Happy New Year

     Tonight has been interesting and that's putting things lightly. Now that I've gotten over my crankiness and the pain in my legs have diminished, I'm feeling tired but better. I think it's been a truly wonderful year full of learning experiences and I'm looking forward to 2012. There is a lot of talk about what could happen in the upcoming year. A lot of it is depressing.There is the threat of having bad solar storms, the sea level rising, more natural disasters and the world ending next December.
     I say toughen up, get over it and thank the Lord that your still around. Make the most of the upcoming year. There has never been a better time to quit smoking then right now. Make sure you help a neighbor and let those around you know that you care. Do your parents dishes and clean the house without them asking or trying to bribe you. Remember to recycle your trash rather then throwing it out of the car window. Tell a stranger that they look nice today and actually mean it. Make an old woman smile by telling her she's pretty.
     Why? Because there is already enough sadness in the world already. Stop adding to it an do something useful with your life.

     I hope you have been enjoying my rendition of Caleb's Story. I'm not really sure what is going on with it or where it's going yet but a nice story is definitely developing here. Have a wonderful new year everyone and feel free to stop by on any of my sights and leave a comment. Your input is appreciated.

Caleb’s Story: Meeting the new neighbor continued

          “Why was Shelly spazing?” Although she swore otherwise, he wasn’t ignoring her. They were planning on spending time over at Nate’s house playing Modern Warfare. It really didn’t matter that the TV and 360 were already loaded up in the car before she locked herself in the restroom. “I understand her excitement over the baby moving but damn, she needs to understand that I’ve already been through this pregnancy thing with two of my ex-girlfriends. So what if the baby moved. Get used to it because it’s going to start happening more now that she’s almost five months along. I’m going to have plenty of time to watch her stomach look like a wobbling bowl of jelly.”

          “I’ll be right back. I gotta take a piss.”

          “Caleb, don’t talk like that while there is company present.” Despite the bruised shoulder, Gabriel leaned forward, eyes slanted and ready to pierce someone’s neck with invisible laser beams, if it were possible.

          While peeling his tired body off the couch a well-timed fart slipped out. “Mom, now’s not the time for lectures, I gotta go.”

Lisi simply kept quiet but appeared humored by the situation.

          With a clenched fist, Caleb closed the bathroom door and paced the floor. It was difficult not punching the wall and after several mock attempts. It was time to stop and think. Anger related issues only produced trouble in the past and it was time to start acting like a responsible man. No one was making the process of growing up easy and the neighbors were starting to find out the marriage wasn’t working. “That’s right, piss break.”

          Mom’s voice trailed in through the cracks. At first Gabriel denied not wanting to talk about it but Caleb knew she would open up and share everything. “He’s a good son and I’ve no idea why she tried to kill herself. It’s been getting worse over the last couple months. I think it was over her wanting a three-some. They get into that sort of thing.”

          “Dear Mother, so sweet and yet so gullible.” Gabriel always gave him the benefit of the doubts and he was thankful that she always tried to be understanding. Still it was a bad habit of his to mess with her head. Although a happy fantasy of any man, it was only a fantasy and a joke. Women never seemed to get the joke or find humor in it. Mom complained about it to anyone who would talk to her. A quick rinse of the hands and it was time to see what Lisi thought.  It was also time to intervene and protect Shelly’s name. Good or bad, she was still his wife and someone needed to defend her. The craziness was what attracted him to her in the first place. “That and her willingness to explore.”

          “Hey Caleb, am I to understand that your stuck here with pretty much of nothing except for a change of clothing? Do you know if she’s coming back for you for Christmas?”

          He deliberately avoided eye contact and picked up a random piece of paper. It was rolled into a ball and thrown, a successful attempt at playing catch with the fat chocolate lab. “Don’t know, she took the cell phone.”

          “I think there’s an extra game system laying around the house that nobody’s using. I’ve got a few other items that I think the two of you could use around her.”

          Gabriel protested, “I don’t want you going out of your way.”

          “I’m not and so far the two of you seem to be having a miserable time of things.” A playful smirk was directed right at Caleb, “Behave yourself around your mother before I take that broomstick in the kitchen and shove it somewhere you’ll find highly uncomfortable.”

          Caleb froze his mock attempts at slapping his mother from behind the chair. “I like the sound of that.”

          “They all try to test me and end up running away when it’s found out that I don’t use any lube so just try to behave for now punk.”

          The look on Lisi’s face implied experience. She seemed used to dealing with obnoxious men. She was smiling though like it was funny. “Heck, she’s crazy just like all other women. Perhaps old enough to not really care what other’s thought about her too. I’m going to try and call Shelly tonight and talk things out after Mom falls asleep.”

Caleb’s Story: Meeting the new neighbor

After hearing a repeated knock, Caleb simply pulled the covers over that shaved hard head of his and tried to ignore the thumps from mom’s front door. Still, after several minutes of relentless barking from the dogs, it was time to get up and find out who was disturbing this peaceful morning.

        The door barley creaked open before a brilliant morning sun blinded the view. Lisianthus Glass asked “Is Gabriel up yet?” The aroma from a platter of stemming cinnamon rolls tightened the knot in Caleb’s very empty stomach. It growled in an angry protest but he turned his nose away to let in the new neighbor.

        Lisianthus preferred to be called Lisi and since moving in next door about a month ago, she had practically adopted Caleb’s mother Gabriel. Caleb, who now lived right outside an Air Force base in Ohio didn’t know what to make of Lisi. She came by to check on Gabriel every day and made sure all her needs were taken care of. Upon pushing her way through the door she added, “I’m not sure if you’re allergic to bleached flour like your mother but Merry Christmas anyways. Did you know you look like hell this morning?” The cheerful smile was warm and welcoming so Caleb greeted it back with a grin and “morning” mumble.

        Kindness from strangers was an unknown concept in this household. He assumed she would just hurt then in the end, just like everyone else has done. For now though it was time to practice the Golden Rule and treat others like you want to be treated, at least until they screw up and reveal the beast hidden within.

        After situating the rolls on their kitchen counter, Lisi started a pot of coffee. The coffee pot was one of the pride and joys of this home since it was a high priced Bunn Maker. A pot was ready in three minutes every time. The perfect jump start for anyone needing a caffeine fix.

The only way Gabriel was able to afford nice items like this was because she sold her excess prescription pain meds. It wasn’t something any of them were proud of. Caleb detested the fact that doctors had not only turned his mother into an addict by trying to ease her pain, but she had basically turned drug dealer as well to pay bills. Resisting the urge to go back to bed, Caleb sat on mom’s worn green couch to socialize for a few minutes. It was at least distracting from the cursed thoughts that continued to pop up. “If only the job market was better, I could help mom out. If only I hadn’t gotten that infection in my eye and still had vision in both eyes.”

As a plain black cup of Folgers Black Silk was presented to each, Lisi ask “what was all the commotion last night? Are you OK Gabriel – Caleb?”

“It’s too bad they always bring this shit back up when you just want to forget about it.”

Caleb's Story: The Holidays

The Holidays

     How the fight started and who was to blame didn’t matter anymore. Still, that bathroom door needed to open. It wasn’t until the second kick that a sharp crack could be heard mingled with Shelly chucking a shampoo bottle through the opening along with a hearty “Leave Me The Fuck Alone.”

        Through a damaged bathroom frame Shelly franticly tried to hurry up and bend a wire hanger over the curtain rod and around her neck before Caleb could stop her. The sight would have been bothersome fifteen to twenty years ago but after dating half-a-dozen crazy women already and dealing with the mental instability of his female family members there was no surprise in this little pity party.

        The obscenities continued to pour out of Shelly as she was scooped up and carried out to the bedroom. Caleb ached everywhere. The physical onslaught he was forced to endure didn’t end until Shelly was released from his grasp.

        Mom’s nose peered around the corner. “Is everything alright? What was all that racket?” The crystal that used to be part of the bathroom door handle rolled under Mom’s feet as she gathered the courage to inch her way further in the bedroom.

        Shelly grabbed her coat, keys, and bag before storming out. Mom, who suffered from increasing mobility issues couldn’t move out of the way fast enough. Shelly ignored her mother-in-law and proceeded to knock her into the hallway mirror as she headed to the front door. What had started out as an inconvenient disagreement now had Caleb pissed. “You stupid bitch! Can’t you at least watch what you’re doing when you’re around my mom?” The shouting was answered by all three dogs happily barking as they could now exit through the front door and roam the neighborhood.

        Mom was helped to her feet as their silver Sunbird drove off in the cold evening. “What happened Caleb?”

        “Shelly wanted me to fuck one of her friends.”

        “Excuse me?” Mom nearly lost her balance but Caleb quickly caught her shoulder. “Nothing, it’s nothing! Just go back to bed and try not to worry. I’ve got to go after the dogs.”

Caleb's Story: She's Pregnant After All

        Caleb sat once more on the edge of that broken down futon pondering what to do next. It was official that Shelly his wife was pregnant. A trip to the doctor less then a week ago confirmed his fears. In his own way he was happy. Caleb was the only male in his family and had yet to produce a son. That growing list of ex-girlfriends had only produced female children up until now.

        This was only supposed to be a routine visit into town to drop off Christmas presents and spend some time with family and friends before things went sour as they usually do. A simple routine visit to an old buddy led to another argument with Shelly. It didn’t take long for her to run to her mothers while he was left to visit his sickly mother and spend the night alone once again. “What did I do wrong?”

        A sharp pain sped through the muscular arms as fist and knuckles landed on painted drywall but the anger was too hard to confine anymore. “I don’t know how much more I can take.”

        Those blasted feet guided Caleb off of his broken down bed and through the house, just to turn off Mom’s radio only to turn and pace back and forth across the floor. Even Marvin Gay had no possible hope of calming this young man’s nerves.

The constant pacing of the living room floor gave him something to do and helped in working out all that built up agitation. Those old and intrepid beams on that worn hard wood floor cracked and cried out as if pleading for the 170 lb. intruder to stop but Caleb had to do something before his agitation caused him to break his mother’s Christmas decorations. Her tree was quite lovely this year as it heaved with her collected Hallmark ornaments filling it from floor to ceiling. The new base that made it spin continuously and made the place feels less poor then normal. Still despite all of this Christmas would never be a favorite holiday. Nothing ever turned out right in this world. Still, the constant pacing of the living room floor gave Caleb something to do and helped in working out all that built up agitation.

That damned pregnancy confirmation changed everything. It was merely 2 weeks ago he was contemplating leaving her. Still, Caleb had promised to love her for better or for worse when the two of them said “I do”. Shelly had always been crazy and over bearing. For the longest time she claims that they would one day wed. Her mind was always set on joining the military as well. A baby on the way changed all plans though, even her impending deployment to Alaska. “How is the military going to handle this? What is the standard protocol for a pregnancy after deployment orders have been issued? Why is that crazy bitch’s mood swings getting worse?”

The frustrating circumstances brought him to the kitchen. Under the micro-wave sat his mother’s faded antique cabinet that used to belong to her grandparents. The paint had long since faded. This family treasure had obviously seen better days. While reaching down to grab a trash bag, he pulled the hinged door open and was immediately reminded that mom had a rodent problem.

Under normal circumstances all the black fecal matter would have been left for someone else to deal with but not this time. It was out of character but something needed to be done to stop the coursing anger through his pulsing muscles. That damned right hand had a mind of its own and reached out to grab the green handled corn broom that stood by the back door in the kitchen. Impulsively the cabinets contents were pulled out before all the droppings were roughly pulled out and spilling all over a cheaply laid linoleum floor.

Within minuets of examining his mess it was thought that perhaps he should war plastic gloves. Despite the oozing wounded knuckles Caleb dismissed the thought, not actually caring and almost wishing he would come down with some incurable illness. “This is really nasty!” Caleb began felling a little better over the current accomplishment. White gloves forgotten, the fecal mess was swept up and in the garbage in no time. “Anything to alleviate the pain she caused. What am I going to do with that crazy bitch?”

After putting the broom back in its proper place he retraced his steps back to the living room to see if there was some other way his mother could be assisted.

Mom’s blasted dogs began barking and crushed gravel from a car pulling in was overheard. At the sight of her little silver vehicle, all pleasant thoughts were crushed once again. The sight of Caleb’s pregnant bride buried all the pleasant thoughts of helping mother out and brought back the pain of what needed to be endured. Yet he would try for the sake of love.

Caleb's Story: Six Months

From three o’clock in the morning till his mom’s neighbor arrived at ten a.m., Caleb found himself unable to get comfortable on that broken down futon. He was accustomed already to ongoing back problems and the mattress sagged in almost a foot, but this was not the problem this morning. With no driver's license, he had grown irritated at having to hitch a ride to his mother's house late last night.

All his life and especially for the last few years he had grown accustomed to living without any luxuries with the exception of one item. The XBOX 360 laid safely on his mother’s dresser right across from the room. This was the one item that he was proud of and the woman who bore his last name would not deprive him of this, even though she claimed it was hers. Under no circumstance would she keep him from being there for his sickly mother either.

Everyone claimed that the marriage wouldn’t work out. There was a significant age difference between them. His bride was barley 19 and a member of the U.S. Air Force. According to Caleb, “I can’t even fart without her permission.” Still, logically she was his best chance of having a somewhat stable home and access to medical attention, even if she was trying to control his every move. Due to the recent loss of one of his eyes after contracting an infection didn’t help in the process of finding suitable income. There was no hope now of wearing contacts again. He was unable to overcome the possibility that the infection could be contracted again and his other eye would be gone as well. This was another hard blow to the ego of an attractive 34 year old man who wasn’t fully ready to consider himself old and retired.

Up until now his life had been a series of failed attempts at relationships and sticking to potential job related opportunities. There was also that felony on his record. This would always be there to haunt him even though it was just a stupid attempt at trying to show off in front of his friends. He hated remembering the screw ups.

Caleb’s daughters sometimes had the opportunity to visit, but circumstances and that ever increasing failure list along with their nagging mothers kept him from being a proper father. Nagging was saying it nicely and insane ex girlfriend was a better way of labeling them but mother always said "you need to be nice and forgive." Always happy to have the little one's around but too depressed to interact with any of them, he would sleep the day away and allow who ever else was there to tend to the little girl’s needs.

The little brown Pug, who also belonged to his mother and would often use the restroom in front his bedroom door found a comfortable and warm spot right at the back of his neck along the hairline while looking for a bit of warmth and comfort. “Man she needs a bath.” The smell of a dirty dog would not move him from the uncomfortable spot that molded to his slender frame. It was comforting to have another lonely individual there beside him even if it was a stinky little dog that refused to go outside when it mattered the most. At least someone was showing him affection and that they cared.

By tonight things would play out like they always do. The wife would show up late and wanting to make up. She would then remind him of their first prenatal check up they needed to attend in a couple weeks but no appointment had actually be set for. After that would come the cuddling and attempted coercing while trying to get him to move back home with her. It was always the same every time a fight occurred.

Perhaps he would give in just once more, but time was running out for the young bride. Not even being sure that there would ever be actual love between them, it was still worth trying to make things work out as long as possible.

It didn’t matter that the pregnancy could very well be a controlling tactic from her. In six months she would be leaving for Alaska. Those plans were unchangeable in her eyes since signing up for the service she intended to accept her orders diligently, even if those deployment orders took her to some unforgiving frozen tundra. She would not change them even for the chance of having a child with her husband. Six months and things would change once more and Caleb’s hopes may once again be shattered.