Consequences...

Den of the Beastly Bear

Hiya Folks!

Having casually strolled past the half century mark in my life, it's only natural to look back and wonder:

"How in the HELL did I get HERE?

I think I owe where I am, or can blame it all on one thing...a woman!

From the time I was but a tyke I had one job, one plan in mind for how my adult life would be. I was gonna be a cop.

I grew up on a steady diet of Adam-12, Dragnet, Barretta, Ironsides...yep definitely gonna be a cop.

By the time I hit High School there was a refined notion that either the FBI, or the Marshals service was the place for me.

And I had a plan to effect this notion.

Out of school I would join the Marine Corp. like dear old Dad, but I would be an MP. Take my college classes while in...apply to the FBI or Marshals upon discharge.

One thing was for sure...I was NEVER working for GM!

Then the " woman" happened...

Her name was Barb.

She went to my school, a year older than me. She was friends with one of the cashiers at my part time job, Carol. Carol and I were friends from school and Drama club.

When one of our other cashiers left, they hired Barb.

Built like a brick shithouse, with eyes the color of the sea during a storm. She wore her medium brown hair in a Dorothy Hamil bob that perfectly complimented her full lips and cute little upturned nose.

I was infatuated...

She had only one flaw...as told to me by her friend Carol, she was BAT SHIT CRAZY!!!

I was too young to understand the full import of that statement!

When a guy tells you a woman is crazy, chances are she's shot him down. When a woman tells you another woman is crazy, she's probably jealous of her. When a woman tells you her friend is crazy, brother you better believe that shit!!!

Barb was depressive and a cutter back before we had really identified those things. I didn't care, I could fix her!

One Saturday night after work, as we headed out to our cars...Barb and I were chatting. I walked her to her blue metallic '72 Nova, as everyone else left we stood there talking. I felt I was making good progress...

After a while Barb said "Well, I should be going..."

In that wishy washy way girls do when they want you to beg them to stay.

"Ah, come on Barb you don't really have to go do ya?"

"Well...I should..." She said.

"Five more minutes...surely you can stay 5 more minutes?" 

In my head it didn't sound as desperate as it does now.

"Nope, gotta go...see you Monday." And she hoped in her car after a quick hug.

Being a playful, silly guy I hoped up on the fender of her car and said "You can't leave if I'm sitting on your car! Hahaha"

Without a word, she smiled at me...started the car, dropped it in gear...and FLOORED IT!!!!

As those 300 horses roared their fury I realized I was in trouble...thrown back against the windshield.

What had started out as being silly, had suddenly turned into a very dangerous situation!

I didn't even have time to hop off before we were going dangerously fast, the hood on a '72 Nova is flush so there was nothing to grab a hold of...as she headed towards the exit she had to make a sharp right hand turn. Without slowing she juked the wheel to the right and I went sailing off the hood at almost 35 miles an hour!

Though I landed on my feet, I certainly could not run 35 miles an hour...so as I tumbled towards the asphalt I instinctively put out my hands to keep from face planting the parking lot. As I hit I was able to tuck a shoulder under me and roll to a stop...more or less in a heap!

As I lay there trying to figure out what was broken I heard her back up, roll down her window and in a giggly sing songy voice said: 

"That's what ya get...hahahaha!"

And in a squeal of tires, off she went...

As I unfolded myself and stood up, my clothes were ripped and my left arm wasn't working quite right. Not broken, but not right either...and limped to my car.

"Bat shit crazy?" I thought "Fucking INSANE is more like it!!!"

The infatuation was over...

So my wounded pride, screwed up arm, and broken crush took our stupid ass home.

By the next day I had no wrist...my left arm was the same size elbow to hand...and I had Popeye forearms before this, so this was not good. That, and any movement caused immense pain!

Off to Emergency...

Torn ligament's and a fractured ulna bought me strap-on cast, made in two halves and held together by an ACE bandage. I would need to wear this for 8 weeks.

Not the end of the world, it was early in my junior year...I'd survive.

What I had no way of knowing...

This one simple act of flirtation would set in motion a string of events.

Events that would cause me to almost fail my junior year, keep me out of the military, ruin my chances of going into law enforcement and almost cost me my life, twice.

But that is a story for another day...

Anyway, my point...and yes there is one, lol.

Is that the simplest of decisions can forever alter your life...

I've tried to instill this notion in my daughter.

That there are always consequences. 

They may not be immediate or easily identified but they are always there.

That, and be very careful who you let into your life...

Of course had it not been for the happily insane Barb, I'd never have met Mama Bear, and Princess Bear would not exist. So I DO have things to thank Barb for.

But I'd like to kick her ass for costing me my career, cause working for GM is just not cutting it!!! Lol

Well, there's always the lottery...

:-)

Happy Friday Folks!

Be Well!

Beastly Bear