey, man. What is it you do?”

“I’m the transportation coordinator for the studies at Gibson.”

“Gotcha. So you drive.”

“Anywhere and everywhere.”

A younger woman, sitting on my left, asked, “How far you go to get someone?”

“As far as one hundred twenty minutes from Cape, both north and south.”

Wade said, “That’s a lot for one day.”

“It can be,” I smiled.

“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you. You take good care,” Wade tipped his hat to me and walked back to meet with his counselor.

He had no idea that we had met a few years ago, when he was still part of the study.