Tuesday, June 30, 2015

3. Mommy & Daddy Love You To Death
I told him I would laminate a copy of the drug test report for him.  He reacted as if he’d hit the lottery. I asked him about being nineteen with ten years of drug abuse under his belt.
“My folks lived off my dad’s inheritance. Life was one big party. We drank wine with dinner from the time we were little.  Dad called it ‘going European.’ When my twin and me turned ten, my mom threw a ‘double digit’ party.  We got to eat brownies from the grown-up tray.  When we were thirteen she coached us on how to get Adderall from the doctor. My mom would tell us, ‘when the world’s dragging you down, you gotta get a little high to break even.’ 
“Don’t get me wrong,” he said, picking at the seam of his t-shirt. “They loved us.  My dad wanted to give us the best childhood money could buy.  That included the best weed and wine.  If we had a hard day at school, my mother would hug us and give us her Valium.  She didn’t see any reason for people she loved to be unhappy. She almost loved my sister to death.” I didn’t say anything, as I thought of the people I’d known who had loved someone to death.

Today I will remember drugs can turn even love deadly.

Writing My New Story © 2015 by Ken Montrose
Other publications available at: http://www.amazon.com/Ken-Montrose/e/B001K8MG0S


(Just a reminder: Writing My New Story is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to anyone you might know is purely coincidental.)

Monday, June 29, 2015

Better Attitude
The next morning a broken water main turned my usual fifteen minute commute into an hour and twenty minute tour of Pittsburgh’s northern suburbs. I wasn’t smiling when I got to work.
I had just sat down when a gaunt white kid wearing a stained Led Zeppelin t-shirt poked his head into my office. “Wanna watch me pee?” he asked.  Let’s get this over with, I thought.
We crossed the hall to the bathroom.  When he took the specimen cup from me I noticed his hands were shaking.  “You don’t need to fill it more than a quarter of the way up,” I said, having no desire to be splashed.
When he was done, he handed me his specimen cup as if it truly contained liquid gold.  I told him he could wash his hands and I’d let him know the results in a few minutes.  He asked if he could watch me run the test.  I dipped the ten panel kit into the cup and counted to thirty.  After I put the bottom cap back on the kit, lines began to form on the test strips.  Each set of twin lines meant he’d tested negative for a particular drug.   When all ten panels showed negative, he let out a whoop.  “First time I’ve been completely clean in ten years!” 
His name was Sam.  I didn’t know much about him except he was nineteen years old, his life was a wreck, and at that moment his attitude was better than mine.

Today I will follow the lead of people with better attitudes.


Writing My New Story © 2015 by Ken Montrose
Other publications available at: http://www.amazon.com/Ken-Montrose/e/B001K8MG0S


(Just a reminder: Writing My New Story is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to anyone you might know is purely coincidental.)

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Writing my new story
"Whatcha writing?” my son asked when he saw me sitting in my favorite chair, laptop open.
“New story.  New characters.  Starts tomorrow,” I said, with a smile.  “I’m outlining the plot and fleshing in the characters.” I told him how my character’s lives made me think about my own.  “Writing fiction reminds me we get to write our own factual stories,” I added.
“Can I have $10?”
“What do you need $10 for?”
“Nothing, but you’re always in such a good mood when you start a new story.  I thought this would be a good time to ask.”
I gave him the ten. 

Today I will write a new story for my life.
Writing My New Story © 2015 by Ken Montrose
Other publications available at: http://www.amazon.com/Ken-Montrose/e/B001K8MG0S


(Just a reminder: Writing My New Story is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to anyone you might know is purely coincidental.)

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Epilogue: Friday Night
On a cool night in June, my wife and I sat at a picnic table, under an enormous white tent covering most of the Lutheran Church’s parking lot.  Between us on a grease-stained plate lay a single french fry, the sole survivor of a large order with cheese and bacon bits.  I smiled at my bride as I stood and held out my hand.

We held hands as we walked across the adjacent parking lot to the Catholic school.  Bending down to peer through the basement windows, we saw Father Tim calling numbers for the weekly bingo game.  A few middle-aged women sitting at a front table played twenty or more bingo cards each.  They only looked up to yell “Bingo!” or cast annoyed glances at young people and talkers.  Most of the other sixty or so people in the room played a single card.  Even with a microphone, Fr. Tim had to yell to be heard over their conversations and laughter.

“Bingo or pie?” I asked my wife. 

“It looks like a fun crowd, but I don’t see anyone we know,” she said. “Let’s split a slice of pie and get a whole one for the road.”  I suggested we split a whole pie and get a slice for the road, but I agreed to her plan.   We walked two blocks to the First Baptist Church for pie. 

First Baptist’s old minister had retired shortly after our boys played his church’s team for the championship. The new minister - a tall, thin, young man with sandy hair - sat on a folding chair behind one of about two dozen tables under another white tent.  His table was loaded down with pies of every kind. Several elderly couples sipped coffee as they shared remembrances at a nearby table.  A man in a wheelchair sat smiling as he faced the setting sun, his eyes closed, one hand keeping his dog from getting at the plate on his lap. A group of young boys gathered around a laptop, cheering on older boy playing a computer game.

The young clergyman bounced up as we approached. “Don’t you love Friday nights?” he asked, smiling from ear to ear and shaking my hand.  I did.  We ordered an apple pie and a slice of berry.  As he gave me my change he looked around and said, “We are truly blessed.”

Later that night Fr. Tim was walking to the bank to use the night deposit box.  A dope-sick twenty-five year old Yale dropout stabbed him for the bingo money.  Father Tim bled out on the concrete steps in back of the bank.  The man got the death penalty. Friday night was never the same.  People felt uneasy walking the two blocks to the Baptist Church. They began getting food to go from the Lutheran Church, until they stopped getting food there altogether.  Friday night was dead in two years.

Today I will remember - drugs kill the best of times and the best of us.

Life on Life’s Terms II © 2015 by Ken Montrose
Other publications available at: http://www.amazon.com/Ken-Montrose/e/B001K8MG0S


(Just a reminder: LOLT II is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to anyone you might know is purely coincidental.)

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Progress Not Perfection
A year after Marty’s girlfriend ransacked his house I ran into Benjamin’s girlfriend at a grocery store.  She was pushing a beautiful little girl in a stroller.  I was surprised she remembered me. She told me how Benjamin had cleaned up his act.  His bad habits, except one, had fallen away. 

She put her hands over her daughter’s ears.  “Those &^%$#$%^ scratch off tickets!  He still buys one every day.  He leaves the scratch off crumbs everywhere! We’re all going to die of some hideous form of cancer because the crumbs got into our food.” 

She talked about how Benjamin had been on the bubble, not drinking, but still surrounded by his addictions.  While thrilled he’d slid into recovery, she didn’t see him living out his natural life if he kept leaving the scratch off crumbs on their kitchen table. “I’ll cut him,” she said, laughing. “I’ll cut him with one of those &^%$#$%^ tickets.”

Today I will remember ‘progress not perfection.’

Life on Life’s Terms II © 2015 by Ken Montrose
Other publications available at: http://www.amazon.com/Ken-Montrose/e/B001K8MG0S


(Just a reminder: LOLT II is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to anyone you might know is purely coincidental.)

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

On the other hand
On the other hand, sometimes the universe has a way of getting even. I had always seen Marty as creepy old man taking advantage of a younger woman.  A year after he finished treatment, his twenty-something girlfriend cleaned him out.  While he was on an extended business trip, she had an estate sale.  She sold everything in their new home for pennies on the dollar.  When there was nothing left, she invited friends in to steal the copper pipes.  They tore out the wiring as well.  Just for spite they smashed the sinks and the toilets.  

His ex-wife put a picture of the ransacked house on Facebook with the caption “TRUE Colonial for sale. No indoor plumbing, no electricity. LOL.”

Today I will remember the universe has a way of getting even.

Life on Life’s Terms II © 2015 by Ken Montrose
Other publications available at: http://www.amazon.com/Ken-Montrose/e/B001K8MG0S


(Just a reminder: LOLT II is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to anyone you might know is purely coincidental.)

Monday, June 22, 2015

When good things happen to bad people
Six weeks passed without a word from the licensing board.  I called Mikey to see what happened. He told me Doc had agreed not to practice medicine for five years.  I said that seemed fair.  He snorted. “She was offered a cushy job by a big drug company. More money, no patients, lots of travel.  And don’t underestimate Doc.  She’ll find a way to keep everyone knee deep in Valium and Xanax without writing a prescription.” I asked him if he wasn’t a little angry about Doc’s good fortune.

 “I never waste time worrying about someone else’s good fortune. People used to say jail time was your debt to society for committing a crime.  My dad told me when you get away with something, you add a little interest to that debt. You get a little bolder. You do something that carries a stiffer penalty.  When the debt comes due, you owe much more than you would have had you been caught the first time.  Doc got away with one, but she added some interest.  Now she’s not so worried about the licensing board ‘cause she thinks she can work around whatever they do to her. Someday she’s gonna kill someone with her prescription pad, probably one of the twins.  The debt she’ll owe will be enormous.” 

Today I’ll waste no energy resenting bad people’s good fortune.

Life on Life’s Terms II © 2015 by Ken Montrose
Other publications available at: http://www.amazon.com/Ken-Montrose/e/B001K8MG0S


(Just a reminder: LOLT II is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to anyone you might know is purely coincidental.)

Sunday, June 21, 2015

Do the next right thing
We won on a buzzer beater by a kid named Longren. He drove through a swarm of defenders, got fouled three or four times, and through sheer will forced the ball toward the hoop.  Even some of the other team’s parents applauded his effort.

As we were leaving the gym I overheard one of the other team’s parents arguing with the minister.  The man was saying the rules allowed for a five minute break between games.  There would have been no shame in holding us to that.  In his opinion, giving us the extra half hour between games cost their team the championship.  He rambled on about how winners play just inside the rules, being a winner was no sin, and teaching the boys to win was an important lesson.

The minister shrugged and said, “It was the right thing to do.”  The man continued to argue, but the minister told him he planned to do the next right thing as well, no matter what the rules allowed. “It’s just the thing to do,” the minister reiterated as the man continued to argue.

Today I will follow the AA slogan ‘do the next right thing’ because it’s the right thing to do.

Life on Life’s Terms II © 2015 by Ken Montrose
Other publications available at: http://www.amazon.com/Ken-Montrose/e/B001K8MG0S


(Just a reminder: LOLT II is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to anyone you might know is purely coincidental.)

Thursday, June 18, 2015

How Kind
First Baptist won their semi-final game forty-five minutes before we finished ours.  According to tournament rules, we were allotted a five minute break between games.  The gym that had been a tolerable 75 degrees or so in the morning was by then a muggy 95. 

I watched from across the gym as the minister from First Baptist said something to his team parents.  Several looked at their watches, but most nodded their heads.  He stopped at the scorer’s table and motioned the referees over.  An older ref gave the thumbs up. The minister called Father Tim over.  They had a brief conversation.  Tim shook hands with the minister, the refs, the guy running the clock, and the woman keeping the score book.

It killed me not knowing what they had said. 

Father Tim told us to relax.  The minister had convinced everyone to give our team an extra half hour to recover from our game.  Even though we had beaten his team by fifteen in our last matchup, he offered our boys a chance to rest and absorb some fluids.

On paper, sixth grade church league basketball gave kids a chance to develop their skills, and learn the value of teamwork.  Winning wasn’t supposed to be important. In that light, the minister’s gesture was no big deal.  In the harsh light of reality, many parents relived their own athletic glories through their children, others tried to eradicate their disappointments the same way.  Families like Chad’s used sports to distract themselves from their many issues.  These folks needed their kids to win. Giving our boys an extra half hour was a kindness we hadn’t expected. 

Today I will be grateful for unexpected kindness.

Life on Life’s Terms II © 2015 by Ken Montrose

(Just a reminder: LOLT II is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to anyone you might know is purely coincidental.)

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Who won?
I called Fr. Timothy over and explained why I couldn’t accept $500 worth of gift cards.  He agreed to return them to Bob after the game. 

The next game was a semi-final matchup with the team we had barely beaten in the regular season. The game went into triple overtime. By the end, kids were moving at half-speed.  We used our timeouts to rest players.  Three of our ten players fouled out. 

We won, but the other team wasn’t dejected.  After the final buzzer, they were smiling, laughing, and talking with our players about this play and that play.  We had a hard time herding the teams together for the ritual postgame handshake line. They wished our kids good luck in the finals, and left the gym excited about their season ending ice cream/pizza party.

Sometimes it’s not the score that tells if you if you’ve won or lost.


Life on Life’s Terms II © 2015 by Ken Montrose

(Just a reminder: LOLT II is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to anyone you might know is purely coincidental.)

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Carded
I had enough time before the next game to really look at the gift cards.  One was for $100 at a tire center.  I doubted my car would pass its upcoming state inspection sporting the four bald tires I had been advised to replace eighteen months earlier.  Another $100 card was from a restaurant my wife loved.  Our anniversary fell one week before the car’s inspection sticker expired. The tire store sat less than 100 yards from the restaurant.  Coincidence, I wondered? Or does the universe want me to celebrate my anniversary without worrying about my car?  Six or seven rationalizations later I remembered the cards were a bribe.

Today I will beware of how quickly bad ideas grow roots.

Life on Life’s Terms II © 2015 by Ken Montrose

(Just a reminder: LOLT II is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to anyone you might know is purely coincidental.)

Monday, June 15, 2015

Before the fifteen shots this seemed like a bad idea…
That weekend KC and I were coaching the first playoff game when Chad’s father Bob walked over to the bench.  He handed each of us an envelope.   Bob said, “It’s a little ‘thank you’ for coaching. Win or lose today, it’s been a great season.” Looking directly at me, he added, “you should open them after the game, maybe at home.” 

We won the first game easily.  Between games we couldn’t resist opening the envelopes. KC’s held a thank you note and a $25 Starbucks gift card.  Mine contained gift cards totaling $500.  Either Bob’s family thought I deserved to be the highest paid assistant sixth-grade coach in the nation, or this was another bribe attempt.

It took an entire family befuddled by booze, Valium, porn, gambling, and/or drama, to devise the it’s-a-thank-you-not-another-bribe plan. I couldn’t judge them too harshly.  In my drinking days I consulted a brain so soaked in vodka it couldn’t tell a trash can from a urinal to decide if I was ok to drive. 

Today I won’t depend on a foggy mind for clear thinking.


Life on Life’s Terms II © 2015 by Ken Montrose

(Just a reminder: LOLT II is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to anyone you might know is purely coincidental.)

Sunday, June 14, 2015

Changes that Stick
I didn’t know it then, but I wouldn’t see Terry again for ten years. I ran into him at a conference on drunk driving.  He was running a DUI prevention program in the local schools.
Terry had finally matured in his fifties.  His program was highly regarded.  He had saved his marriage, and he was proud to tell me he was a much better grandfather than he’d been a father.
We talked about how people change.  Terry told me about a kid he had known who should have gone to jail, but grew up to become a widely respected District Attorney.  The DA was prosecuting the abusive husband of a woman Terry had met an AA meeting. Nobody had thought she’d ever find the strength to file charges, let alone follow through with the entire legal process.
“She’s a new woman, Ken.  Gives you hope, doesn’t it?” he asked.  “Sometimes the changes stick.”

Today I will be grateful for positive changes that stick.


Life on Life’s Terms II © 2015 by Ken Montrose

(Just a reminder: LOLT II is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to anyone you might know is purely coincidental.)

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Life, Recovery, Cars
Terry poked his head into my office as I was hanging up the phone.  He was done with treatment, and going back to work full-time in a few days.  We talked about transitions and how they’re almost always challenging.  He asked what I thought was the key to staying clean and sober.  I told him to remember the AA slogan, ‘don’t pick up the first drink.’  We talked about how not picking up the first whatever or whoever was vital to breaking any bad habit. “Don’t pick up the first drink, don’t pick up the first brownie, don’t pick up the first stranger,” I said.
“Change people, places, and things,” I added.  “Don’t rely on willpower, get rid of temptation instead.  One day at time enjoy good days, endure bad days, and know you’re one day tougher than you thought.”
 “Have a life,” I said.  “You will meet people whose sole focus is not doing something. They can’t wait to tell you what they don’t do, and how long since they’ve done it. You’ll know them by the way they act superior, but look miserable. They don’t really have a life.  I didn’t quit drinking to quit drinking. I quit drinking to enjoy the rest of my life. I hope you’ll do the same.”
“If life is a journey, recovery is just a vehicle,” he said.  “You’re telling me not to live in my car.” 

Today I will remember life is a journey, recovery is a vehicle, and I don’t want to live in my car.

Life on Life’s Terms II © 2015 by Ken Montrose

(Just a reminder: LOLT II is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to anyone you might know is purely coincidental.)

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

What’s Up Doc?
I know what you’re saying,” Bob said.  “My family needs to stop doing the sketchy stuff that gets us into trouble. If you help Doc get out of this mess, we can start cleaning up our act.”
He wasn’t getting it. “Forget the roller coaster and the train,” I said.  “Did you ever watch the old Bugs Bunny cartoons? In one of them Bugs is on a plane that’s about to crash.  Just before the plane hits the ground, he steps out.  The plane crumples into a twisted heap of metal.  He walks away unharmed.
“In real life you can’t just step out.  Your body is moving as fast as the plane.  You’d hit the ground at the speed the plane was traveling.  Getting Doc out of trouble would be like helping her step out of a nose-diving plane.  The case against her might crash and burn, but she really wouldn’t walk away unharmed.  She’d be more convinced than ever she was managing her family’s addictions, and that everything was under control.”
“So you’ll help her with the licensing board?” Bob asked. 
I stared at the phone, amazed at how disconnected from reality he was.  ‘Drink enough booze, do enough drugs, and life takes on a cartoonish quality,’ I thought. “Can’t,” was all I said.

Today I will live in the real world.

Life on Life’s Terms II © 2015 by Ken Montrose

(Just a reminder: LOLT II is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to anyone you might know is purely coincidental.)

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Roller Coaster or Train Wreck?
Bob, Chad’s father called.  My heart broke for him. The pain in his voice cut through me. I already knew some of his family’s troubles, but things were worse than I could have imagined.  Pauley had sent some pornographic pictures to his boss by mistake.  Sam had had enough and was moving to Colorado to get away from his family.  The twin who hadn’t OD’d had made a weak suicide attempt.
Bob said, “We’re going off the tracks, Ken.  Mikey said you could help.”

I explained that I was in a tricky spot because of my involvement with Doc and the licensing board.  I gave him some phone numbers to call.  I asked him about the tracks.

“Are they the tracks of a roller coaster or a train? When you hit bottom will you use your momentum to start back uphill like a roller coaster? Will you change your lives, maybe deal with your addictions?  Or will you crash and burn like a speeding train? Will you find someone to blame, or maybe just wallow in self-pity?”

If today goes badly I will ask myself: roller coaster or a train wreck?

Life on Life’s Terms II © 2015 by Ken Montrose

(Just a reminder: LOLT II is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to anyone you might know is purely coincidental.)

Monday, June 8, 2015

Relapse Rehearsal
I met Benjamin’s girlfriend the next morning at family day.  A petite redhead with a warm smile, she told me she was a musician. She also told me “I  mentally practice playing a difficult piece all the way through before I pick up my instrument. It smooths the way for me to perform it in real time.  Benjamin mentally practices all his vices and congratulates himself on his self-control.  He goes to the bar to drink Pepsi.  What’s he really doing?  He’s mentally practicing getting drunk.  When he goes to the strip clubs, he’s proud that he just looks. He’s mentally cheating on me.  Do you know he buys $50 worth of scratch-off tickets at a time?  He says he’s not really gambling.  He is, and he’s looking for the feeling he gets at the casino, without actually going there.”

I told her how he said he’d raise the child even if he wasn’t the father.  She snorted. “I never cheated on him, not once.  He’s the father. He wants people to think I cheated so he  won't look like such a bad guy if he leaves.  He’s mentally preparing his exit strategy.”

Today I won’t practice my vices, mentally or otherwise.

Life on Life’s Terms II © 2015 by Ken Montrose

(Just a reminder: LOLT II is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to anyone you might know is purely coincidental.)

Sunday, June 7, 2015

Laughing: When There’s Nothing Else To Do
I took Blondie with me to practice that night.  While the team was at one end of the court she shot foul shots at the other.  KC had seen several of Blondie’s game and knew she was an excellent foul shooter.  He called her over.
“I want you to watch her form after the ball leaves her hand,” KC said to the boys as Blondie walked to the foul line. “Watch closely.”
Blondie bounced the ball twice, and then brought it up to her shoulder.  Just as she was about to shoot I demanded in the harshest voice I could muster, “Why are you guys staring at my daughter?”
Playing along, KC said to Blondie, “Kid go through your shooting motion slowly, I want these guys to see how your elbow and your shooting hand are always aligned.  He looked at the confused faces of the boys and added, “Concentrate guys.  Focus your full attention on her.”
Their eyes darted from me to Blondie to KC, looking for a clue for how they should handle this situation.
“I have a baseball bat in my trunk,” I said. “Don’t make me get it.”
They were slow on the uptake, but finally they realized KC and I were messing with them.
“She’s so pretty,” Salt said to Hardwork and the Maker, loud enough for everyone to hear.
“Must have a pretty mom,” Pepper said, looking right at me and laughing.
As I stepped toward them, Salt and Pepper backpedaled away from me.  My plan was to grab one of them, wrestle him to the ground, and pretend to pummel him.  A minute into the chase I realized I wasn’t going to catch either one. “You better run!” I said to Salt.
“You better sit down, and catch your breath coach!” Hardwork said to me.  “I don’t care what they taught us in school, I’m not giving coach CPR!” he said to his teammates.  Practice got even sillier from then on.

Today I will laugh at impossible situations.
(It might not change the situation, but I’ll feel better.)

Life on Life’s Terms II © 2015 by Ken Montrose

(Just a reminder: LOLT II is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to anyone you might know is purely coincidental.)

Thursday, June 4, 2015

A little fun
There were two messages waiting for me after lunch.  The first was from Dr. Ludden.  The state licensing board had asked me not to have any contact with her during their investigation. I asked Ms. Rella to send an email gently reminding Dr. Ludden of the board’s request.
The second message was from KC.  We were seeded number one in the playoffs. I called him to get the details.
“So what are you going to tell the boys?” I asked, after he’d filled me in on the playoff schedule.  KC had played both basketball and football in high school. People said he’d hit a wide receiver so hard he’d knock the wind out of the guy’s whole family. If you stood in the cemetery during games, you could hear an oooph sound coming from the receiver’s deceased loved ones after a KC tackle. I expected a ‘pedal to the metal, take no prisoners, leave it all on the court, crush the other team so bad hearing the sound of a bouncing ball leaves them whimpering in a puddle of their own urine,’ speech.
“I’ll tell them to have fun, they earned it,” he said.  “You too, you’ve worked hard. No playing the bad guy for me tonight, no Attila the Run.  Let’s both have fun at practice.”
“Sounds good to me,” I said.  Building on KC’s comment, I made a list of the things I worked at; starting with staying clean and sober, including all the roles and responsibilities I met, and ending with the extras that filled my day.  It truly was time to have a little fun.

Today I will have a little fun. I’ve earned it.


Life on Life’s Terms II © 2015 by Ken Montrose

(Just a reminder: LOLT II is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to anyone you might know is purely coincidental.)

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Patience
At lunch I asked The Other Ken what happened to Marty and his wife. “One day he’s talking about chasing her around the house, and the next he wants a divorce,” I said.  “What’s the story?”
“Their story’s all about patience,” The Other Ken said.  “He had no interest in anything other than painkillers for ten years. They didn’t go anywhere, they didn’t do anything, and she paid all their bills. She patiently waited for him to get his act together.  Now he’s clean, he expects her to meet his every need immediately.  He’s got no patience because he thinks she owes him for getting clean.”


Today I will be grateful for, and patient with, the people who were patient with me.

Life on Life’s Terms II © 2015 by Ken Montrose

(Just a reminder: LOLT II is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to anyone you might know is purely coincidental.)


Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Challenged
When Marty and Terry walked away, Benjamin stayed behind to talk to me. I’d seen a dramatic change in Benjamin since he’d found out his girlfriend was pregnant.  Still, I was surprised when he said, “I don’t care if the baby’s mine or not, I’m gonna help my girlfriend raise him.”

There was no way for me to know if he’d truly partner with his girlfriend to parent their child.  I did know at that moment he seemed sincere.  My gut feeling was he’d rise to meet the challenge, if he stayed clean and sober.  I thought of all the heartache caused by parents who didn’t live up to their responsibilities, glad Benjamin might not become one of them.  “Good for you,” I said, “but how do you know the baby is going to be a boy?”

He laughed, “Oh dear Lord, there’s no way God would let me raise a girl!”

Today I will be grateful for people who rise to meet their challenges.

Life on Life’s Terms II © 2015 by Ken Montrose

(Just a reminder: LOLT II is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to anyone you might know is purely coincidental.)

Monday, June 1, 2015

Who you foolin’?
“How many NA meetings do you go to?” I asked Marty.
“See here’s why I don’t think I can live with my wife anymore,” Marty answered.  “I go to just one meeting in the evening.  I’m trying to do those ninety meetings in ninety days you guys recommended. I can’t make y’all happy without making her mad.”   
Benjamin made a gesture like he was shoveling something.  “Are you telling me you go to meetings to make the staff here happy? That your wife is being unreasonable? Why don’t you ever go to meetings during the day with the rest of the group?  I’m betting it’s because you hit the same NA meeting every night as your would-be girlfriend.  Afterwards people from that meeting grab something to eat, but somehow you always end up sitting next to her.”
Terry shook his head.  “I spent the morning picking up after my dogs.  Put it all in a little bag.  I can put a bow on the bag, but it won’t change what’s inside.  Wrap this up any way you like, Marty, and it’s still about you and some young girl.”
Marty protested, but Terry and Benjamin were right, and he knew it.  Marty looked to me for support, but I said, “Don’t look at me.  Be grateful you have friends like Benjamin and Terry who are willing to call you out when you need it.”

Today I will try to be grateful for people willing to confront me.

Life on Life’s Terms II © 2015 by Ken Montrose

(Just a reminder: LOLT II is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to anyone you might know is purely coincidental.)