That's Ole Vern (from my award winning new book...FAKE NEWS)

I  REMEMBER distinctly 

looking up at 6 firemen.

Me, flat on my back, them in full fireman-costumes with the helmets & all, looking down...

like firemen do . . .

when you make an honest pharmaceutical error, (regarding my first experience with methadone, alcohol AND the benzos, it could have happened to anybody)
resulting in a black out
smack dab
in middle of the Sunset grill.

(good thing it was lunchtime for Music Row, and wasn't very crowded)

IT ONLY TOOK SECONDS for me to quickly get my bearings, snap back to life, remembering that I had outstanding warrants,
and knowing the authorities would be there in minutes
proclaiming to my astonished caregivers . . .

"I'M FINE!...sorry. 

GOTTA GO!" . . .

right before bounding out the patio doors and scampering over the fence, and away down the alley.

"DON'T YOU WANT US TO AT LEAST CHECK your blood pressure? ",
                  one hollered as I hurriedly exited, knocking over a tray of drinks.

THE EXPENSE account lunch people just sat there for a minute...

thought their tiny thoughts in their tiny little minds 

eating their tiny overpriced salads 

before it must have occurred to someone...

"Shit, that's ole Vern . . . 

                                      I thought he was in Australia!"

from the award winning new Vernon Rust book FAKE NEWS on Amazon  http://a.co/ctBGQiF