It really really really sucks balls when your friends are suicidal.

Mel, Dani, and the Alexes and I went to downtown Orlando tonight. Went to a club called Independent. Kicked ass. Tried to go to a bar called The Bank to see a band we'd met in the parking garage. Found out there was another $6 cover and decided not to go.

Found a place with a Norseman named Fat Bill who's going to do my tattoo. This is interesting, since last week (also on a Friday) I found some guy up at Old Town who's doing a drawing. However, I got a much better vibe from Fat Bill, so chances are I'm going to go back downtown instead of to Old Town to get it done.

If you're curious, I'll describe it to you. Once I have pictures, they may or may not be posted. The problem with original works is that if you show them off too much, they won't be original for very long.

So now it's nearly 1:30 in the morning, and we decide to leave relatively early - after all, things don't close till 2. As we're walking back to the parking garage, I think I hear my phone ring. I try to answer it - no luck. Three second connection is all. I tried to call KISS-Joe back, because he was the one who'd called, but it went to his voicemail.

He called me back again a minute later, though, and was very depressed and sounded like he was going to do something rather drastic. The little bit where he said "I can't go on" and then hung up on me and didn't answer his phone when we kept trying to call him back didn't help matters any.

So we all immediately headed into the car, and figured we'd start at his house for trying to track him down. This was a wise choice on our part, because we got there just after he did.

Let's put it this way: he's been sober for about ten years, and he opened a bottle of Bacardi Gold in front of me. A gallon-sized bottle. I snatched it out of his hands and took it out to Mel's car and locked it inside. He does not need to start drinking again. It almost killed him once.

I'd love to stay and chat, and may do so tomorrow, but I can't do so tonight - I decided that it would be less than wise to leave him alone entirely tonight, so I'm going to go back with him to his house for the night. Don't think anything weird, I sleep in the guest room, have done several times. Either way, though, Mel said he had a razor outside with him.

As I was driving, I was almost crying. I think the only reason I wasn't was because I had to drive.

I have to go. Send me an email or call me or something. I might even get it and respond. :)

Which reminds me - I need to see if he actually responded to the email I left him yesterday.