Chapter 14. "Maybe more."

I've never been a fan of Valentine's Day, you know?

I was engaged for nearly a decade, and the woman that I was with at the time did not want to celebrate the day due to it also being the anniversary date that she shared with her most recent exe.

That was...annoying, to say the least, you know?

Don't set your anniversary dates on holidays, folks lbvs, what if the relationship doesn't work out?

Why ruin the event for your future endeavors?

Bah, lol, that is neither here nor there.

On a random note: "You can't have your cake and eat it too." makes no sense and is a rather stupid saying, right?

Well, that's because we all -or most of us- have been saying it just like that, lol, and thus, we have been repeating the wrong quote all along.

Or have we?

"You can't have your Kate and Edith, too." 

Is an old term that means you can't entertain two women at once.

But "You can't have your cake and eat it too." could also mean something like: 

"You can't KEEP your cake AND eat it." which would make much more sense if you think of it like "You can't spend your money AND be wealthy." 

Okay, lol, I am rambling on at this point.

Maybe thinking out loud, lol.

Thank you all for dealing with my crap.

See you soon, yeah?

Enjoy.

-----

September 1st, 2018. 

-----

Dear You.

I grew up in Milwaukee, Wi.

A small town...

Maybe 70,000.

Maybe more.

IDK.

I don't want to be here all of my life, though.

Me and (who I think is your mom, lol) are going to get out of here one day.

You may be born here, IDK.

But one thing is for sure,

You don't have to stay.

So remember: Wherever you are NOW. 

IS NOT WHERE YOU HAVE TO STAY.

-Dad. 

-----

-Man, I am still here in my hometown.

A part of me hates that fact, you know?

I am 36 now, kid, it's been long enough lbvs.

I would love to move out of Milwaukee and start a new life in some strange new now before I am too old to do so.

That would be so...amazing. I can't even find the words for how It feels to even think about it lol.

-Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has nearly 600,000 people lmao.

I have no idea where I got that "70,000" figure from!

I can't even use the excuse of "not having Google back then." lol it was 2018!

-I am currently not with the woman that I really thought would end up being your mother -at least not here in 2025- but we are decent friends. Sometimes, the person who you think of as the love of your life may just be an extended chapter, you know?

Or maybe she was the right woman, just at the wrong time?

Who can say?

I suppose -if you exist- then we have our answer, now, don't we? lol.

-Don't stay in your hometown. The world is MASSIVE and has so much more to offer than whatever -or whoever even- could possibly tie you down to where you to the place you were born. If the person is right for you, they will leave with you lbvs. 

That is all I have for you all today; I hope it sits well till the next one, yeah?

You all travel safely out there and keep your wits about you.

I will see you all back here soon enough.

As always:

Stay safe.

Stay healthy.

Stay vigilant.

-Redd.