"Drinking like a fish"

I asked Son 1 if he has heard anything from the job he’s supposed to start this week. He said he talked to them and got very ambiguous answers, but it’s clear he won’t start for a couple of days. So next I asked if he’d prefer to stay with Wife until that changes – or until Friday, whichever comes first? (If there were no job, Friday is when he would normally come back to my apartment.)

 

Son 1: I think so.

 

Hosea: OK. How is she doing? [I was remembering his remarks that Friday she was in a bad spiral.]

 

Son 1: She’s been great the last few days. Saturday she was great. Sunday she was good, Today she went to physical therapy on time and without me getting her going. Friday was the issue because she was drinking like a fish.

 

Hosea: Oh. Yeah, both of you [Sons 1 and 2] have pointed out that makes the depression way worse. (In retrospect I realize I saw the same thing but I didn’t frame it as clearly.)

 

Son 1: I’ve been working with her to only drink in the evening. I’m not going to say it’s verboten because that’s not going to work.

 

Hosea: Right. Well technically you could ask her not to drink when you guys are around – she once asked Grandpa [i.e. Father, my dad] not to drink when she was around – but maybe that’s less likely to work. And getting some progress is always better than none, so you work with what’s possible.

 

Son 1: Bingo.

 

Hosea: OK. Good luck and keep me posted about the job thing.

 

Son 1: Roger that.