RateItAll: The Opinion Network

American expatriates...for having the foresight to escape before the emerging fascist state prevents them from leaving without proper "papers."

When I was about 16 and in the height of my rebellion as a teenager, I got kicked out of school for lack of attendance. Actually they made me quit so they wouldn't have to kick me out which would give me the chance to return if I got my head straight. I had to get a job which then gave me the not so bright idea of running away - for which I ended up in juvy. The court assigned me to a counselor, a young woman in her mid twenties whose name I can't remember. I gave her a lot of baloney about my parents - mostly about my mother who I was convinced hated me at the time. She listened for awhile to my tirade and told me something I found quite profound at the time. She told me that for all the trouble and grief I was causing my parents which was really to myself, that in only a couple of years I was going to be free of them and able to live my life the way I wanted - that my life would be my responsibility. Then I could do what I wanted and did I know what I wanted to do? She said that what I lacked was any plan as to how I was going to do that when the time came. I found this very enlightening and freeing and made a choice on the spot to change my mind about how I was looking at things. I went back to school, quit the acting out crap and focused on getting decent grades - which I did. Happily ever after has not happened yet, but her wisdom definitely caused me to turn my life around which I have not forgotten.

my local bartender is ok. he gives me a beer for free from time to time.

When I was about 11 years old I used to hang out at the small community train station that was located near where I lived. I would spend hours watching the trains as they passed through and would study the people who were traveling to and from Manhattan. One day I met Eddie the train man. Eddie was a guy probably in his late 30s who used to sell tickets and he would often let me into the back room where he worked. I was fascinated by all of the train stuff which ranged from an electronic switchboard that monitored trains that were close by, to the 1920's style telephone which was used to talk to the dispatcher at Grand Central Terminal in New York City. Eddie would talk to me and try to teach me some of life's lessons and even today I can remember at least one philosophical point he made to me. What I remember most however, was that Eddie was a cheerful guy, he always had a few dollars in his pocket and he seemed to enjoy life. He told me that sometimes when the weather was nice, he would paint houses or build cabinets. Other times he would repair small appliances and when the weather turned cold he would work more hours at the train station. I do the things that I like to do Eddie once said. Many years later I was hired as a minor corporate officer for a franchise company. Shortly after I came on board the company was sold and the new owners lied to everyone about the security of their job and the time schedule for changes. I watched many good people get hurt and cast aside for no reason other than that is the way things are done. All of us knew that we were going to be let go, but the company had to put on a facade to keep it within the confines of the law. This facade was to be an evaluation by one of the higher officers. When I walked into the gentleman's office for my evaluation, the first words out of his mouth were What are your long term goals with this company? For a brief moment my mind flashed back to Eddie the train man. Always cheerful, always had a few dollars, and suddenly I realized that it is not a failure in life if one does not have a career. So I replied Sir, I don't have any long term goals any more. I have finally come to realize that I am one of those people that goes through life and I do things, and this is what I am doing now. I knew it was not the correct corporate answer (which didn't help anyone in the end) but I had the satisfaction of telling him that I did not need his corporation or job to be happy in life. So thank you, Eddie from Crestwood train station, wherever you are. Because of you I learned how to be happier with myself and with life than I would have been otherwise, if we had never met.