The Greatest Assist (Patrick Kane)

5| The Root Of All Problems

Chelsea

Working with Patrick is a lot harder than I thought it would be. I knew he was a handful, but I'm kind of scared that if I leave him alone he might die. I know he's survived this long without me but I'm not really sure how. He's 22 years old, there isn't much he couldn't do, there was just a lot he didn't know how to do that concerned me. He didn't know how to do laundry, he's never cooked before and barley knew his own schedule. I get that he is one of the untouchables in the hockey world, but a lot of his problems root from him not understanding what it really means to live on your own. To be able to survive in this world that was so pretty on the outside but dying slowly on the inside. He's been shipped around his whole life having everything handed to him then they threw money at him and left him alone and told him have at it. Of course he got himself in trouble, there's people telling him to do everything except stay grounded. At this rate I don't even see how his liver is going to hold up from all that drinking and crap he puts in his body. He had a lot of problems to try and figure out, I don't even know where to start.

"Why do you drink so much" I wonder as I hang around at his place. I was going over his schedule for October since it was right around the corner but I just had to ask. Try to get to the root of this huge issue in his life.

"Why not" he shrugs.

"That's not even a excuse for drinking. Have you ever even thought about why you drink" I wonder.

He sits there for a second and for once he thinks before answering me. "Not really" he admits. "I didn't go to college so I never got to experiment with the drinks there. I came here and when no one else was there for me the drinks were. And they've never let me down" he claims.

"You got arrested this summer for public intoxication, getting into a drunk altercation and you could have gotten a dui the other night. I think it's let you down a few times before. Do you not care what the stuff does to you" I question.

"Don't try to shame me. You drank too" he reminds me.

"And I knew when to stop" I argue.

"You know, you're just like everyone else. You think I'm a immature drunk who doesn't know how to take care of himself" he pouts. He was a actual child, I swear it.

"I don't think that" I sigh.

He stops playing his video game to turn to me. But I keep my eyes on the notebook I carried around when I was working with him. I write down things I think I'll need to know, but he was harder to read than brail at some points. "Why do care what I do with my life. With my career" he wonders.

"Because believe it or not, I think the world of you. And maybe not the you I see right now but the you I see deep down. Behind all the alcohol and flashy goals is a little boy who loves his family. Who makes sure I know they get to come to as many games as possible and that they're happy. The little boy who plays hockey not for the fame or attention but because your talent and passion drives you. Not how many numbers are on your checks.

I know it's hard to believe, but I don't want you to be that stereotype I hear all too often. I don't want you to drink your life away just because you can or become be some emotionless robot athlete. You just make it too easy for people to paint you as the bad guy" I shrug.

"I know I do. I've heard it from my family, my friends, the organization. I know my drinking habits are less than ideal, but it helps when nothing else does. I forget who I am and the world seems like a better place" he explains.

"But it's still the same world you've always been in. The only difference the alcohol makes is the fact you can't remember the bad when that stuff reaches your brain and you think that's a solution. Drinking doesn't fix anything, you should know that better than anyone. Just because you don't remember what you did or said doesn't mean other people don't. And now every time someone brings you up you're going to have this "but" attached to you. "He's good but he causes problems." "He's good but he doesn't know how to take care of himself." "He's good but I don't think he will ever mature enough to become great." And I don't want to believe what they're saying, but what have you done to prove them wrong" I ask him.

I see in his eyes that this was hard for him to hear. I don't think anyone has ever actually taken the time to get to the bottom of his drinking problem. No one was strong enough to tell him what he needs to hear and not what he wants to hear. Maybe they hope it's just a phase or maybe because of who he is a lot of people would look over it. But I can see that not so deep down he drinks because he can, not because he wants to.

"I don't know how to stop" he whispers softly. Now we're getting somewhere.

"Why don't you find some other type of release. You can work out or learn to do something crafty. Or yoga" I cheer.

"I cannot do yoga" he chuckles.

"You know a lot of the Lakers guys do it and they just won a championship not too much longer after you did. It helps with balance and agility and it can keep your body safe" I explain.

"I don't want people knowing I do yoga" he argues.

"But you're okay with them thinking you're a alcoholic who doesn't care if his career is thrown away for a few beers" I question.

He shakes his head as he looks back at me. "You're right" he mumbles. "I think I liked it better when everyone just told me what I wanted to hear" he claims.

"You're spoiled Mr. Kane, but don't worry. I won't treat you like everyone else" I assure him.

"I can tell" he teases.

"I know it seems like I'm being tough on you. But people become great from toughness, not because it was easy. I took this job for a lot of reasons but one of the biggest ones was to help you change your fate. To guide you in the direction of happiness and bliss. Not trouble and pain" I promise.

"I've never had someone actually care like you do. My friends drink with me, as long as they don't get as drunk as I do they're fine. But you won't let me do that" he notices.

"I've said it from the beginning. Sometimes we don't have to do one great thing. We can do a bunch of little things in a great way. Sometimes that's the best way to make a difference" I explain.

"Well it's not going to be easy, but I'm willing to try to step away from the beer. Just don't go in my fridge" he begs.

"I was in there earlier looking for a cup of water, instead I found enough beer to fill a dozen kegs. But if that lasts you a month I call that progress" I wink.