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Nic's Parents Divorce
At the age of three, Nic's parents David and Vicki divorced. David even says in the book, "No child benefits from the bitterness and savagery of a divorce like ours. Like fallout from a dirty bomb, the collateral damage is widespread and enduring. Nic is hit hard." (Sheff 6%) Throughout the book, Nic spends the school year with David in San Francisco, and holidays and summers with Vicki in Southern California. This is very hard for Nic, and could have led to his drug problems. -
Nic meets his soon to be stepmother Karen
Throughout Nic's childhood, he grows closer to Karen. They paint and draw together. They also look at art books and discuss artists together. Karen teaches him French and they play word games with each other. Nic sees Karen not only as a mom throughout the book, but also as a friend. Throughout the book, Karen helps David with Nic's drug addiction. Although Nic misses his real mom, he enjoys having Karen in his life. -
Nic starts hanging with the wrong crowd
When Nic enters seventh grade, he spends less time with the carpool kids and more time with boys who skateboard and listen to music. These kids aren't a good influence on Nic. One day when David picks Nic up from school he smells cigarette smoke. Nic admits that he did smoke a little with a group of boys. Later on, David finds a small bag of marijuana in Nic's bag. This is when Nic started to do drugs. -
David tells Nic about his past
David did drugs when he was younger, and he decides to let Nic know. David wrote in the book, "How can I tell him not to use drugs when he knows that I have? Do as I say, not as I did. I tell him that I wish I hadn't used them." (Sheff 17%) Knowing that David did drugs when he was young, might have led to Nic doing drugs. Since Nic learned this about his dad, he probably thought that it was okay for him to be doing the same thing. He thinks if it didn't hurt his dad, it won't hurt him. -
David smokes a joint with Nic
When Nic offered a joint to David, he accepts. David thought it would be a good way to bond with his son, because Nic had not been talking to him and there was tension between them. This did not help Nic with his drug problems. In fact, it made it worse. David was to desperate to try to connect with Nic, but it wasn't a very good idea for him to do that. This obviously was not a good influence on Nic, and it didn't help him stop doing drugs. -
Nic decides to attend Berkeley
When Nic decides to attend Berkeley college, he at first seems to be engaged in his classes. Then as time goes on he starts complaining about some of his courses. When David talks to Nic he says, " In some of the conversations that follow, Nic seems distracted, and then he stops regularly returning my calls." (Sheff 29%) Nic admitts that drugs are the problem and the he was feeling pretty depressed. So, he decides to come home and shortly after he disappears. -
Nic starts to use crystal meth
When Nic told his dad that he was using meth, his dad was horrified because had his own experience with this drug. His roommate Charles bought it, then later on died from it and other drugs. This was the reason he felt sick when Nic said he used meth. David did research on this drug, and found that it was the most malefic drug of them all. NIc could suffer extreme health risks from this drug. Farther along in the story it shows just how much the drug is affecting Nic physically and mentally. -
Nic overdoses and is sent to the hospital
One night Nic overdosed when he was out with friends. The doctor said, "If the EMT team hadn't responded right away, Nic would have been dead already," (Sheff 59%) This also showed readers how much these drugs are affecting Nic. Nic was very lucky to be alive and now has another chance to change himself. An hour later, David figures out that Nic checked out of the hospital without the doctor's orders. He disappears again. -
Ohlhoff Recovery
Shortly after David found out Nic was using meth, David took Nic to Ohlhoff Recovery in San Francisco. It was a well-liked program, and was recommended by many experts in the area. In this program there were counselors that David, Karen, and Nic could see. There were also family group sessions. Throughout his time in this rehab Nic starts to show signs of improvement and he moves into the Ohlhoff halfway house. Three day after that he vanishes and thinks that rehab was unnecessary. -
Nic attends a program at St. Helena
This program is similar to the one at Count Ohlhoff's. It includes more exercise, with yoga and swimming in the pool. Also, it has consultations with staff physicians and a psychiatrist. A counselor at the program said, " You will find Nicolas greatly changed, but he's feeling depressed. They all do when they're detoxing, and meth is the worst." (Sheff 44%) This program also had family sessions, but they were structured differently. During this program Nic makes friends, such as a chef. -
Nic takes Jaspers money
Nic takes his brother Jasper's eight dollars, which was his savings. This shows just how extreme Nic's addiction is. He is so desperate to buy his drugs that he steals from his own eight year old brother. Further on towards the end of the story he writes a letter to Jasper saying that he will be there for him when he grows up and be someone that he can depend on. He also gives him eight dollars to make up for what he stole from him. This show how he much he cares for his brother. -
Nic meets Randy
Nic meets Randy, who is an AA sponsor. Randy becomes a good friend to Nic and really helps him on his road to recovery. Nic and Randy go on long bike rides along the Pacific Coast Highway. Nic says that Randy inspires him, and "shows me how good life can be." (Sheff 62%) Later on in the story, Nic says that the bike rides give him a better rush then drugs ever did. This shows that he is really starting to recover. -
Nic goes to Hazelden/Herbert House
Hazelden is the nation's best known drug and alcohol rehabilitation center. The idea of this program was that the addicts would try to integrate recovery into their lives. Nic attends AA meetings with other Hazelden patients. Hazelden's program closed down so, Nic settles into the Herbert House. He makes a lot of friends, and becomes especially close with the director of the program, Jace. These recovery programs are really helping Nic. -
Nic is sober for 18 months then relapses
Nic is clean for 18 months and then disappears again. David tries to figure out where he is and calls everyone that knows Nic, and also places where he could be. This just shows how powerful his addiction is. Nic is gone for a bunch of weeks and then finally calls. He told David that he relapsed and is using meth and heroin. Nic calls Randy though, and says that he wants to return back to the program. -
Nic goes to rehab one more time
After disappearing yet again and relapsing, Nic had to go rehab. It was his last chance to change himself. Nic says he feels really guilty about it and that he didn't know why he relapsed. Nic is starting to recover again. When Vicki and David visit, a therapist says that Nic is doing well and that he is where he should be, considering everything. They do art therapy and Nic seems like he is starting to get his life back on track.
