Now out of school, and no intention of going back to school anytime soon, I decided to face the world. I was young, knew it all, and was ready to share all this wealth of knowledge without reservation to anyone who would listen. You could imagine my surprise when I found others who knew it all as well, but were much older and opinionated.
I stepped out into the workplace to become free of the clutches of my mom. So I started working at L.A.X. as a fueler for Northwest Orient, Southwest and several other airlines that Mercury Air Group serviced. That job lasted about a year before I fell asleep on the satellite and woke up to the call for fuel. I quickly started my Hydro-Cart and without getting my bearing, I pulled out with a sharp turn that ended up disastrous. Puncturing my sump tank, (the place where overflow fuel is stored) on the trailer that I parked next to, I now had a hazmat issue on one of the largest airports in the USA.
That didn't get me fired, but it put me on the hotlist and any infraction of policy waould now be punishable by termination. And so it was that I had started hanging out with a co-worker who liked to party. We would go out to the bars and play pool. We had great fun drinking and being stupid all night long with work only a few hours away. Until one morning, I just didn't wake up to the alarm. However, the phone was nice and loud and got a rise out of me in profund ways. Knowing I had totally screwed up, I decided not to pick up the phone and let it go to the answering machine where I listened to my now ex-employer tell me when my termination check would be available for pick-up.
I would then work for Guitar Center selling accessories and guitars in Redondo Beach and only be there for 6 months before I left for my ultimate challenge... The Marine Corps. Yes, I too would follow in my fathers footsteps and defend my country from enemies, ummm foreign and domestic? I must say that I was apprehensive about the causes my government took on around the world. As if I should wear a UN patch and police the world. Of coarse I would refuse to wear that or any other patch from any other nation or organization. I declared that I wouldn't fight for NATO or the UN and that, like my forefathers, I would fight for my homeland and defend her everyday in everyway necessary. The question was, is there anything necessary if it requires us to overthrow other nations and set up puppet dictators for our benefit? I couldn't bring myself to that conclusion.
Reviving my Christian walk, I left the Marine Corps with a Seperation on my DD-214 and at least I didn't get a dishonorable discharge. I'm most definately not afraid of standing up for what I believe to be right and even to this day, I still will. However, being 40 gives me a little more experience than I had back then. I have leared to be concise with my intelligence before starting a debate or standing up for what I believe. I realize that, if I am to be right, I must learn to listen and defend the true issues rather than the drivel people will sling during an arguement.
With all that behind me now, I found myself getting back into the church and even playing music for my church. I made great headway in that I was soon asked to lead the musical portion of the service on special occasions and eventually offered a position in the ministry. I fought long and hard with my Christianity and it definately had it's ups and downs. The oh so many times I have stumbled and returned, the hurt I have caused and pain I have suffered. It was never worth it to give up when the chips were down. I knew that I was being tried by God and I fell. But thankfully, He never gave up on me. He never quit and He never will. All I need to do is press on and keep fighting this fight.
Well life pressed on and I with it. Having been jailed in Mexico for having a surf-board, or being white, no-one really is sure what happened there; married to a model who was published in 16 magazine several years prior, divorced, and remarried. I had now faced a huge chunk of life that I had never anticipated. I was in love and kicked to the curb. Not just once, but twice. I didn't want a third time, but I am a man who gets lonely and needs that companionship.
In November 2001, I would sell everything I had, other than what I could carry, and move to Colorado. Not that I had intended to move there, but in stopping there to visit a friend, I fell in love with the place. I got a great job, a really great apartment, new church and friends to boot. I believed I was set. It felt like I had come home.
to be continued...
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