Michael's Song
I don't know where to begin, so I'll just go ahead and start. In case you are wondering, Michael is my son, but he doesn't enter the story untill much farther a long. Well, my story starts when I was seventeen, and fresh out of highschool. I had enough of my crappy town and ditched it for Seattle. I didn't have many things, so I took the basic things I would need, saved up some money and bought a bus ticket. I arrived at a greyhound station with nothing but my bag and some money to rent a room at a crummy hotel. I found a job at a Record store a few days later. That is where I met Timmy. He has many parts in my story, as you will see. That is also how I ended up rooming with Merradith, she was like a Sister to me. She even saved my life once. That is a part of the story too. Well, that is as good as an introduction as I can give you. Here goes. . . .
The bus pulled into the greyhound station on 8th street. It was a crummy area. There were old storefronts all over, all as bad as the next. I spent the whole bus ride next to a very large woman who insisted rubbing rose petals on her pits were enough to cover any BO. She was very wrong! Seeing the aproaching staion made my spirits soar! This is what I had been waiting for, my dream was here. I ditched all my old friends and my sad excuse for a family. I had to get out before I drowned in the sorrow of my decaying town. I got of the bus with nothing but my Jansport backback and two hundred dollars in my wallet. I decided to just pick a direction and start walking.
The bus pulled into the greyhound station on 8th street. It was a crummy area. There were old storefronts all over, all as bad as the next. I spent the whole bus ride next to a very large woman who insisted rubbing rose petals on her pits were enough to cover any BO. She was very wrong! Seeing the aproaching staion made my spirits soar! This is what I had been waiting for, my dream was here. I ditched all my old friends and my sad excuse for a family. I had to get out before I drowned in the sorrow of my decaying town. I got of the bus with nothing but my Jansport backback and two hundred dollars in my wallet. I decided to just pick a direction and start walking.
posted by Christina | 11:02 AM
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It was starting to get dark, and very cold! I pulled out my Grey sweatshirt and pulled it on. It didn't help much, but it kept the wind from chilling me. I walked for about an hour, and hadn't seen any Hotels, or even a Y for that matter. I was starting to question my decision. Perhaps I should have taken five minutes to find a hotel or a map or something before I left. I decided not to dwell on it too much, this was a part of my adventure after all. I heard some music playing as I rounded a corner. There was a bar set up in the middle of some closed buildings, and the door was open. It was still just getting dark so I decided to try my chances, and hope they wouldn't card me. I didn't want to drink, I just wanted to get out of the cold, have a meal, and see if anyone could tell me where to go. I walked up and there was a bouncer sitting in a stool right inside the door. "ID?" He asked. "I just need some food." I said. He looked me over, and I think he figured out real fast I had just walked of a bus. "Come with me." He said. He tapped one of the waitresses on the shoulder as he walked by and said, "Tell Smith to watch the front for a minute." She nodded, and smiled at me. I followed the bouncer to the back of the bar. There was a breakroom there. "Be right back." He said, and walked away. I just sat there. I didn't really understand what was going on. A few minutes later the bouncer came back with another man in his fourties. "Hi. I'm Phil. You need a job?" He asked. I must have looked shocked! I certainly was. "Um...Actually, yes I do!" I said. "How old are you?" Phil asked. "17. I'll be 18 in two weeks." I said. "Okay. We need some waitresses. If anyone asks you are 19." He said. "You'll get paid under the table for now. Timmy will show you around, and introduce you to Meri. She will train you." Phil said, and shook my hand. He left right after. "Well, I'm Timmy." The bouncer said. He seemed thin for a bouncer, but I guess all that matters is how well you fight. "Kylie." I said, and he shook my hand.
"That was Phil. He has a soft spot in his heart for people like you." He said. "Like me?" I asked. "Oh, I didn't mean anything by that. I meant, you just got off the bus right? No where to stay, little cash?" He asked. "Well, yeah." I said. "You'll fit right in! You can leave your bag here. I'll introduce you to Meradith. She goes by Meri for short." He said, and I left my bag in the back room. He walked me back through the bar and found the waitress he talked to when I first entered. "Meri!" He shouted, and she walked over. "This is Kylie. She'll be working here for a little while." He said. "I'll see you around cutie!" He told me slapped my shoulder as he walked away. "Hi Kylie. I'm Meri." She said, and shook my hand. Her hair was short and purple. She was really thin and had black glasses on. "Nice to meet you." I said. The first few hours were so busy! I just followed Meri around and she explained stuff to me. It hit 10:00 and I followed her to the back. "My shift is over". She said, and smiled. "You have a place to stay?" She asked me. "No, I don't. Do you know anywhere?" I asked her. "You can come with me. I live in a small apartment bymyself, but there is room for one more." She said. I grabbed my bag and followed her. We sat out front to wait for her ride. Timmy came pulling up in his car. We got in, and he drove us to Meri's place. After he dropped us off, Mary walked me to her apartment. "Number 219." She said, and unlocked the door. It was a one bedroom. She had a huge fluffy couch and tv sitting on a stand. Her walls were covered in music posters. "You can sleep on the couch. It is pretty comfy!" She showed me around. "Bathroom, and this is my room." She said walking me through. "Make yourself at home!" She said.
I decided to jump in the shower first. I still had the bustop stink all over me. Meri lent me some pajamas to sleep in, and through my bag of clothes in the washer. She put some music on, and grabbed us each a beer. We sat on her couch and drank while sharing our stories. She was born and raised in seattle, but most of her friends were people who wandered here like me. She said I was the first person she ever trusted to stay at her place. She said she liked me the moment she saw me at the bar. It was quiet for a few minutes and I starte laughing. "What is so funny?" She asked me. "I've only been here for a few hours and I already have a job, a temporary place to stay, and a friend I feel like I've known forever!" I said, and she laughed. "You are so sweet! I love you for that!" She said. We stayed up and talked for hours before we both got tired. She got a couple blankets and pillows from her closet, and I helped her make up a bed for me on the couch. She went back to her room, and I layed there thinking about how amazing this was.
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