NORTH – 2

Small towns with quaint ancient stadiums or sparkling new attraction/event centerss in suburban enclaves searching for activity to attract thier newest residents; either locale makes a car a necessity.

My parents used whatever they had saved for college to buy my first car. Driving a car you like without a car payment is a luxury I wish for everyone.

It helps when you get in a large enough area with a reasonable public transportation system in place…or you live close enough to the center of the city that it works.

Moving public spaces are open doors for conversations with strangers. That includes raised voices from other people.

 

“That company fire you yet?”

Is answered with disappointment that they haven’t and you can only wonder the story behind that.

“Have you made it to Zebulon yet?”

Was asked in complete sincerity and hope to help someone lost in plain sight.

I can’t recall how my conversation with a female reverend turned to gun violence, but I sarcastically stated my hope that the resulting phrases from the latest shootings in schools, churches and concerts were shared so when Ray-Ray shoots, he’s mentally ill and not just a drug dealer or gang banger.

She countered by saying they all are mentally ill; that while young girls must deal with puberty and their bodies changing, young men from 14 till their mid-20s are mentally unstable without proper guidance.

I love to counter any argument by tossing history at it, but now realize that many of the young men in the past were already scripted and set in a specific direction around that age, whether they were farmers or fighters.

That lifestyle may sound ‘old-fashioned’, but it’s honestly not that far away. And she then took an seemingly old arguement and gave it legs.

”Children are being raised similar to before, but now with video games, they kill and revive without repercussion.”

I didn’t want to tell her about college scholarships being handed out to kids to play video games, but I digress…

“If there isn’t someone, parents, teachers, mentors, to guide these boys to adulthood, this trend will continue.”