A former friend of mine, who was never too swift, works as an exterminator, has been doing so, as far as I know, for like 5 years or so. He would tell me about how he wanted to do some side business and would pour a little of the pesticide juice into a coffee cup or paper cup and save it for later so he could fill a jug at home or whatever. I tried to explain to him that he shouldn't be fooling around with that stuff like that, but he ignored me.

We had a falling-out some years back, but I have to admit he seems a changed man. More angry at the world, more stressed-out, and seems to have had some problems with perceptual awareness. I think he's sort of running on automatic these days, if you know what I mean.

I don't think he quite understands that long-term exposure to pesticides, along with crawling in asbestos-filled attics and such, breathing in cockroach scat, it's all going to catch-up with his heath much sooner than he realizes and either wind-up with cancer or neurological problems. Doesn't help that he smokes like 2 packs a day. Last time I saw him, he seemed a man living without joy.