I can't wait for Tommy to lash out and outright reject this offer. Then Iris comes to Mary about it, and Mary tells her it's fine, Tommy doesn't actually need SAMHSA's help, he just needs even more quality (questionable) time with his mommy.
Looks like we're all done here. Weeks and weeks of slogging through Boring Beedie Garbage, and a slip of paper from Pharmacist PSA is our climax, denouement, and conclusion all in one.
I'll meet you poolside on Sunday with my tray of Kelk Krispies.
Remember how if you were sick in school and went to the school nurse that the only thing she was allowed to dispense was mints? They were very handy in case of toothache, cramps, flaming diarrhea etc. I wonder if the pharmacist is limited in the same way to handing out only nicotine gum?
I'm really disappointed. I was hoping for a story line where Tommy steals money from his mom's purse and is skulking in back alleys buying Vicodin from shady dealers and Mary comes in to lecture; then Wilbur comes back from Japan and takes him kite flying to help with his addiction.
This can't end without Iris running into Mary and thanking her profusely for all Mary's help. Without Iris hovering in the background, Tommy might have told Mr. Caring Pharmacist/Mr. Public Service Announcer to go pound salt.
Had Iris not been along as a witness, Tommy would have been able to blow off the helpful pharmacist and spiral down to where this kind of problem generally ends up. But let's tie a nice neat bow on the package. Since Mary advised Iris to spend more time with Tommy, it's a natural for Mary's "win" column and we are due for a couple of weeks of victory laps.
This is sad. I have a sister that is dealing with opiate addiction - has been for years - and in no way does this storyline resemble reality. My sister will be dead very soon due to her addiction, but Tommy’s life will be wonderful thanks to a helpful pharmacist. I’m sorry to vent, but today’s strip is just a little tough for me.
There was an anonymous comment on the previous post suggesting that Tommy would have moved on to street suppliers and probably heroin at this point instead of trying to con doctors and pharmacists. That's what I've been thinking all along as well.
Last year, a successful comedian and television writer, Harris Wittels, died of a heroin overdose. His progression from painkiller addiction (including rehab stints) on to heroin use follows that trajectory which unfortunately has become common. Wittels told a story on a podcast about scoring heroin for the first time and being scared for his life, but obvious his illness was in control. He was a more or less law abiding citizen with a good paying job and he found himself scoring heroin on the streets to support his addiction.
Since Tommy was locked up for selling drugs, it's so thoroughly Moy-like that he didn't go the street route and tried to continue to get his supply via doctors and pharmacies. Clearly, Santa Royale is a special place full of special people enveloped in a bubble that shields it from being influenced by reality.
What will happen when Tommy calls the hotline and gets a referral to an addictions treatment professional? I hope Iris added Tommy to her insurance.
If Karen Moy REALLY wanted to do a PSA about opiate addiction, she could have offered the readers the real hotline number, 1-800-662-HELP, not a mouthful of acronym...Or maybe a nice naloxone kit to counteract that overdose Tommy is heading for.
I forgot that the Santa Royale drug cartel got wiped out several years ago, so there are no illegal street drugs there. All the addicts either got legitimate subscriptions for heroin or they moved out of town.
Toots, didn't the drug cartel get wiped out at the shootout at the Santa Royalmart? I believe the result of that subplot was the cop boyfriend getting hooked up to the wi-fi at the hospital.
Agree with you Delilah. Was thinking the same thing, as my brother-in-law lost his daughter to addiction a year ago. For all our snarking, I was thinking how lightly KM is taking the whole addiction story line. Things like this usually do not end in a "happily ever after". My brother-in-law's daughter started with opiates, then went to heroin because it was cheaper and more available. If KM wanted to do a real life thing, Tommy Boy would be searching for a dealer, not going to Al Roker for help. Also, I've never met a pharmacist that gives out hotline numbers and public service announcements. But then, I'm from NY where things like this would never happen. Ugh, sometimes I hate KM so hard because I think she doesn't have a perception on how life REALLY works. Sorry to vent as well and sorry for your pain Delilah.
Panel 1 looks suspiciously like the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, where God's hand reaches out to touch the hand of his creation, Adam. Has the pharmacist created a new man in Tommy now? Or has he created a monster? Stay tuned ...
Also, before it's too late ... can we please, please, please see Tommy make out with DAWN? Just once? Please? I really want to see them as a couple. Maybe there will be a pool party where they can meet up? Hopefully, Mary will dissect the whole episode--praising herself, of course--with Toby over lemonade ... for at least a week! Yay!
Toots McGee, re: your question about Tommy on Iris' health insurance, we know from a previous strip that Tommy is 25. He still has one year to be on his mom's health insurance, so he'd better get moving with that treatment program...
This isn't the first "ripped from the headlines" story that KM has trivialized to an appalling degree. She must be even more clueless than her characters, which is really saying something. Delilah and Regina, sharing your stories must be very difficult, and I'm so sorry for you and your loved ones.
DWET @11:09 - Give it up. We almost never harken back to the prior storyline. Dawn is living happily ever after, lunching with her friends, doing yoga with her teacher, and becoming a professional college student. She and Tommy are destined to live parallel lives.
Delilah, Regina, please accept my sincere sympathy, and than you for sharing your stories. There's a wealth of compassion among the commentators to this blog. Many of us have expressed discomfort with this storyline and its trivialization of a desperate crisis. You have actually lived it. God bless you both.
Thank you all for your kind words. I see my brother-in-law's pain all of the time. He has been beating himself up thinking he could have done more. She went to rehab 7 times but he feels he didn't do enough. I just get mad that KM is taking something so serious lightly. We have a very bad heroin problem in Maine. It's no joke here and my husband's niece was no exception, unfortunately. Like I said, maybe KM should pick up a newspaper to see what goes on in the real world and not turn it into some silly PSA that would never happen. Sorry to be such a downer. I wish Mary would come back with some smug advice to Toby or Ian or Dawn.
@Carlye: Give it up? NEVER! I will dream of Tommy and Dawn's coupledom FOREVER! YESSSS!
Tommy, Dawn can give you the proper treatment for your organ failure!
Mary should swoop in at any moment, offering stiffly structured blueberry pie and platitudes! I, for one, can't wait! ...............................................................................
Regine and Delilah, I am very sorry for what you are going through. Thank you for sharing and putting this strip's nonsensical take on a serious situation in perspective. My thoughts are with you and your loved ones.
Don't be shy! I'd love to hear what you have to say about Mary Worth. Just keep it clean, that's all I ask. This is a FAMILY FRIENDLY blog. I don't want to moderate comments, but I will if I have to.
Oh, hey, that's a real thing. Cool.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait for Tommy to lash out and outright reject this offer. Then Iris comes to Mary about it, and Mary tells her it's fine, Tommy doesn't actually need SAMHSA's help, he just needs even more quality (questionable) time with his mommy.
Looks like we're all done here. Weeks and weeks of slogging through Boring Beedie Garbage, and a slip of paper from Pharmacist PSA is our climax, denouement, and conclusion all in one.
ReplyDeleteI'll meet you poolside on Sunday with my tray of Kelk Krispies.
Remember how if you were sick in school and went to the school nurse that the only thing she was allowed to dispense was mints? They were very handy in case of toothache, cramps, flaming diarrhea etc.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the pharmacist is limited in the same way to handing out only nicotine gum?
I'm really disappointed. I was hoping for a story line where Tommy steals money from his mom's purse and is skulking in back alleys buying Vicodin from shady dealers and Mary comes in to lecture; then Wilbur comes back from Japan and takes him kite flying to help with his addiction.
ReplyDeleteThis can't end without Iris running into Mary and thanking her profusely for all Mary's help. Without Iris hovering in the background, Tommy might have told Mr. Caring Pharmacist/Mr. Public Service Announcer to go pound salt.
ReplyDeleteCan Iris go back to the University now?
Had Iris not been along as a witness, Tommy would have been able to blow off the helpful pharmacist and spiral down to where this kind of problem generally ends up. But let's tie a nice neat bow on the package. Since Mary advised Iris to spend more time with Tommy, it's a natural for Mary's "win" column and we are due for a couple of weeks of victory laps.
ReplyDeleteThis is sad. I have a sister that is dealing with opiate addiction - has been for years - and in no way does this storyline resemble reality. My sister will be dead very soon due to her addiction, but Tommy’s life will be wonderful thanks to a helpful pharmacist. I’m sorry to vent, but today’s strip is just a little tough for me.
ReplyDeleteThere was an anonymous comment on the previous post suggesting that Tommy would have moved on to street suppliers and probably heroin at this point instead of trying to con doctors and pharmacists. That's what I've been thinking all along as well.
ReplyDeleteLast year, a successful comedian and television writer, Harris Wittels, died of a heroin overdose. His progression from painkiller addiction (including rehab stints) on to heroin use follows that trajectory which unfortunately has become common. Wittels told a story on a podcast about scoring heroin for the first time and being scared for his life, but obvious his illness was in control. He was a more or less law abiding citizen with a good paying job and he found himself scoring heroin on the streets to support his addiction.
Since Tommy was locked up for selling drugs, it's so thoroughly Moy-like that he didn't go the street route and tried to continue to get his supply via doctors and pharmacies. Clearly, Santa Royale is a special place full of special people enveloped in a bubble that shields it from being influenced by reality.
What will happen when Tommy calls the hotline and gets a referral to an addictions treatment professional? I hope Iris added Tommy to her insurance.
If Karen Moy REALLY wanted to do a PSA about opiate addiction, she could have offered the readers the real hotline number, 1-800-662-HELP, not a mouthful of acronym...Or maybe a nice naloxone kit to counteract that overdose Tommy is heading for.
ReplyDeleteI forgot that the Santa Royale drug cartel got wiped out several years ago, so there are no illegal street drugs there. All the addicts either got legitimate subscriptions for heroin or they moved out of town.
ReplyDeleteOriginal, rejected dialogue bubble text:
ReplyDelete1. "Pull my finger Tommy"
2. "Have a tape flag"
I've been away from the site for a bit, but when did Al Roker move to Santa Royale?
Toots, didn't the drug cartel get wiped out at the shootout at the Santa Royalmart? I believe the result of that subplot was the cop boyfriend getting hooked up to the wi-fi at the hospital.
ReplyDeleteAgree with you Delilah. Was thinking the same thing, as my brother-in-law lost his daughter to addiction a year ago. For all our snarking, I was thinking how lightly KM is taking the whole addiction story line. Things like this usually do not end in a "happily ever after". My brother-in-law's daughter started with opiates, then went to heroin because it was cheaper and more available. If KM wanted to do a real life thing, Tommy Boy would be searching for a dealer, not going to Al Roker for help. Also, I've never met a pharmacist that gives out hotline numbers and public service announcements. But then, I'm from NY where things like this would never happen. Ugh, sometimes I hate KM so hard because I think she doesn't have a perception on how life REALLY works. Sorry to vent as well and sorry for your pain Delilah.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry, Delilah and Regina.
ReplyDeletePanel 1 looks suspiciously like the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, where God's hand reaches out to touch the hand of his creation, Adam. Has the pharmacist created a new man in Tommy now? Or has he created a monster? Stay tuned ...
ReplyDeleteAlso, before it's too late ... can we please, please, please see Tommy make out with DAWN? Just once? Please? I really want to see them as a couple. Maybe there will be a pool party where they can meet up? Hopefully, Mary will dissect the whole episode--praising herself, of course--with Toby over lemonade ... for at least a week! Yay!
Toots McGee, re: your question about Tommy on Iris' health insurance, we know from a previous strip that Tommy is 25. He still has one year to be on his mom's health insurance, so he'd better get moving with that treatment program...
ReplyDeleteThis isn't the first "ripped from the headlines" story that KM has trivialized to an appalling degree. She must be even more clueless than her characters, which is really saying something. Delilah and Regina, sharing your stories must be very difficult, and I'm so sorry for you and your loved ones.
ReplyDeleteDWET @11:09 - Give it up. We almost never harken back to the prior storyline. Dawn is living happily ever after, lunching with her friends, doing yoga with her teacher, and becoming a professional college student. She and Tommy are destined to live parallel lives.
ReplyDeleteDelilah and Regina--My sympathies. It is heartbreaking to have such sadness.
ReplyDeleteDelilah, Regina, please accept my sincere sympathy, and than you for sharing your stories. There's a wealth of compassion among the commentators to this blog. Many of us have expressed discomfort with this storyline and its trivialization of a desperate crisis. You have actually lived it. God bless you both.
ReplyDeleteThank you all for your kind words. I see my brother-in-law's pain all of the time. He has been beating himself up thinking he could have done more. She went to rehab 7 times but he feels he didn't do enough. I just get mad that KM is taking something so serious lightly. We have a very bad heroin problem in Maine. It's no joke here and my husband's niece was no exception, unfortunately. Like I said, maybe KM should pick up a newspaper to see what goes on in the real world and not turn it into some silly PSA that would never happen. Sorry to be such a downer. I wish Mary would come back with some smug advice to Toby or Ian or Dawn.
ReplyDeleteOhio is having the same issues--the local paper (Cleveland) reported 10 heroin/fentanyl deaths Labor Day weekend alone. Nasty stuff to put it mildly.
ReplyDelete@Carlye: Give it up? NEVER! I will dream of Tommy and Dawn's coupledom FOREVER! YESSSS!
ReplyDeleteTommy, Dawn can give you the proper treatment for your organ failure!
Mary should swoop in at any moment, offering stiffly structured blueberry pie and platitudes! I, for one, can't wait!
...............................................................................
Regine and Delilah, I am very sorry for what you are going through. Thank you for sharing and putting this strip's nonsensical take on a serious situation in perspective. My thoughts are with you and your loved ones.
This is all Tommys fault. I say we take him it back and kick the crap out of him. @Tough love.
ReplyDelete