Return of the prodigal??

Got home today to an email from Steeve…

Now to sum up, this guy was my best friend until some time in 2006 when he basically dropped off the face of the earth after using my credit card without telling me. At that time, we had been best friends since 1995.

I discovered some time after that, through a mutual friend, that he probably had a drug problem (friend found a meth pipe in his freezer, after he had stayed there). I hadn’t known but wasn’t terribly surprised unfortunately… Since then, I received two text messages (on my birthday both times) and an email (also on my birthday), both of which consisted of wishing me happy birthday and telling me he loved me.

So I open my email and I have this waiting for me: (french is his first language)

Hallo,
I have a favor to ask you, I know you don’t owe me any, and it’s may be not appropriate for me to ask. I don’t know.
I’m just starting to put my life back on the right track, I want to move back to Canada, and i would like to know if i can use you as a reference.
Believe me Mayim, if you say no or don’t reply I will understand. I’m the one who srew up, and i know that i need to pay for the consequence of my choice.
 
I’m really sorry for my action toward our friendship, I really am.  I know those are just words, but they are a first step.
 
(i have been reading your blogs, about the theater and your play, are you still working for those two placecment agencies?)
 
please if this offend you, just delete it.  the last thing i want is to cause more negative.
 
I’m sorry to have to ask you this, please believe me i’m doing everything to change, I re start talking to my parent last year, I’m moving back to Canada in January and i’m trying to get a stable job ( that why the reference, i need two references, and saddly i don’t have two references) and this is no one else fault then my.
 
Steeve x
 
To say that this was unexpected, is an understatement.
I’m not completely sure what to think of this. I’m glad to see he seems to be getting his life back under control (or so he says). I don’t have a grudge towards him, I forgave him a while ago (which I realised when I read the letter), but it’s definitely not ‘carte blanche’. I want to help him, but I know first had what it’s like to deal with an addict (which I can only assume was the problem, seeing as I have no info). He wasn’t always easy to deal with even when there wasn’t an issue (passive aggressive and manipulative at times, which I saw much clearer from a distance), so I don’t know how I feel about his possibly being back in my life.
 
I missed him enormously for a while, and I was very angry for a long while too, but I had moved on… am I ready to turn my back on him.
Of course I’ll help in terms of references, I mean I won’t lie, but we did work together, so I can be a work reference, they can decide for themselves why his reference is from 2005, I won’t be twisting the truth for him.  I also don’t know where he’s moving, but if I know him well, the question about the placement agencies, probably hints that he’s thinking of moving here…  That could be problematic…I’m not sure I would know how to deal with him. I don’t think I’d be able to completely turn my back on him. aargh! And now I’m supposed to sleep as I have my internship tomorrow.
 
Weird to think he’s 40 now…