9-06-2002 | 1:31 p.m.

I just found out that my brother George has been missing for 2 days. Hasn't shown up to work. His phone is disconnected. And being 2 hours away, there's nothing I can do. I saw him last weekend when I was in the city. He showed up to my friend Michelle's house, stayed and hour and left. Seemed strung out on something - really jumpy and defensive. But then I've been worried for a while. No one else believed me when I voiced my concerns that he might be screwing with drugs.

His girlfriend Heather is pregnant; the baby is due in November. A little boy. I can't even get a hold of her. She doesn't work anymore.

My Dad went over to George's apartment and no one answered the buzzer. My Step-Dad was supposed to drive down there tonight to switch cars with my brother - since he hasn't been making lease payments in months (the car is under Step-Dad's name.) So, now we don't know where my brother is. My Mom and Step-Dad are going to go tonight anyway, and try to find George.

I can only sit here and wait. My brother works at the same company as my Dad, which is how we found out that he hadn't been to work in 2 days. One of the big bosses at the store my brother is at called my Dad. This is the second time in the past 2 weeks that George has been absent from work and not called with an explanation. As a favor to my Dad, my brother hasn't been fired yet - but this is his last chance.

So many people in my family have been lost to addiction. Please don't let my brother be next.