Being born is usually a step in what becomes a longer story, but being born is no guarantee those steps will be easy or even point you into a direction that yields up the best result.
Being born is merely a condition, and what comes next has little to do with that young and helpless life.
“I was born the year I turned 12.”
In this society, if you don’t measure up, step out of line, or dare to march to a different drummer, you’ll find yourself excluded by those who consider themselves to be better than the other, no matter your color, beliefs, or sexuality. I think those who consider themselves in charge blame black people for being black, gay people for being gay, and especially, they blame indigenous people for getting in their way.
I blame no one for anything. “I think. Therefore I am.” What I think doesn’t matter to a hill of beans, according to Rick, my namesake, in the movie Casablanca.
To quote another great philosopher — I don’t know who — “It is what it is.”
Which means you don’t need to take this story seriously. Although, every word is true according to my recollections.
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For Tommy, whom I couldn’t repay for his kindness if I worked on it fulltime. The best I can do is to write about how important his friendship was to my survival.