It's My Life

It's My Life

I starred at my computer screen, eyes burning, as I forced myself from falling asleep. I did that quite often.

Cards were displayed on the screen. I was playing my favorite game, spider solitaire.

I was nodding off quite frequently now, and was about to fall into a deep sleep when I was jolted back to reality by my sister's cat who had jumped on my lap, begging for attention.

I stood up and looked outside. It was dry, dusty, and 105 degrees. There wasn't a soul in site. It was as if life no longer existed. The entire human population had been wiped out by some strange super natural force.

"What am I doing?" I asked myself.

Here I was, living in my parent's home doing nothing. Every day was just like the one before it.

I was beginning to wonder if this was all life had for me.

"Look at me," I mumbled to myself. "I have a degree in health, physical education, and a minor in English, and NO job."

What was wrong with me? Why wouldn't anybody hire me?

Ok, to be honest, I hadn't really tried all that hard. My interviews were dull and uninspiring. I wouldn't hire me either.

To be truthful, I didn't want to work...just yet.

But living here wasn't the answer either.

Living with my Mom, Dad, and little sister...oh yes, and let's not forget her cat, Fluffy, and maybe a chicken or two outside. I think they had names too. C**k and Doodle. My sister named them. My sister was pretty goofy at times, but I liked her pretty much.

Suddenly it occurred to me, I had to leave. But where?

I didn't have a job, I had no substantial monetary income, nothing to keep me afloat until I was gainfully employed. There was only one thing left, I had to find a job, a serious job. At 23 you might think it was time to be out on my own.

Gees, all my buddies from college were now married, or about to be, and all had jobs making loads of green.

I had no one. Well... there was that girl next door, but she was weird. Her only ambition in life was to get away from her mother. To do that, she would marry the first guy to come along and ride off into the sunset. I feared at one time she had her mind set on me.

So, why was I still alone?

I wasn't unattractive, so I was told. I had a wonderful personality, so I was told. I had beautiful, sparkling, blue eyes, so I was told.

And any girl would be lucky to have me...SO I WAS TOLD.

Those, "so I was told," things always bothered me. I often wondered if people just said those things to be nice.

I had girlfriends before, several, in fact. But this past year had been so hectic trying to get my grade points up in order to graduate, girls just didn't fit into the equation just yet.

I sat and thought about my sad situation awhile. I jumped up, got myself cleaned up, and was out the door in search of employment.

"Bye Mom", I yelled, as I slammed the door behind me.

I left with such confidence and flair, but, well, let's just say my day didn't go quite the way I had hoped.

I pushed my way in, unannounced, to several irate athletic directors offices and arrogantly made my case why I should be their next cross country coach.

My enthusiasm did not impress them, and they had me tossed out on my rear, ordering me never to return.

It was late, and I was depressed. I drove my old beat up Kia slowly down Main Avenue when

I looked up and saw a sign that read, "Join the Navy and See The World."

Hmm, now that was something. I could join and not even be qualified for anything. And here's the kicker, THEY wanted me.

I walked in, spoke to the recruiter, took some sort of goofy test, and discovered I would be perfect as a corpseman.

"What's a corpsman?" I asked.

The recruiter told me it was something like a medic in the Army, only corpsmen got to do more...and. "See The World", too.

My Mom cried for two weeks after I told her the news. My Dad simply patted me on the back and told me how proud he was. My sister just made jokes about it. She was fun that way.

The girl next door came over and asked if I would take her with me.

I told her no, that it was against government rules and stuff, "and besides," I said, "you aren't exactly my type."

She hit me for that comment, but I thought it was important to be truthful. I didn't need her sitting around pining over some boy who was never going to be interested in her anyway.

Maybe that was mean, and perhaps a bit presumptuous, but things are what they are.