An intervention

I've begun an intervention program to help my aunt's dogs. Her golden retriever, Sophie, is an addict. She can't go more than one day without a fix. Drugs are a comfort that help her escape the reality she faces every day. Of course, addiction doesn't impact just the addict, but also those around her. Sohpie's addiction has spread to Misha, her younger and more impressionable Newfoundland counterpart. Now both are totally hooked and may never escape.

The drug they cannot do without is that nefarious plant, the C. limon, commonly known as "lemon." Addiction to lemon is very rarely reported. It is common to simply squeeze a bit of the extract into a beverage, or cook slivers of the skin into baked goods. Many people take lemon not for the high they get, but for the flavor itself. However, these seemingly innocuous ingestations of the lemon may eventually turn sour. This is the case with Sophie and Misha.

The physical consequences of lemon addiction vary, and may include unconscious facial spasms, gaseous discharge, and in Sophie's case, vomitus. Because of the long growing season, the several lemon trees in the back yard provide the dogs with a constant supply of the drug nearly year-round. Therefore, intervention will be difficult. It is my hope, however, that Sophie and Misha can finally acknowledge their addiction and begin the difficult path to recovery and freedom from dependence.