Sometimes Dreams Come True

My journey began on 9-11. I had one of those meaning of life conflicts all of us go through. I had incorrectly assumed the religious were spared these moments that are part of thehuman condition.

I started out and took a test. My path went through many bad jobs where I was treated by abusive owners. In one company the workers went on strike for heat. In another the owners wife would castigate me most of the day. For a person who has worked with halfway house inmates to complain must give you some idea of the magnitude of mistreatment.

I took a voyage away from home into the unknown in Vermont. It was a term job in a land of contrasts. The land was frozen with temps sometimes 60 below when I left in the morning. I had a tree hit me and many close encounters with cars and wildlife.

The people were mostly good but very different. Fortunately there were enough ex NYC types
to keep me company. Northwind was interesting but not to be taken seriously. Then there was Earl the ever hungry cat always scaming a meal and a warm place to stay. Sometimes Earl would even let me have mt flanel shirts.

The Vermont job was a temporary job with an axe hanging over my head. Many people couldn't take the last second reprieves from the govenor and took different jobs. I never expected to have the opportunity to take the writing test, much less pass it. Sadly, every time my candidacy for a permanent job appeared in Vermont it was just out of my grasp. I decided not to wait for fate and create my own destiny in NYC.

I had forgotten about the job and thought I did poorly on the interview when months later I was offered a job back home. I would miss many special friends and there were many touching parties and sad goodbyes especially to that always hungry cat. I was quite sad when I left VT as I doubt I will ever have a reason to return.

I had many amazing adventures in the remote Northeast Kingdom. My parents even came up and experienced the savage beauty for themselves. The Green Mountains are nothing compared to the rugged beauty of the White Mountains. I enjoyed my trips to the Kingdom, NH and Maine. The Kindom is a place of rugged beauty where vacation homes are next to the grinding poverty of Tobacco road. I also enjoyed seeing a Moose in person but it is easier to find them with a police scanner. State Troopers follow Moose to keep cars at a safe distance.

I am finally getting the training I need to be a full time member of the staff. Like everything else the toughness of the new training has been ramped up just as I get there. Nothing ever seems to come easy for me. Yet this is just part of what makes my life unique and we don't appreciate things that come without effort.

I never strayed from the East coast except for a trip to Chicago and Milwaukee. I took several trips to DC and a few to Boston and Florida. Now I will be in GA, Lees Summit MO and LA in a job related adventure. I will try to meet with some of you along the way. I have contacted Z off line and plan to meet with her in CA. I will try to see if I can visit with Florian and Russet in GA and perhaps Freedomnow in San Diego. Part of me is disappointed because I would have met many more had I got the TX tour. The TX tour would have been compact enough for me to use my own car.

I want to point out that the local office is not PG rated. There is very serious work that goes on each and every day with very dedicated people whose sole concern is public saftey. Criminality and fraud are taken very seriously here.

The work is very depressing at times. The constant steady flow of criminals, conmen and depressing testimony does wear on ones soul at times but there is nothing I would rather do.
Some of the testimony is hair raising and is far worse than you have read in the media. Yet persecuted people remain silent to protect loved ones who are held hostage by vile governments like Syria, Iran and Zimbabwe.

I am amused when Commies point to me and ask what I sacraficed for my beliefs. I sacraficed my career because I believe in the ideals of America. I could no longer push numbers on ledger sheets for ego centic fashionistas, it just wasn't enough. If my life ended tommorow I would consider myself blessed for the honor of serving the country I love. Had History placed me elsewhere on 9-11 I would probably just be a number on a ledger sheet.

I ran on that day and out of nowhere the song that my people sing before preparing to die sudenly came to my lips. It was odd that a non-religious type like myself should sing Ani Mamin.
Moreover, a proclimation of faith in the middle of impending doom is rather odd. Yet there were many odd things about that day such as the greatness of man ( the firefighters) and our most bestial evil on display in one place with a cast of thousands of ordinary folk like myself caugh in the winds of history.

I found what I believe in upon the ashes of that day, America. My story began on the confusion of that days that followed. Hopefully the rest of you will find a subtler way to examine the meaning of purpose and being a part of something you believe in.

Beamih in 08