He's free from the police state of Georgia, and finally, I think this time, I'm free from him.
As I'm sure I mentioned here in this blog somewhere, Ric has been coasting on his own Koyo thrill ride for well over a year now as his employment and financial security has been tested repeatedly. I'm not sure I went into his Georgia troubles though. I'm a little too lazy to check right now, feel free to do so if you must. But, no need...here's a rundown of his po po woes.
Way back in February of 2017, Ric was driving up to Tennessee to visit with his nephew at a University in Knoxville, when he was stopped on I-75 in the middle of nowhere in Georgia because he was speeding. The cop then ascertained that Ric was under the influence of some drug and arrested him for his 4th DUI charge (the other 3 being in Florida). Ric refused a blood test and was put in jail. After he posted bond and was out on bail, he then went to a drug testing lab on his own and got tested, 48 hours after his arrest. Then he made his way onward to his nephew's and partied with him for a few days. Oh, and he had already partied with Joe and Company before his drive north where he says he may have taken a few "light puffs" of pot. Here's the post about all that.
After he's done with his Tennessee visit, he drives back through Georgia on his way home but stops overnight in Atlanta in order to search for a good lawyer. He picks a high priced guy who has a lot of praises. Ric spends several thousand dollars on this lawyer and the case drags on through multiple motions. The prosecution was fiercely going after him for full charges which could have included a jail sentence of up to a year.
Finally, I join Ric this week for his trial. I'm there not really for moral support, I guess I don't rate that anymore, Joe fills that niche I guess, but merely to be able to drive his car back if either he is jailed or gets his licence suspended. But shortly the night before the trial, Ric gets a text from his lawyer...the prosecutor accepted a plea to speeding only...and the DUI, was dismissed. Chalk one up for spending every last cent you own to a lawyer. I guess it was worth it. Especially since, as I believe, he actually was guilty.
He knew he had a long drive ahead of him when he was partying with Joe and now we know Joe and Company are big time into coke. So...well, you put two and two together. I mean, Ric has been addicted to crack in the 90s, he was doing it while living with me at Lee Rd. and he admitted it was the reason he and a stranger were driving during Hurricane Charley in 2004 when he got his 3rd DUI. Oh yes kiddies, Ric's way worse than me with his substance abuse issues.
But despite his good fortune, Ric continues to be an emotional wreck, as he always is in challenging situations, he acts ten times more narcissistic than usual and I'm the butt of all his jokes and jibs.
Throughout the trip he mocks me, belittles my opinions or judgments, and is just a general asshole the whole time. I let most of it wash over me since I know it's mostly his nerves, but the two days cooped up either in his smelly car or the shitty motel room he booked really got me thinking about our whole friendship in its entirety. I just can't see why I endure him anymore. But you know, it's not just him. I too am a narcissistic douchebag and I just throw it at him as much as he does me. And you know, it's always been this way. Yes, perhaps less intense as I felt it was this week, but we always throw shade at each other and not in a friendly joking way anymore. I think it started that way once we were used to one another, but now it's just downright fucked up. And if were sober, it's much worse 'cause without some liquid empathy, he and I just don't give a fuck for each other.
So like I joke in this quick video of him I shot as we left Georgia behind, I think I'm putting the "petal to the metal" outta sight of Ric for good.