-
The Begining of Life
In the summer of 1982, Vikki and David Sheff await the arrival of their baby boy. On the dawn of July 20th their beautiful son Nic joins the world. “ We are among the first generation of self-conscious parents. Before us, people had kids. We parent. We seek out the best for our children- the best stroller and car seat recommended by Consumer Reports.” (Sheff, 20) Vikki and David want to raise their son the best way possible no matter what struggles come their way. -
A Kids Biggest Upset
Nic is four now and he's at the age were no kid should be hearing or watching their parents get into a disargeement. Vikki and David's marriage is over. What has happened between Nic's parents has hurt him hard and he goes to a terapist after the seperation is finalized. Both Vikki and David both want Nic in their life stil but Vikki is moving to Los Angles and the judge doesn't believe its good for Nic to leaving everything bhing. -
The Agreement
For Nic to still have both his parents in his life even though Vikki will liv in Southern California and David in San Francsico. During the school year Nic will leave with David. When school when school is let out for holidays and summer break Nic will be with Vikki in South California. -
Someone New Comes
At one of David's dinner parties he meets Karen. She is from Manhattan visiting her parents. She writes and illustrates childern's books. Karen and David's first date was at a friend's party on Upper East Side. Over the course of ssix months Karen vists and her and David talk on the phone and letters. And finally Karen gets to meet Nic. -
New Friend
Karen and Nic work together on making a long strip of butcher paper, creating an elaborately decorated scene in the park. Soon after Karen move in with David and Nic. In school Nic wrote a report about Karen- " She lived in a big loft on top of a resturant called Ham Heaven. Her loft was a cool place and you could light firecrackers on the roof... She decided to come back to San Francisco to be with her new family, which is my dad and me and her. (Sheff,32) -
It's Offical
"In May, Karen and I are married under roses and bougainvillea on the deck of her parent's house. Nic is now nine, is nervous, though we try to reassure him that everything will still be the same." (Sheff, 34) Karen teaches Nic French and they come up with a secert lanuage and code names for each other. Karen: Mama, Mamactia, or KB. Nic: Sputnik -
Weekly Wednesday's
Every Wednesday Nic, Karen, and David all drive to Karen's parent's house for dinner. Don is a retired docotr. Nancy his wife of more then fifty years, works everyday in the garden. None of their childeern live in San Francisco. When Wednesday comes arounf all of Nancy and Don's kids come a bring their families for dinner at their house -
New School and New Year
Karen. David, and Nic move by West Marin and build a house and painting studio in the Inverness gardern. Nic begins the sixth grade and is nervous out of his mind. Nics looks now a days include pants that ride low on his hips, a Primus or Nirvana T-shirt, a slupmed adolescent posture, and his red-orange tinged hair. -
Something BIG
Karen is Seven months pregant and she is reading a story in the nws paper on a Wednesday dinner and says that a twelve year old girl named Polly Klaas was abducted from her house while her mother was home and having a slimber party. The kids in Nic's carpool talk about what happened to her. -
Someone Enters the Family
Nic gets the gift of a babt brother named Jasper. Karen and David try their best to make the transition easy for Nic with Jasper coming into his life. But Nic loves having Jasper around and the baby fits into their life perfectly. -
A Change?
Nic has been showing signs that he doesnt want to hangout with the carpool kids anymore and spends most of his time with a group of boys with buzzed hair who skateboard, talk about, but do nothing about, girls, and listen to music. -
What's Going On?
After school one day when David picks Nic up for school before heading to their Wednesday dinner at Nancy and Don's. When Nic gets into the car David smells Smoke on Nic, and he denies that he wa smoking. Then confesses that he was hanging out with a group of his friends smoking but only took a few puffs. The next week, while Nic had a friend over and David was packing his bag he finds a small bag of marijuana. -
What's Going On at School?
Karen and David go to Nic's school to undertsand why Nic has been lying to them and why he has marijuana. His teacher says that he is doing fine in his schoolwork but has been hanging out with thr wrong crowd and the teacher shows Karen and David Nic's school binders and on it is graffiti drawings on it. -
Agian?
The freshman den calls the house one night say that he was suspernisous of Nic selling and buying drigs at school. When Karen and David talk to the den he says that he has a zero tolerance policy but he let Nic get a second chance. Nic has been talking to someone and next year will be a new leaf. -
Period: to
Congrats!
NIc is now thirteen and is graduating the eight-grade and is having a party with all his frinds at his house. Soon Nic is surpised by a little sister name Daisy. -
The Underdog
Nic's high school focuses on a lot of the programs in art, science, mathematics, english, foreign language, jourialism, and many more. The high school that Nic wants to attend is expensive, but Vikki and David are willing to pay the tutuion because their only looking for the best education for Nic. The school is located on a former military academy.Nic is playing on the freshamn basketball team and has gotten a role in the play. -
Summer Plans
Nic applied for a summer program to study in Paris. In Pairs he will be studying the language at the American University. Vikki and David both agree that it would be a good learning experience for Nic to go their. The prograsm lastes three weeeks. When the programs ends and David picks Nic up from the airport, he notices that Nic doesnt look right and no usually himself. Days later Nic states that he doesn's feel well and the docotr says that he at seventeen has a ulcer. -
A New Leaf
Nic is starting his sophomore year in high school. He promised Don that he would show up to the swim team practice, and kept coming to every practice after that. Don says that Nic is a strong swimmer. Don recruited Nic to the water-polo team and became cocaptain. -
Senior Year
Nic is a senior in high school now and has broken the school record for most missed classes. He has also recieved a lot of accpetance letters to most of the colleges he has applied to. Nic spends most of his time away from home and hangs out with the local stoners that David knows of. -
Turning Point?
Another Wednesday dinne at Nancy and Don's house and David trys talking to Nic. Their taking a walk down the block and Daivd notices that Nic takes out a joint and asks David if he wants some. Their share a joint together walking down the block. -
Graduation
Nic graduates high school. And Karen, Vikki, Daisy, Jasper, and David all go and support him. After the ceremony their is a little get together at his house and after a while Nic and his friends go to a small get together. -
Something Missing?
Its almlst Nic's eighteenth birthday. David one night notices that ome things are missing from the house. Nic has left and took cash, food, and a case of good wine. Nic is gone for two days after that before he calls home. Him and his friends are at Death Valley. -
Mood Swings
Nis gets arrested for not showing up to court after being cited for marijuana possession, and forgot to tell David. Nic is moody and now has a job as a barista, making espressos and streaming milk into coffe. After a while of working their Nic knows the regular customers. -
New Year
Nic is starting his freshman year of college at Brekeley. Nic's roomates seem to be serious students and want to focus. Conversations between Nic and his dad seem uneasy. Nic seems to be distracted and stops returning David's calls. Finally Nic confesses that school isnt working out and he wasn't ready to jump right into school. He moves back home. -
I'm In Trouble
Nic misses his curfew one night. David thinks that Nic will be home soon but when three comes around he starts to freak. Nic's friends havent seen him or heqard from him in the last 12 hours.Finally, Nic calls his dad and says that he needs help. Nic is in an alleyway behimd a bookstore in San Rafael. Nic is hinden behind a row of trash c ans and bins strewn with empty bottles, broken glass, torn cardboard, and grimy blankets. On the ride home David informs Nic that he is going to rehab. -
Drug Of Choice
Nic usues meth. He sleeps for much as twenty hours a day for three dyas straight. After three days Nic becomes depressed and withdrawn. Then Nic one day disappears again. -
Rehab: Take One
David and Nic drive to Oakland rehab. Nic talks to one of the people to undertsand why he shouyld be in the program. Nic says that he mixes drugs. Nic doesn't seemed worry about what he is doing to his body. The program isnt for him. One he is too old for the program, two he is resiting the tretament they are offering him. -
Ohlhoff Rehab
Nic is now at Ohlhoff rehab center and after three days Nic calls home and says that he does't want to there anymore. The nurses say that Nic is surly depressed and confrontatinoal and threatening to run away. Meth is by far the worse drug then most others. The program lastest twenty- eight days. On the thrid week family group sessioc Nic tells Karen and David that is doesn't want to go to college. -
Ohlhoff Rehab contuied...
On the fourth week of family group session Nic tells Karen and David that he need to stay in rehab longer and asks if he can move into a halfway house. After moving into a halfway house David calls to check in and finds out that Nic has vanished. -
Robbed Again
After Nic disappering for a period of time, David finally makes a move into calling one of David's former girlfriends and she tells David that Nic broke into her house and stoeln needles that her mom uses because she has cancer. -
Unexpercted Visitor
One night Nic shows up on Nacy and Dons front steps not looking like himself. Nic says sorry for scarying Nancy and he seemed to be high. Nic asks if he can have something to eat or drink and when he does get that he leaves before Nancy has a chance to call David. -
St. Helena
Nic has moved to another rehab center. St. Helena is similar to Ohlhoff's. But the only difference is that theirs more exercise with yoga and swimming and consultations with stff and psychiartrist. Counselors at Ohlhoff, people he met at meetings now work at St. Helena. Nic introduces his family to the friends that he made their. James is a businessman, he was addicted to Vicodin. -
Graduation From Rehab
After the four week session at St. Helena Nic graduating from rehab. He is able to still attend one of the colleges that he was excepted to and he grades didnt go that bad in college before he dropped out. Hampshire College. He goes back to college and lives in the sober-living dormitory. -
Heading Off To China
Nic and his girlfriend will be traveling to China for the remaindeer of the summer. They wil spend six weeks in Shanghai and then travel to Yunnan and Tibet. The day before Nic and his grilfriend leave for China Nic leaves without anyone knoing and stolen jasper eight dollars that he has been saving -
The Truth
David finds a journal in Nic room anf in it has all the stuff Nic has ever taken. Nic has disappeared again and doesnt return for many nights. -
Not Again!
A month after starting back in college Nic hsnt been answering beack Daivd's calls. He starts to worry that Nic has relasped again. Accroding to people David has talk to mostly everyone that has come out of rehab have relasped once or twice before they stop completely. Couple days later Nic seems to be back to normal and is enjoying his classes and courses he is taking. Nic and his girl sign up for a trip to China with the writing they do in their english class. -
I Can't Believe It
David wakes up in the middle of the night ans relazies that today Nic turns twenty. Nic still hasnt come home. One night Nic sends his dad an email, in the email Nic asks for help, money. Dacid helps Nic so he doesnt end up living on the streets and that's all he does. -
Contact With Vikki
Nic has been emailing Vikki asking her for help. " I'm in trouble. It has been a crazy couple of months, ultimately resulting in getting kicked out of the house. I had no money, nothing... I'm banned unless i go back to rehab. This is not an option. I have that education already..... aa and a higher power don't work for me. They leave me just as horribly empty as ever--"(Sheff, 198) Vikki gets another email from Nic later in the week. -
Checking In
Nic checks in with his dad ime to time. He attends AA meetings each evening with a band of Hazelden patients. Now with Nic being back in recovery, Nic is a little nervous about the Bay Area were he associated with meth,and helped his decision by his counselor to move to L.A. to live near Vikki. -
Herbet Housing
Nic moves into the Herbet House. He makes good friends with other patients and becomes close with the director of the program named Jace. THe Herbet House has strict rules and chores, and residents must attend nightly meets with a new psychiatrist. Nic's AA friends help him find a job with technology at Promises, another reowned drug and alcohol rehab program. -
Someone New
Nic tells Karen and David about his new roamnce a girl named Z. No one day Nic calls David heart broken and upset that he has broken up with him. A month later Nic stops returning David's calls. -
Gone Like The Wind
Nic has left again. David gets a call from Nic's cell phone and when someone picks up it isnt Nic. Daivd disconnects the phone and calls Vikki and they try everyone they know if they have seen Nic. Finally Vikki calls Z. and says that he called a couple mintues ago. A few weeks later Karen and David notice something strange. Nic has broken into the house. Nic then admits to Karen and David that he has relapsed. -
I'm Sorry
After being away from Karen and Daivd Nic gets his act together and writes a letter to Jasper explaining that it was wrong og his to take his money when he was so young and that still he probabyl doesn't know whats going on with Nic and his life as an addict. Nic tells Jasper that no matter what he will always be their for him because he loves Jasper and never wants anything bad to happen to him. Attacked to the letter is eight dollars that Nic owed Jasper. -
A Father Son Book
Nic has been sober for over a year and a half. David and him are righting a book explaining what was been happening to Nic and his life. -
Lies
Nic and Z. lie to David and say that they are working on a commrical were their is no signal. Later David finds out that Nic was lying to him and ended up in a crack house and called his god father and Vikki. -
Left Behind
Nic leaves Z. at a market four blockets away from Vikki's house and explains that he is going to break in to get some stuff so they can sell it to get money to buy food and probably drugs. -
One Last Chance
David and Vikki give Nic one last chan e to go to rehab. They call day in and out to everyone that will take him while he is in the hospital after almost killing himself with overdosing and adding and mixing drugs. The doctor says that he was ery lucky that he has been alive this long with all the drugs he has been mixing and adding.
