So I've been absent for a few weeks. Here I am.
When you're at a cross-point in your life, you start to question any and everything. Why would God take innocent people from Earth in such a harsh manner? Why are 18 year olds old enough to die for this country but not old enough to drink a beer?
I had finally saved up enough money to buy a ring for a certain special someone in my life. She has no clue what I'm planning on doing. I had been saving my money for months just to see the expression on her face that will only last a few seconds.
Word of advice to those who still carry all their money in cash: Don't.
Earlier this week, I had someone really close to me pass away. The man had always been a father figure in my life, always helped me when I needed it. When I was 15 and knew nothing about cars, he'd take me to his garage and we'd spend hours each night dropping a V8 into an old 1980 Camaro. Much to my shock, he gave me the car when the project was completed. Whenever I had money problems or car problems, he was always there to fix it.
I wish someone could have been there when he fell into his uncovered pool. He was getting old and apparently couldn't make it out of the freezing water.
I had lost friends and family members to death before, but it never hit me as hard as this. I thought I had it hard when I lost my girlfriend to a drunk driver. The night after I took her virginity nonetheless. I still blame myself for her death, she was killed on a road leading to my house. There was no doubt she was driving to see me.
Getting back on track-- the death of this man hit me hard. I couldn't just go into work the next day. I needed to get away from this area. I drove. Far.
When you lose someone close, you start to realize that this is indeed a short life and you can go at any minute. So, what do you do? You seize the day. But, why wasn't I seizing the day? Why did I jump in my car and start driving down the highway at 2 in the morning?
As I was driving, I came to the conclusion that I was going to buy the girl I care for more than anything in the world the most expensive ring I can afford with my money. As soon as I got back to my hometown, I was going to surprise her.
By daybreak, I was wondering what the hell was wrong with me as the sun glared off the hood of my old car and I had already been through three states. As the sun rose, I was still the only car on the highway. I happened to be driving by a hitchhiker-- usually I wouldn't think a thing about it and continue on my way. But, this guy was different.
He had a little boy with him.
The man carried a black Hefty back over his back, his greasy black hair had hints of grey. He hadn't shaved in a while. He was wearing a black stocking cap on his head, an old torn blue jean jacket and jeans in the same condition.
The boy was in a red t-shirt that read "Bugle Boy" across the front. It looked as if he changed oil on cars for a living because he had black spots all over his arms, shirt and face. He wasn't wearing a jacket or a hat. His arms were folded across his chest as he turned to look at me as I drove past.
I put on my brakes and backed up. Not once in my mind did I think about picking them up, I just acted without thinking. I do that alot.
"Yes sir?", the father looked at me. He wasn't looking for a ride, I could tell.
"Are you guys ok? It's awfully cold out."
"We're fine, just looking for a place to eat."
"Need a lift?"
"No, no. I can't ask that of you, but thank you anyway."
With that, he started to walk again, his son looking back-- obviously the half of the duo that wanted to get into the warm car.
"Wait!", I pulled back up beside them. "Can I please take you to your destination?"
The father looked down at his son, who was mumbling something back to him.
"Okay, there's a gas station a few miles up, can you take us there?"
"No problem."
"I don't have the money to pay you for gas. That's why--"
I interrupted him. "Then how are you planning on eating?"
"We'll find a way", he said as he placed his son in my backseat and hopped into the passenger seat. "We always find a way, right son?"
The little boy nodded as he chewed on his knuckles.
After I asked their names, which were Dave (the father) and Mitch (the son), I started to make conversation.
I didn't know how to approach it, but I was curious as to how a father and son ended up on the streets. After some beating around the bush, I just asked him. He told me that he made the mistake of marrying a woman he didn't even want to be with. After they had Mitch, the wife started to go out and party to rekindle the days of her youth. Dave never told me what he did for a living, but he told me that he had to work overtime to keep up payments on their two cars and their home. He might not have been rich, but he did have cars and a home. Long story short, they kept fighting and eventually got a divorce. Unfortunately, the wife somehow got the house and a huge sum of money. Dave lost his job due to the stress of the divorce and tried to give his ex-wife custody of Mitch. She wanted nothing to do with the boy, she was too busy with her wild lifestyle.
"And here we are", he said.
I didn't know what to say.
After I pulled into the gas station, I offered to buy them their meal. I pulled my wallet out of the center console of my car, took out a ten, and placed the wallet back. I walked inside the station and grabbed two cold sandwiches from the freezer section, two sodas, and two bags of chips for the guys. As I was walking back to my car, I didn't see the two sitting in it.
I looked around and saw nothing. I threw the bag of groceries into the passenger seat and walked around the back of the gas station-- nothing. I walked back to my car
With one last glance around, I cranked up the car and headed back home. I reached into the center console a few miles later out of curiosity. My wallet was still there. So was my money. They took off and didn't even take the opportunity to grab hundreds of dollars of cash?
I looked down in my seat and saw the sandwiches and sodas that they were supposed to be enjoying right now, then turned my car around and headed back to the gas station. It took some driving, but I eventually found them walking down the entrance ramp to the highway.
I pulled up beside them and held the back out the window. The father wouldn't come up and grab it.
"No thank you."
"Look, I'm going to drop this bag right here. If you don't eat it, the birds will. That would be just a waste, now wouldn't it?"
I dropped the bag and slowly pulled off. Dave eventually walked up to the bag and picked it up. I could make out a smile as he looked up at me through my rearview mirror.
My wallet had a little less money in it as I drove home, but the ring can wait a little while longer.
When you're at a cross-point in your life, you start to question any and everything. Why would God take innocent people from Earth in such a harsh manner? Why are 18 year olds old enough to die for this country but not old enough to drink a beer?
I had finally saved up enough money to buy a ring for a certain special someone in my life. She has no clue what I'm planning on doing. I had been saving my money for months just to see the expression on her face that will only last a few seconds.
Word of advice to those who still carry all their money in cash: Don't.
Earlier this week, I had someone really close to me pass away. The man had always been a father figure in my life, always helped me when I needed it. When I was 15 and knew nothing about cars, he'd take me to his garage and we'd spend hours each night dropping a V8 into an old 1980 Camaro. Much to my shock, he gave me the car when the project was completed. Whenever I had money problems or car problems, he was always there to fix it.
I wish someone could have been there when he fell into his uncovered pool. He was getting old and apparently couldn't make it out of the freezing water.
I had lost friends and family members to death before, but it never hit me as hard as this. I thought I had it hard when I lost my girlfriend to a drunk driver. The night after I took her virginity nonetheless. I still blame myself for her death, she was killed on a road leading to my house. There was no doubt she was driving to see me.
Getting back on track-- the death of this man hit me hard. I couldn't just go into work the next day. I needed to get away from this area. I drove. Far.
When you lose someone close, you start to realize that this is indeed a short life and you can go at any minute. So, what do you do? You seize the day. But, why wasn't I seizing the day? Why did I jump in my car and start driving down the highway at 2 in the morning?
As I was driving, I came to the conclusion that I was going to buy the girl I care for more than anything in the world the most expensive ring I can afford with my money. As soon as I got back to my hometown, I was going to surprise her.
By daybreak, I was wondering what the hell was wrong with me as the sun glared off the hood of my old car and I had already been through three states. As the sun rose, I was still the only car on the highway. I happened to be driving by a hitchhiker-- usually I wouldn't think a thing about it and continue on my way. But, this guy was different.
He had a little boy with him.
The man carried a black Hefty back over his back, his greasy black hair had hints of grey. He hadn't shaved in a while. He was wearing a black stocking cap on his head, an old torn blue jean jacket and jeans in the same condition.
The boy was in a red t-shirt that read "Bugle Boy" across the front. It looked as if he changed oil on cars for a living because he had black spots all over his arms, shirt and face. He wasn't wearing a jacket or a hat. His arms were folded across his chest as he turned to look at me as I drove past.
I put on my brakes and backed up. Not once in my mind did I think about picking them up, I just acted without thinking. I do that alot.
"Yes sir?", the father looked at me. He wasn't looking for a ride, I could tell.
"Are you guys ok? It's awfully cold out."
"We're fine, just looking for a place to eat."
"Need a lift?"
"No, no. I can't ask that of you, but thank you anyway."
With that, he started to walk again, his son looking back-- obviously the half of the duo that wanted to get into the warm car.
"Wait!", I pulled back up beside them. "Can I please take you to your destination?"
The father looked down at his son, who was mumbling something back to him.
"Okay, there's a gas station a few miles up, can you take us there?"
"No problem."
"I don't have the money to pay you for gas. That's why--"
I interrupted him. "Then how are you planning on eating?"
"We'll find a way", he said as he placed his son in my backseat and hopped into the passenger seat. "We always find a way, right son?"
The little boy nodded as he chewed on his knuckles.
After I asked their names, which were Dave (the father) and Mitch (the son), I started to make conversation.
I didn't know how to approach it, but I was curious as to how a father and son ended up on the streets. After some beating around the bush, I just asked him. He told me that he made the mistake of marrying a woman he didn't even want to be with. After they had Mitch, the wife started to go out and party to rekindle the days of her youth. Dave never told me what he did for a living, but he told me that he had to work overtime to keep up payments on their two cars and their home. He might not have been rich, but he did have cars and a home. Long story short, they kept fighting and eventually got a divorce. Unfortunately, the wife somehow got the house and a huge sum of money. Dave lost his job due to the stress of the divorce and tried to give his ex-wife custody of Mitch. She wanted nothing to do with the boy, she was too busy with her wild lifestyle.
"And here we are", he said.
I didn't know what to say.
After I pulled into the gas station, I offered to buy them their meal. I pulled my wallet out of the center console of my car, took out a ten, and placed the wallet back. I walked inside the station and grabbed two cold sandwiches from the freezer section, two sodas, and two bags of chips for the guys. As I was walking back to my car, I didn't see the two sitting in it.
I looked around and saw nothing. I threw the bag of groceries into the passenger seat and walked around the back of the gas station-- nothing. I walked back to my car
With one last glance around, I cranked up the car and headed back home. I reached into the center console a few miles later out of curiosity. My wallet was still there. So was my money. They took off and didn't even take the opportunity to grab hundreds of dollars of cash?
I looked down in my seat and saw the sandwiches and sodas that they were supposed to be enjoying right now, then turned my car around and headed back to the gas station. It took some driving, but I eventually found them walking down the entrance ramp to the highway.
I pulled up beside them and held the back out the window. The father wouldn't come up and grab it.
"No thank you."
"Look, I'm going to drop this bag right here. If you don't eat it, the birds will. That would be just a waste, now wouldn't it?"
I dropped the bag and slowly pulled off. Dave eventually walked up to the bag and picked it up. I could make out a smile as he looked up at me through my rearview mirror.
My wallet had a little less money in it as I drove home, but the ring can wait a little while longer.