Ten Cents and a Turtleneck Sweater-in Miami!

by edward
(reno,nv)

People would say I was young and dumb. Truth be told, I was scared! I come from a small New England town where working in the local jewelry shops was your future. The only thing to do at night was hang out at a bar. There were Italians, French, Portuguese, and regular bars. Draft beer, pool and TV. In the winter, more of the same because of the usual seasonal layoffs and it was cold! outside. One night with a friend, both of us just out of high school, were sitting at one end of a bar and there lined up on the barstools were men who for years had been doing the same thing: 8 hours kicking a foot press, then home, then bar, then home, then work. Yes some raised families, but you can do that in other places too. I commented to my friend, "Look, Joey, that's us, that'll be us soon". We both knew we had to get out. His Italian father used to say something about worry and no matter what, the sun always came up the next day. I just knew that if you thought positive that even though we didn't know what was out there, well, come what may. So we kissed our Mom's goodbye and hitched hiked to Florida and personally I arrived with 10 cents in a turtle neck sweater. Things were uncomfortable, not really tough, but there was work, we met friends, we were doing something and that inner faith, positive faith is what pushed us off the stool and into a better life.