Whiskey Lullaby

There is nothing sadder than watching someone backslide.  You know those people, the ones who had some nasty problem/addiction/emotional problem in the beginning, overcame it for a while, showed what an awesome person they were and how much potential they had to be even better...only to later fall right back into the same trappings they were caught up in before, all the good shit down the toilet.  What makes it worse?  The excuses they have for doing so.."My family member is sick/I have no job/My boy is going to jail/It's Mardi Gras/St. Patricks Day/Christmas/TUESDAY."  Meanwhile, listening to this neverending word vomit, you're looking at this person thinking, 'this is the saddest fucking thing I've ever seen, the whites of his eyes and his skin are yellow, and I know he's got a half a pint stashed in his backpack.'  Ever that steady, caring person, I still try to be that rock for him, to try to beat him with compassion and empathy and show him that someone gives a fuck and he doesn't have to do this to himself, and just like every other time, I have made zero progress. Its true what they say; you can't help an addict, they have to be willing to help themselves.  Its my choice whether or not I want to watch the self destruction...
He has become a walking train wreck.  Things are falling apart all around him, and his solution is to drink it away.  I can't watch anymore.  I did everything I could, even (stupidly enough) suggesting we attempt to reconcile, partly because he needs someone who knows him like I do to keep him on the straight and narrow.  After I said it, I realized what a dumb idea it would be.  Theres no spot for me there with him anymore, and its not my job to keep him from slowly killing himself.  As much as i don't want to see it happen, I'm not trying to stop it anymore.  I have to step back and wash my hands of him completely.  I just hope for his sake, and for his family's, he gets wise sooner rather than later.