—Popular, Part II—
The “Mart” Store that I worked for found out that I knew a little about Computers and decided to stick me in “Electronics.” I loved it.
The “Electronics Department” sold not only Computers but also Music CDs and Music Tapes along with Stereos and TVs. I was in Heaven.
I quickly became a “Come to” person when other employees had questions. I was always able to help the customers.
I quickly went from “Temp” help to Permanent Employee.
I had bought, with the help of Papa, a ’94 Camaro with T-Tops.
I had the windows tinted and a “Nike Swoosh” put on the back window.
I bought a “Black Light” and installed it in my car so it would look “Cool” when I rode around town at night.
The light was illegal, so I put a toggle switch to it so I could quickly flip it “On” or “Off.”
The first friend I made was “Jerry.”
Like me, he had recently started Community College and went Full-Time to stay on his Parent’s Insurance.
He and I got along well.
Next, I met “Wesley,” and then a girl named “Amy.”
I told no one about my Spina Bifida or the fact that I wore a diaper.
I’m embarrassed to say it now, but I was ashamed of myself.
I was leary about becoming friends with “Amy” because of what had happened to me with another girl named, “Dana.” I’ve written about “Dana.” To this day, I don’t know what happened with Dana.
You need to know that I was reluctant to befriend another girl.
On our Nights Off, we’d all hop in my car, take the T-Tops out, turn on “Bob Segar,” and cruise “The Strip.”
“The Strip” was a few miles of Highway 31, which went straight through our town. It started at “Burger King” and continued to the “Food World” Parking Lot. Back and forth, we’d drive.
One late night after work, I had Clocked Out and was getting some food off the shelves to buy and take home to eat—some “M&Ms” and Candy Bars along with a Mt. Dew. It took both arms to carry it all.
I took it all to the front registers to check out.
There were a few registers open, and I walked through “Line 12.”
A skinny guy about my age and my description was running the register.
I hadn’t met the guy at this point.
And, as I sit here typing this story, I can’t type his name…
To this day, I don’t say that name out loud. Luckily, I haven’t met another person with that name.
” This your dinner?” He asks.
“Yep.”
“Nutritious…”
“I eat it while watching ‘Dragnet, Car 54, The Andy Griffith Show,’ etc.” I said.
“Nick At Nite!” He replies.
“Yes! You know about ‘Nick At Nite?'”
“Yeah. I watch it when I get home too.” He said.
“Nick At Nite” would come on late at night and play all the old shows from the ’50s to the ’70s.
He and I would quickly go on to become best friends.
And, I just realized how I can “Name” him in this story.
He’ll simply be called “my best friend.”
I now had a “Group of Friends.”
“Jerry, Amy, Wesley, and my ‘Best Friend.'”
—More on this story later.
