36. Cold Hard Gratitude

Later that day Sam stopped by my office.  He stared at his shoes, rocking forward, then side to side. Finally Sam told me his father had hired a lawyer to help him regain custody of his son.

“Do you mean visitation?” I asked. “You said ‘custody.’”  Sam confirmed he meant custody.  The lawyer had a reputation for being corrupt but well-connected.  He had promised to use whatever means, legal or otherwise, to reunite Sam with his son.

“All I have to do is go along,” Sam said.  “I know it’s shady. I thought I was done with shady, but just once more, for good reason.”  He couldn’t look at me when he said it.  My heart broke for him.  He clearly loved his son, and regretted all he had done to lose him.  He desperately wanted him back.  On the other hand, he knew he was headed back down a dark path. 

Over the years I had developed many types of gratitude lists.  The coldest was my list of people I was grateful I was not.  I added Sam to that list.

Today I will make a list of people I’m grateful I’m not.

Writing My New Story © 2015 by Ken Montrose

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

LAST DAY FOR FREEBIES 8/14/15 at: http://www.amazon.com/Ken-Montrose/e/B001K8MG0S

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