Halls of Karma

01/07/2025

Halls of Karma

Daily writing prompt

What could you do differently?

There are many things that could be done differently and today is a special day for me to reflect on my life.

circa 1974.

I’m fifteen years old and not thinking of how this day would impact the rest of my life. I was thinking that sixth period was study hall and the last class of the day in my sophomore year of high school. I’m skipping it with a neighbor Arthur James [R.I.P.] and we leave school burning a joint on the 3 mile walk home.

Life is good when your high on Mother Nature and laughter is flowing. Well this was all about to change as I got within two blocks from the house.

A guy that lived about a block from us was coming out of the tavern half lit and upon seeing me started yelling at me to ‘get your ass home, your dad’s dead’. I brushed it off as him being drunk and kept heading home.

About a block from the house I notice all the families cars parked in front of the house and broke out into a full run. When I hit the door my brothers and sisters tried to hug me but I shook them off and ran into the kitchen where I had left dad that morning.

My father was left crippled after being ran over by a delivery truck and so each morning I would help him down the stairs and get him on a colonial couch, push him to the kitchen and help him into his chair at the kitchen table. After this I would stock the fridge with beer from the basement refrigerator before heading to school.

I do want to take this time to say my dad was a prick when he was drunk and at home but he was an honorable man that wouldn’t let men degrade women in his presence without knocking them out, a hard worker that instilled manners and responsibility in all his children and earned the respect of anyone that knew him. R.I.P. dad. 1915-1974

The next month went by in a blur and my 16th birthday in February found me realizing that the foundation of who I was to become was set in stone. I couldn’t find remorse or sadness in my heart, actually my heart was void of emotion period.

That spring found me hanging around the tavern my dad always went to hitting up drunks going into the bar to buy me carry-out liquor of any kind I could get. I would then find my way to the alley behind our house and hang out with guys from the neighborhood that were about five or six years older and learning about the darker side of life in the inner city.

Late spring and early summer of 74′ also found me starting to travel and learning about the drugs that were available on the streets, burying my feelings deep down where I didn’t have to face them. Tea, mescaline, and my favorite downer of all time Roar 714’s became my staple diet along with Wild Irish Rose. Those drugs and friends of the night helped me forget the pain.

Therein lies the Halls of Karma.

I spent the next forty years not caring about what society deemed right for me and lived life in the fast lane of pleasure and pain, traveling across this great country. I have experienced a fantastic life living on the edge and pushing the envelope trying to find satisfaction.

circa 2013

In 2013 my step father died and I stepped up to take care of my mother who was suffering from dementia and spent the next three years caring for her 24/7. In this tough time of life I had time to reflect on my life and make changes.

My Mom and her two brothers at one of their last family reunion’s together.

Present day

So here I sit reflecting back on an amazing journey and in the process I realize that I shouldn’t have done anything differently. If I had I would not be the Dawg that is living a mellower life filled with friends like you.