Steve, Age 53: Beelzebub to Servant

   Steve thought of himself as the devil incarnate. Intimidation was his motto. When only nineteen, Steve was arrested on a series of criminal charges. He pleaded insanity to avoid a harsh prison sentence, and he was sent to a mental health institution for ninety days. Even though everyone thought he must have been crazy to do the things he’d done, he was not mentally ill -- just bad.

   He wasn’t afraid of hitting anyone: his nose was broken eight times, and his face became covered with battle scars. Being arrested and placed in jail more times than he could count, Steve developed scars on his arms and wrists from repeated handcuffing. He once faced forty-three years in prison.

   By adulthood, each day began with Steve drinking a can of beer that he had placed on his headboard the night before. This made him vomit. Afterward, he went to the refrigerator and grabbed a second can of beer -- and then another, and another …

   In addition to being an alcoholic, Steve used drugs heavily. Every time he was invited to someone’s house, he went through the medicine cabinet in their bathroom, stealing the prescription drugs. Steve owned a drug reference guide and knew what every available drug would do for him. Most Friday nights he bought an “eight ball” of cocaine. He was paranoid that someone might steal it or that the police would catch him, though, so he ran into his house and locke ...