Norwood woman accused of calling 911 for a date

According to Norwood police, Bernadette Music, 43, called 911 four to five time on July 26 looking for a date. Days later, officers arrested her on August 1 after she allegedly urinated in the hallway of her apartment building and charged her with disorderly conduct for both offenses. In a video on Channel 9's website, Music tells her convoluted side of the story, in which she seems to display classic traits associated with people with severe drinking problems: self pity (“when you‘re lonely you get depressed and it gets you to a breaking point“), defiance ("I’m very brave and bold. I tell it like it is.”) and minimalization/denial about the seriousness of the alcohol-induced offenses ("I'm not ashamed of it. What the heck, it happened, I didn't realize I did that.”).

Aside from the enormous cost taxpayers and society in general pay for police to deal with alcohol and drug-related crimes, the other story here is about a woman whose life is unmanageable, in complete disarray, and very much at risk. In a rational mind, this would be the humiliating rock-bottom incident that would drive one to seek treatment or a 12-step program. But this woman’s denial appears to run very deep. Miss Music, if you happen upon this blog, please get yourself the help you desperately need.

ADDENDUM: This Business Courier article says the latest Gallup poll reveals the U.S. drinking rate has risen to its highest level in 25 years. Roughly 67 percent of U.S. adults said they drink alcohol, with the higher the income of the respondents the more likely they were to drink. The increase is attributed to a side effect of the ongoing recession.