Friday!

Strange stuff on the way to work.
The entire surface street I was driving one was shut down - couldn't see what was going on police were blocking the view.
Then, a mile down the road, there are dozens of police cars parked on both the street and in a shopping center.
There was a car in the middle of this center that had a huge, yellow tarp draped over one side of it and officials were peering in there.  On the other side of the car - it was totally TRASHED.  Someone died, that's what that means.  A bunch of people were standing around gaping.  It does tend to get the curiosity factor in a person going to see the carnage, but to stand around and hover for a view of the deceased?  Rather pathetic.  Wanna see a good dead shot?  They have a close up of that boy that was killed on the border. 

He basically had his head blown off, alright, from the look, his brains were scrambled and bled out the back of his skull.  They never used to show such graphic carnage in the past.  When you see a "warning: graphic" anymore, it probably IS very graphic.  It can also be very disturbing.  I remember when my brother got into a bad car accident when he was like 16 - an old lady pulled right out in front him.  His car rolled, the grandma, front bench seat and all went sailing right through where the windshield used to be.  She was, obviously, dead.  She had had her license suspended because she couldn't see and lack of judgment. 

Stuff like that sorta sticks with you.  Or like when a missionary friend was run over by a car out in the middle of nowhere.  By the time I  got there, they had his body draped with a sheet.  Didn't want to see it.  Saw it in the viewing - of course they attempt to fix the body up to make it presentable enough to be viewed.  Or the kid from church - 12 years old - stepped out in front of a car going 50mph - he died 3 days later.  I saw him at the viewing as well - they tried to fix all that damage but he clearly was wasted in that accident, it was amazing he even lived for 3 days. 

I dunno why, but seeing that car this morning brought up all kinds of images from the past.  We tend to not want to think about death, yet it is all around us, and one day, will visit each or our little doorsteps.  Knock, knock, I'm coming in whether you like it or not.  I suppose the circumstances of how you are dying will dictate whether you welcome it or wish it would go away. 

Well, whatever.  Get my head out of that mode.  Yesterday, I gave Michael a bit of a hard time because he had left a bag with some pork chops and bacon in the back of my car the day before.  I found them yesterday - $10 worth of meat down the drain.  He got an attitude with me.  I kindly informed him that if he doesn't like living here, he can LEAVE.  More attitude a few minutes later and then I did invite him to leave.  I don't mean to sound mean, but I don't need someone else's kid giving me an attitude in my own home.  "It's the age" does not excuse it with me.  He didn't leave, but we didn't speak the rest of the evening. 

Caleb got a job!!!!  Woohooooooo! Albertson's gave him the job, he goes in for drug testing Monday and training starts sometime next week as well.  In other good news, the ex-wife landed a job, apparently with a lawyer. Doing what, I don't know, but - I have never wished ill against her and I am glad that things might take a turn for the better for her.  In fact, maybe she'll be making more money than me and then she can pay me child support!  That's the way it works in AZ.  However, that was a joke.  I will be paying her the rest of the year that is left before Caleb turns 18 and then it will be history.  She forgave the house money and the 401k, it would be kind of lame to come along and throw some sort of technicality into the mix.  It's only another year.

I know several people - and I do mean several people - who are getting divorced with young children.  I can't even imagine facing 10 or 15 or more years of paying child support right now.  Those people don't even think about the future - you start paying out the nose every month and you will find that after time goes on, it starts getting really old.  If I have more kids, it's likely because I adopted them.  I have given serious consideration to that possibility for some time now.  There are plenty of throw away kids out there.  Families that don't want them, can't take care of them or the parents are in prison.  Many of them are problem children - will duhhh, because they are the product of abusive upbringing.  You have to go through a lot of background checks and interviews and home inspections and all that sort of stuff - that will have to wait until I get rid of tenants cause' they will want to ask about tenants - that may not go over so well with the authorities. 

One thing for certain, my days of taking care of other people's kids will be over soon enough.  I have no inclination whatsoever of taking care of Michael indefinitely, especially with his growing attitude.  In fact, I assume that he will leave on his own and probably that will happen sooner than later.  The neighborhood kids will have no reason to come over to my place once Caleb is up, out of the house and on his own, doing his thing.  Well, I don't really know what his plans are - college first, military second?  If so, is he going to stay at one of his parent's houses while doing so or will he attempt to be out on his own?  I know I can't afford to pay for an apartment for him, he'd have to do that on his own.  

Strange mindset I have this morning, going into all of that.

Must get my head into work mode.

G'day.
ben