13th
As I wrap up this story, I’m preparing for a conference halfway around the world. I am stressed about deadlines and long flights and jet lag. A friend stops by and suggests I smoke a joint so I can relax. I turn down the offer. Another friend, a doctor, drops off samples of Provigil, “just in case.” I also have a prescription for the antianxiety drug Klonopin in case I cannot cope with turbulence or a snoring seatmate (I’m flying in what I call Deep Vein Thrombosis Class).
At first I put the drugs aside, telling myself they aren’t for me. Then I reconsider. Everything we experience has an impact on our neurobiology. I will not be exactly the same after my journey whether I take Provigil or not. But if I take the drug, it might enhance the trip by helping me focus at the conference. And is it really a less natural way to augment my life than flying 38,000 feet above the planet at 500 miles per hour? I tuck the pills into my carry-on bag and go.
