Chapter 16. "A second door."

Hey hey, folks!

-You too Kid-

How goes it?

Well, I hope.

Life has been just as chaotic as it can be, yeah?

America is a weird, strange place...

I won't elaborate lol.

I really hope that wherever this finds you, you are at the very least healthy.

I won't keep you, it's a Monday lbvs.

I don't know about you, but I have never been a fan lol.

Enjoy. 

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September 8th, 2018.

Anything you read below that is italicized is written in cursive in the journal lol

-----

Dear you.

It's been a long morning.

Having to travel across town for work on the city bus can be a drag...

I like writing in cursive.

Seems like it's a lost art now...

I would be willing to bet that there are no or very few writing classes in whatever year you are reading this lol.

Does cursive still exist?

My handwriting may be sloppy, and my spelling not so great

But I can still write like this lol.

And it feels good.

On my first day of 4th grade, I remember walking in and taking my seat next to a chick named XXXXX and a guy named XXXXX XXXXX.

 I looked up at the chalkboard...and there was a paragraph that was written in cursive lol.

I literally cried.

I had no idea what it was, and It looked like a how different language!

-but I didn't give up. That is and should always ALWAYS be your very last option.

Remember.-

There is always a second door.

Always something else you can do.

-Dad.

-Continued. Same date.-

(Here I had drawn a car in the likeness of the "Bone Shaker." a car from the Hot Wheels toy line and one of my favorite concept cars.)

An arrow was drawn that pointed to this drawing and a caption that read: 

"This little beauty is called Bone Rattler. Love it!" 

I've never been into cars or any type of racing, but recently your uncle got me to look at these Hot Wheels in a whole new light lol.

I've never been once to be able to name a car or its make + model, but I love concept and futuristic cars. 

-Dad.

-----

Hey kid.

I still write in cursive to this day.

I remember feeling like a big-ass baby as I sat there and cried silently to myself lol.

But I figured it out and got it done.

The irony of this?

Several years ago on one of my nephew's birthdays, I got him a card with his gift, and in that card was a message that I had written in cursive. 

I remember laughing my ass off as he stared at it in confusion.

He then proceeded to look me in my eyes and ask what language I had written the message in.

It was as if I was looking down at myself from the past.

The difference of course was that I was just a poorly educated child (MPS was sooooooo bad back then! ) lol, while my nephew had simply never had the chance to behold such a thing because it is no longer a part of what is now the typical and standard curriculum.

Oh, how times have changed! Lol. 

-I can't say that physical writing will ever really be just dead and gone, but it is rapidly on the decline as technology gets more and more advanced.

Back when I was teaching K-4/K-5 my students all had assigned tablets!

That blew my mind since more than 80% of them couldn't even write their own name.

Times have truly changed folks.

Kid? If you have a kid of your own someday, make sure that they know what cursive is, and how to write in it.

Seriously.

Why now? These things are dying for sure. 

-I am still too stubborn to just give up on things and/or people, you know?

I don't think that part of me will ever change...

I still haven't given up on the idea of YOU.

You aren't a thing here in 2025.

Not yet...

And if you are?

Well fuck...where the hell are you!?

Inbox me you little shit.

-My stepbrother got me into the whole Hot Wheels collecting thing for a brief stint. I was not into cars lol and I still am not.

But it gave us something to bond over, and that is something that I didn't get much of as a kid...

I have...13 siblings folks.

Seven on my Mum's side, I am the 4th born. 

Six on my Pop's side, I am the 4th born on that side as well.

Four just so happens to be my favorite number lol.

I was a bit closer to the ones on my Mum's side, as we all grew up more or less together until we were unceremoniously cast into the foster care system...

A story for another time, my word. 

This particular brother is from my Pop's side of the family, and he is one of the few who have made a conscious effort to have a relationship in our adulthood.

It feels good and is very important.

I am not hugely into family, but people need people.

The cars created a bond between us that saved me from a lot of darkness and loneliness when I was at one of the lowest parts of my life.

Another story for another time lol. 

I will see you all back here soon enough, yeah?

Safe travels as you get around folks, and thank you all for 5.43K Views in English and an additional 2.21 in Spanish!

You all are amazing, and your loyalty keeps me going!

Till next time, and as always!

Stay safe.

Stay healthy.

Stay vigilant.

-Redd.