The Birth of Truancy

I am like Cal Ripken Jr. at work. Don't miss a day. In school- I was not missed. There was a mixup on Career Day and I signed up for the wrong session. Instead of going where I wanted to originally I hung out for an hour. The next session was about Sports Journalism and it had value.

Back to that wrestling camp, the guy I carpooled with was disappointed in this camp as well. They assumed everyone knew how to wrestle. If we knew everything, why would we be at camp? As we were changing clothes, I decided to skip.

Andy couldn't believe it. This was a way to cut my losses. I never saw any of these men again and that is for the best. I was in a peaceful part of Alexandria with seven hours to kill. It was the last day- what would they do?

They might say I was a loser, That was basically understood based on their actions over the previous four days. I thought about walking to the movies. The theater was too far away. I looked around the school.

A copy of Decision Making in the White House by Theodore Sorenson was discarded. I picked it up and eventually read it. The most memorable passage had the outgoing Dwight Eisenhower tell President-Elect Kennedy any decision that would come to him would be a difficult decision.

If there were a simple solution it would have been resolved before reaching his level. Back when Republicans and Democrats could speak to each other. It happens more than you know. The media wants to keep us divided because it helps their ratings.

None of which has to do with spending the day by myself. It wasn't the first time I was on my own. My sister was born so I was "Middle aged" and resigned to the fact I had to work it out for myself.

I started going to the movies by myself because waiting for a ride- it was easier to go on my own. My father didn't like James Bond movies. That should tell you all you need to know about our relationship. When the next Bond film came out- I wasn't going to be taken there.

There were no movies on this day. Interestingly, there was an adult theater on Duke Street which was not far away. Of course I thought Misty Beethoven had something to do with Ludwig Van Beethoven.

Think again. I could always keep myself occupied. As I walked through nice neighborhoods, different neighborhoods, a mailman passed me. He was on delivery and he waved.

I never saw him before. Postal delivery is a lonely business. Mailmen are friendly in general. Is that what sent me to UPS? Most UPS drivers are friendly and the long term relationships that keep me engaged.

When there are new hires I all them the drivers are friendly and will give pointers on how to load their trucks. Management acts like I am defying them when I speak from experience. It never stops me from supporting new employees.

Chances are I visited 7-Eleven and spent some time at the magazine rack. I enjoyed periodicals and still do. It was a relaxing day and I returned to be picked up. The other guy couldn't believe it.

What would I have done going through the motions in this dead end camp? No one was nice to me the first four days. They don't have to "Be kind" They could have shown me what to do.

They basically gave me the chance to "Sink or swim" I made like the Titanic on that day. The decision was made. Wrestling was not for me. It was another place to be taunted and bullied.

I was not an equal. I was an equal with my sister. She was a baby. I gave her the chance. After too many talked down to my perceived level I wanted to uplift her to where I was. That was the smartest move I ever made. Success with one led me to find my way.

Coaching always had a "Dominant/Submissive" feeling. I am using the word "Coaching" as an umbrella to describe everyone paid to give incredibly poor advice. If therapy were a television show, it would have been cancelled long ago.

Certain people in certain situations would help me out. Martial arts was still one year away. That is the greatest untapped story for future articles. I found really good, helpful black belts who ran good classes.

It did not fit in with my father's fantasies. He thought that being on the football team would cause me to "get girls". It was strange and inappropriate how much he wanted me to perform intercourse. The joke's on him- I learned-when the time came for "On the job experience"- the secret is pleasing your partner.

He wanted me to please myself to the detriment of women. What's the point of that? I am my own person. He could not mold me into his own image. The budgeting he did and paying bills on time- that carried over. There was a lot I had to figure out on my own. Sometimes you learn more not going where you "have to" go.

It opened the door to show up every day at work. Not many do and what I would I do if I didn't go to work? Sleep, which I can do after work. Truancy became a bad habit through school.

Some people were genuinely concerned when I returned. If I never returned, they never would have the chance to say "We missed you." That's another story- I have to go to everyone and do the work. I don't know what a relationship with give and take is like. That is an alternative lifestyle I would like to explore.

Find your own way. When I was in and out of football practice- high school was challenging enough without three more hours of running around guys taunting me with kissing sounds. I don't know if they were joking around or were interested in me. It did not make me want to shower with them.

Regardless of their orientation- they were not trustworthy. Later in life I worked with gay men. They might have been a little handsy. They were friendly in general and added to the mosaic of my life.

This is my journey. No adult could live my life. All the best quarterbacks are in the stands. Adults could suggest whatever they wanted. It was my responsibility to live my life and work it out for myself. There is always room for improvement and I am in a better place discovered and earned on my own.