23 YEARS AGO TODAY (P)

It was 23 years ago today while proving my incredible knack for stupidity that I threw the anchor off the bow of the boat into twenty feet of water and then proceeded to dive off the stern into two feet of water...

Now before you get the wrong impression, let me assure you, that wasn't the end, but the beginning of my great adventure... I've always been one who believes that everything happens for a reason... I'm not going to say that my life was spiraling out of control, but I was not leading the most stellar or exemplary life style... I was in a disastrous marriage that (L) warned me not to get into... In hindsight, I did most of my thinking back then with my little head instead of my big head... (as crude as that sounds, it's the best explanation) The resulting injury helped put an end to that marriage, which ultimately enabled me to become the person I am today... I remember sitting in the courthouse during the divorce proceeding and my now ex saying to me "(P), if you go through with this I'll never come back to you"... To which I replied "I know, now I'm just trying to get it in writing"...

The journey has been incredible, I've grown from a young self centered, egotistical bastard to an old self centered, egotistical bastard... (well at least that's what most would say) I remember being in the hospital and having the staff psychologist pay me a visit... I was lying in bed (not much else to do when you're in a halo brace) when the door opened an this angelic face appeared saying "I'm (B) would you like to talk? I said sure come on in... We talked for at least an hour and when she left my mother and aunt came in and asked how it went? I said "I think she feels a lot better now"... A short four month stint in the hospital and I was off to Miami for "Spinal Cord Rehab"... There seems to be a reoccurring theme in which they assigned me another staff shrink, I guess some people need them... Her name was (J) and on our first time together, she asked me numerous questions and then finally stated "you were sick long before you broke your neck, weren't you"... Finally someone who knew the real me...

It's almost a year after being released from rehab and I'm watching truck and tractor pulls on ESPN when I realized a mind is a terrible thing to waste, so I rolled down to the end of the driveway and picked up the newspaper... (Al Gore hadn't invented the Internet yet) I saw an ad for an estimator at a local construction company... I called an asked if their office was wheelchair accessible (this was prior to ADA) and he said "I'll have to look" after which he said "there's a 4" step"... I told him "that's fine for the interview, but if you hire me, I'm going to insist on a ramp"... That was twenty one years ago and I'm pleased to report I'm still working for one of the greatest companies anyone could hope to work for... We are a construction company in an extremely poor economic era, but thankfully we are keeping the doors open...

Six years ago this past April my life changed once again for the better as I met my beloved (T) and my life has been blessed ever since... I'm not sure what evil she must have done in the past to deserve this fate, I'm just glad it happened...

So on this Labor Day, may I raise my glass to all and hope that each and every one of you are as blessed as I am without being as stupid as I am...