I got up at the crack of 9:00 am and went to HEB to get one of my medicines refilled. I have barely been on prescription meds for 30 days and have already been seen and diagnosed by two surgeons here in Austin and then a team from MD Anderson, but that is not even what makes this country great. I picked up some supplies, Mijo wanted French toast yesterday, so I bought the fatter bread (Texas toast), it holds up better in the egg and milk soak, then of course I figured I'd buy real maple syrup and some more meat to grill tonight. It was actually nice; I like going to the grocery store when it isn't full of people and the energy level feels is subdued. Anyways, I figured I'd fill up the truck, with traffic being chill, then headed back home.
I was listening to the late great Toby Keith (gone too soon) as I was driving home, and I noticed when I turned up my street an older Toyota 4-Runner. Wife had one of these as her first car, when she came up to Austin after we got married. I noticed a couple of 20-something year old kids either helping them move in furniture or they were house cleaning, but it took me back to our start. After graduation, I didn't have daddy's company to join and become instantly set. I was lost for a few years, Wife was pregnant, and my first son was coming, whether we were ready or not. I found a job at a warehouse and did that for a year. My pay was $8 an hour, and I don't think I ever complained, even with the warehouse temperatures ranging from upper nineties in the summer to probably down in the 30's during the winter. It was a warehouse, and the big doors were almost always open during working hours. I did that job for a year until I figured I needed better, so I quit and looked for better. A friend from back home worked at LCRA in a chemistry lab and he got me in, but it kind of sucked. The work was "better" in that it was working with my degree, in a chemistry lab, but I was still only getting $8 an hour. I figured this would not work for me, people weren't promoted on ability, or everyone was good enough (everybody hired had a chemistry/science degree), but on time spent there, so I would always be below my friend, and I didn't like that idea, I wanted to make more money now. This is when I made another bold move and quit there and ended up at AMD, the rest is history, I moved up to a great opportunity by going to night shift and never looked back.
I guess I saw those boys working as representing who I was just a few short years ago and now here I am, living in what most would call a very nice housing community. I have always loved my house, to me it represents what this country can do for you. Through hard work and sacrifice, we have moved it on up, as the Jefferson's intro song sang back then. I don't think it makes me better than anyone, it is just what one can aspire to and achieve in a few short years of just shutting up and working hard. I hope if those boys are on the beginning of their journey, they too one day find whatever success is in store for them. I don't know what is in store for us tomorrow, maybe we stay here, maybe we move to San Antonio, or maybe we do the dream plan and move down to the coast and buy some sort of waterfront property, either way, I can't complain of the life we have been allowed to forge for ourselves.
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