Sidelined 2005

His body and his mind had had enough.

So many losses over such a short time.

No time to grieve, no time to heal.

Too much cheap fast food and

birthday cakes.

Gallons of iced sweet tea.

Too much job-related stress.

Long nights without sleep.

The final "camel-back" straws in season

of too many humps,

having to deal with his worst

summer employment experience ever,

trying to manage spoiled, hard-headed teenagers

with ears attached to cell phones and

non-stop, ear-bud music.

Challenged by a bored, ill-prepared adult staff

that he didn't hire, nor could he fire

because nepotism reigned!

Evenings of repetitious self-talk...

...I should have listened to my friends

who warned me, "Don't work there.

I should have, but I didn't."

When his body, his mind, and his spirit, had had enough...

the end results...

diabetes.