I hitchhiked from Palmdale Ca. to Ridgecrest Ca. My god, I was only 16 year old, had me this little bag what contained the few clothes I owned.....an' I had me some loose change in my pocket. I had become a man.
The clothes in the bag were not store bought clothes. They was hand me downs from the few friends I had. Fergie, Ernie an' Dennis. My two years liv'n in Palmdale was a liv'n hell if'n ya ask me. I lived with my "beer drink'n" dad. Ya don't get new clothes when ya live with a "beer drink'n" dad what don't give a shit.....ya know.
If ya ain't never lived in a beer drink'n house, ya don't know what hunger is. Ya don't know what loneliness is. Ya don't know what family life is. There weren't none of that in Palmdale. I was the raggity little kid that walked the streets at all hours of the night. I was the kid that ate a home cooked meal at Fergie, Ernie or Dennis's house once a week. My teen years sucked....that is until I hitchhiked from Palmdale to Ridgecrest. The next two years of my teen life was real. I lived with Uncle Luke an' Aunt Myrt.
Sometimes when I'm down, I think back on years like that. This is one of them days. It gives me a better view an' understand'n of the "rest of my life". It gives me reason to feel proud of where I am today....an' how I got here. Man!!!....it weren't easy by no means.
Yesterday weren't all that bad. I made me a trip to the post office an' mailed off the actuator thingy for the autopark brake system on "da house". Stopped by the auto parts sell'n place an' ordered a brand spank'n new a/c compressor clutch for the "billy jeep". Ha....an' I got lost. Took a wrong turn by the directions from a local Villa Rica police officer. The clutch part is await'n me as I sit here typ'n my lifes story.
Up at 5:30am this morn'n. This is two days in a row I waked up this early an' couldn't go back to sleep. Ain't nobody gets up while it's still dark outside. Well, wait a minute. If'n ya got a tee time for 7am, ya get up early. Same with a fish'n trip, ya get up early. Other than that, I don't see no need to be wast'n the best sleep'n hours sit'n around in the dark wait'n for the sun to come up. But I know a few who do.
The clothes in the bag were not store bought clothes. They was hand me downs from the few friends I had. Fergie, Ernie an' Dennis. My two years liv'n in Palmdale was a liv'n hell if'n ya ask me. I lived with my "beer drink'n" dad. Ya don't get new clothes when ya live with a "beer drink'n" dad what don't give a shit.....ya know.
If ya ain't never lived in a beer drink'n house, ya don't know what hunger is. Ya don't know what loneliness is. Ya don't know what family life is. There weren't none of that in Palmdale. I was the raggity little kid that walked the streets at all hours of the night. I was the kid that ate a home cooked meal at Fergie, Ernie or Dennis's house once a week. My teen years sucked....that is until I hitchhiked from Palmdale to Ridgecrest. The next two years of my teen life was real. I lived with Uncle Luke an' Aunt Myrt.
Sometimes when I'm down, I think back on years like that. This is one of them days. It gives me a better view an' understand'n of the "rest of my life". It gives me reason to feel proud of where I am today....an' how I got here. Man!!!....it weren't easy by no means.
Yesterday weren't all that bad. I made me a trip to the post office an' mailed off the actuator thingy for the autopark brake system on "da house". Stopped by the auto parts sell'n place an' ordered a brand spank'n new a/c compressor clutch for the "billy jeep". Ha....an' I got lost. Took a wrong turn by the directions from a local Villa Rica police officer. The clutch part is await'n me as I sit here typ'n my lifes story.
Up at 5:30am this morn'n. This is two days in a row I waked up this early an' couldn't go back to sleep. Ain't nobody gets up while it's still dark outside. Well, wait a minute. If'n ya got a tee time for 7am, ya get up early. Same with a fish'n trip, ya get up early. Other than that, I don't see no need to be wast'n the best sleep'n hours sit'n around in the dark wait'n for the sun to come up. But I know a few who do.
You sure did have a rough beginning!! They say the more you hammer on metal the tougher it becomes. Not sure if that is true for humans but I bet it toughened you up for the rest of your life.
ReplyDeleteI guess it's true what they say...what don't kill ya, just makes you stronger! Glad that things slowly got better for ya, buddy! Looks like ya turned out alright,in spite of a shaky start.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good thing!
I am physically on eastern time today even though I'm sitting in the middle of Pacific time. I finally got up way before daylight, and woke up even earlier than that!
ReplyDeleteI pulled outa my folk's house at 15 1/2 and never regretted it. The Coast Guard straightened my butt up !! Had a good life and still do ! Rolling Earthquake is Southbound for the winter, enjoying being on the road again.In mid Tn. now and headin' to SE Mississippi for a bit. Enjoyin' your blog every day !!
ReplyDeleteI've been out of my house since 16. I'm also one of those that get up well before the sun is up, usually around 3:30 to 4:00 a.m.. Just not able to sleep past then, whether I have anything to do or not.
ReplyDeleteI must have been a vampire in a previous life...I go to bed before dawn.
ReplyDeleteLooking way back when. I was booted out of the house when I was 17 and never looked back. Having a great life no matter what I did.
ReplyDelete