I think Donna has started using drugs. I stopped by the motel (yeah, they still live there, for fuck's sake) on my way to Christine's. She seemed mostly mellow, except she kept biting at her lip, and she's got nasty sores all around her mouth. She says she's exhausted, although she hasn't actually done anything all day, and she was upset because Akristia took off to go to the pool instead of sticking around to watch the boys. So she could do what? Nothing, she's just exhausted. Maybe she has the decency to not do it in front of the kids?

She claims that they're going to leave the motel. But since it doesn't sound like they're getting evicted, I'm sure they're not going anywhere any time soon. And - surprise, surprise - Brian doesn't have a job anymore. "His boss laid him off 2 weeks ago, and he's been doing odd jobs."

I'm sure that, by my standards, any job he's doing would probably seem pretty odd. Once again, what a muthafuckin' waste of skin he is. There is so much construction going on around here. All you have to do is be able to pass a piss test, and you can get hired on at just about any job site. They're so desperate for reliable workers that they don't even seem to care if they have experienced workers. Any able-bodied person can dig a trench, haul materials, or whatever other grunt-work there is to be done. The pay is good, even for ol' Manuel LaBor. Lazy, lousy, meth-headed assholes. I don't think I can go over there anymore. Not if she's tweaking. I don't want to be around or associated with it, and I don't need the sour feeling in my stomach when I leave those beautiful little boys of hers with her.

the last trail...the next path