Capped

By Edward Blaine

This book is an actual trip into reality. It is my autobiography. I realize that I am not famous or anything. I am just another average human being who had a tough break in life. I know that I am not unique in any sense. I would like to dedicate this book to my dad. When things got tough and I seriously needed someone, he was there.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Nov 7, 2014
• ISBN: 9781499080568

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Copyright © 2014 by Edward Blaine.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 10/08/2014

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Contents

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Story

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

D ad, Mom, Michele, Aunt Dorothy, Willie, Aunt Mare, Aunt Jackie, Aunt Paula, Uncle John, Matt, Lisa, Danny, Emma, Trish, Lena, Dena, Penny, Jerry, Garrett, Shirley, Sharon, Dr. Richard, Dr. Annette, Dr. Robert, Donna, Michele (speech therapist), Carol (Physical therapist), Carmen (beautiful Occupational therapist), Kevin (Physical therapist), Bobby, Robert, Sammy, Mike, Steve, Peter, Amber, David, Jill… You all have been positives in my life.

INTRODUCTION

L ife, there is no telling how it could all turn out. When I was a kid I had no idea that my life would turn out like it has, so far. Life is one of the many, many, many mysteries that abound. You end up with what you get and you just have to make the best of it, simply. People make their own choices and have to live with the consequences of those choices. My choices resulted in me being in this wheelchair. They were obviously poor choices. Choices are brought on themselves by other cho ices.

Poor choices regularly lead to more poor choices. It seems a never ending cycle. Once one is in an undesirable cycle in life he or she usually cannot notice the path in he or she is headed. Or, actually, the person refuses to accept the truth which he or she is aware of.

STORY

E dward Blaine had a regular childhood, nothing out of the ordinary, just normal. He had buddies, friends, was shy with girls. His home, Pensacola, Florida was completely different from his actual birthplace of Flint, Michigan. Having lived in Pensacola since he was six years old Edward considered himself a Southerner and not a Yankee. Edward had been up to Michigan a few times visiting his family there and there was no comparison between Michigan, the North, and Florida, the South. To Edward they were like two different count ries.

Edward’s life, as a child, was more or less dominated by his friends and his desire to be accepted by others. Growing up, Edward’s best friend was Beau, who lived on the street behind Edward’s street. Edward and Beau played football together, went to school together, were like brothers with a mutual love for each other.

When Edward and Beau were fourteen, along with their friend Alan, who lived in the same neighborhood, they began doing bad, mischievous things. They went out in their neighborhood at night and threw eggs at houses. The three, good friends also experimented with alcohol, having Alan sneak his father’s alcohol out of the house for them to drink. That was the beginning of Edward’s change, his downfall. Edward’s downfall really kicked in on the night when the three were out in the neighborhood and Beau pulled out a marijuana cigarette, a joint.

Being Edward’s first time smoking pot he didn’t really feel the effect of it. Soon after that Edward figured on keeping the pot-smoking up, especially after he started feeling the effects. That, coupled with alcohol that Edward, like all teenagers used, was the ticket. The ticket to where? That’s what ruined Edward.

Edward’s parents were divorced, a very common theme in the downfall of individual youth.

Realizing that he could get away with about anything with his real father gone and only his mother and his stepfather, who didn’t even count, there Edward figured he had it made.

Actually the spark for Edward was Ron, who actually used to live down the street from Beau. Edward was at first only an acquaintance of Ron, when Ron lived close by.

Edward, sixteen years old and having just got his driver’s license is driving around in his mother’s car when he sees Ron at the 7-11.

Hey Ron, how’s it going? says Edward.

Alright man, what’s going on Edward? answers Ron, at the counter buying cigarettes.

Where do you live now Ron? asks Edward.

Over off 5th, you know, that way, says Ron, pointing his finger to the right.

Oh, okay, I’m still in the same house on Coverdale Road with my mom and my stepdad, Edward says.

Really? So your mom and dad got divorced. So did mine, says Ron.

Yup, it’s happening, Edward says.

Do you ever see Beau? Ron asks.

Yeah, shit man, Beau’s my brother, answers Edward.

Let’s burn one, says Ron.

Okay man, you got one rolled up? Edward asks.

Yeah, right here, Ron says, pulling a joint from his cigarettes.

Alright dude, fire it up, says Edward, happily.

They smoke the joint, a regular, normal happening. It is regular in their ‘culture’ to get high.

The teenage culture of boys, and girls too, of teenagers living their lives in a, not necessarily, reckless, but actually carefree manner such as this is the normal in society. They are aware of the risks that they are putting themselves in at living at the pace and totally carefree style that they are living in but, because of their attitudes about actually everything they choose to ignore it.

Edward actually, more or less, has two sets of friends. There is the group of friends associated with Beau, Edward’s real ‘best’ friend. Edward and Beau have known each other since they were six years old.

That group was really the good upstanding group. Then there is Ron’s group. Ron’s group is actually on the other side of the tracks. Not necessarily on the wrong side of the tracks but just more or less negative. It is negative in the sense of no, or little, parental control, a very important factor in growing up.

After they are sixteen Edward and Beau now hang around their friend who lives near them named Joe. Joe picks them both up and they ride around drinking beer and smoking pot just having a good time. One night the three go out with Jerry and Donald, two guys who live in Edward and Beau’s neighborhood. The five decide to raise some mayhem. In their adolescent excitement they go out drinking and, with a baseball bat which is in the car, take turns bashing mailboxes. This is truly adolescent hijinks and someone notices them and they get caught. The boys are forced to repair, or replace, all of the mailboxes.

After this small realization that you cannot just go out and do anything that you want to Edward and his four friends who took place in this vandalism, this foolishness, take a break. Meanwhile, Ron, who has his own group over where he lives, laughs. Sixteen is an age of discovery, mayhem and trouble many times. These late teenage years were a time of learning and realization for Edward, as they are for all teenagers.

Time goes by and nothing actually changes for Edward until he is seventeen. That’s when Edward gets his first job as a stocker, he prefers that term to ‘stock boy’ at A&P, which is near his home. A&P being near his home makes it convenient for Edward as far as getting to and from work is concerned.

Once Edward gets his driver’s license that’s when things are really set off. Edward’s habit of going off partying is made so much more convenient with the use of a car, his mother’s car. Her car becomes more or less Edward’s car with the freedom her and his stepfather, who doesn’t actually even count, give him.

Also near Edward’s house, on a street connecting to his street are two new friends of Edward’s, Chris and Tony. Chris and Tony are both around Edward’s age and they share his interests. They, with Edward and Beau get stoned and drunk. Chris and Tony walk over to Edward’s house after school and jam out and get stoned. Chris introduces something to Edward and Tony that they have never thought of, huffing gas.

They do it in Edward’s garage using the gas tank of his stepfather’s motorcycle.

Beau would pick up Edward in his car on school mornings and they would ride to school sometimes stopping off along the way to smoke a joint. Coming to school stoned, which they thought cool, stabilized their images, or self-images as bad boys. Edward would come into his first period class just blazed and go by Chris, who was in the same class, and smile, thinking, look at me, screw them and their morals, I’m cool.

An invention of Edward’s was what he, Chris, and Tony called the Stoner. It was a hydraulic water bong. It was a bucket, half filled with water in which was placed the top half of a milk jug. In the top, the opening of the milk jug there was a ‘bowl’, in which to place the pot. With the bowl filled someone would slowly pull the jug up while lighting the pot with a lighter. This would cause the jug to fill with smoke and that person would quickly remove the bowl and put his mouth over the opening and push down and the smoke would rush out, into whoever’s mouth, a giant ‘hit.’ It would easily produce the desired effect, thus called the Stoner.

Edward, all the while is wondrously maintaining his mediocre grades at school, enough to pass.

Still, his friendship with Ron is going along, actually growing. Edward, with the regular use of the car, is spending a lot of time in Ron’s area. Edward’s ‘new’ set of friends are influencing him directly and what could be said negatively. A new world hasn’t actually been opened up to Edward, just new, different ways.

These new, different ways are troublesome and confuse Edward because up to now, in his life, Edward has always been more or less by the book.

Edward, of course, maintains his friendship with Beau. Edward and Beau and Joe keep up their physical strength and energy. They work out with weights and with others play football regularly. This is how Edward is different from Ron and his group of friends over in his part of town. Edward seems to be split in two, having loyalties with two different sets of friends. It’s not that Beau and Ron don’t know each other. Beau is just not as familiar with Ron as Edward is.

A difference between Beau and Edward which is actually the same difference between Ron and Edward is that Edward doesn’t have a girlfriend. Edward just has never ‘hooked up’ with a female regarding boyfriend-girlfriend status. It isn’t that Edward doesn’t desire females or anything like that it’s just that it hasn’t happened yet for Edward.

Meanwhile Edward is maintaining his life at home. His bedroom is more or less a tribute to 80’s hard rock music with his walls covered with pictures of his favorite musicians. He’s got an Ozzy Osbourne poster, an AC/DC poster, a Judas Priest poster, and a Motley Crue poster decorating his walls in addition to all of the pictures. This is what he refers to as his getaway, his own personal escape.

Edward and Chris are back in his room listening to music and wrestling around, which they do regularly.

What’s Beau been up to? Chris asks.

Just, you know, living. Him and Lee-Ann are together a lot.

Lee-Ann is Beau’s girlfriend. Edward cannot help being a little bit jealous not having a girlfriend of his own.

How ’bout Ron? Chris asks.

Same thing, him and Joanna. Well, Joanna’s not the same as Lee-Ann is, not near as much class, Edward observes.

Not quite, Chris reinforces Edward’s opinion.

Joanna is older and has a daughter.

Alright chump, let’s burn one, suggests Edward.

Let’s do it.

Edward pulls the Frisbee, his ‘weed’ tray from underneath his stereo. It is upside down, resembling a plate. On it are a small bag of pot, rolling papers, and three joints. Edward chooses the biggest joint. He and Chris smoke it while listening to Iron Maiden Piece of Mind.

This, a regular happening, reinforces the rapport, friendship between Edward and Chris. It actually is a form of male bonding. They both secretly, desperately want a girlfriend.

Chris, wearing glasses, is a year younger than Edward. He is smaller than Edward in body size and is shorter. Chris is leaner and has brown hair. Tony, who also wears glasses, is Chris’s age and has brownish-blonde hair. Tony is closer to Edward’s size than Chris. Chris and Tony are next door neighbors on a street connecting to Edward’s street. Edward feels a slightly better rapport with Chris than he does with Tony.

What’s Tony doing? Edward asks.

I don’t know, probably homework or something, answers Chris.

Well man, can’t believe it. I’m about to graduate, Edward says.

Yeah, and I’m not far behind you.

I know, you’ll be here one day, jokes Edward.

Edward, who has just turned eighteen, feels like he is at a definite crossroads in his life. He is currently not working, concentrating on finishing high school. After high school, he really doesn’t know, he’ll just go with the winds of life. Maybe he’ll attend the local junior college for a while since he has the funding from his grandfather.

That night, a Friday night, Edward drives over to Ron’s. Ron is with Joanna, as always. They go out to the river, a gathering spot near Ron’s. They meet up with David, a friend of Ron’s and Joanna’s and now Edward’s.

How’s it going Edward? David asks.

Alright David, what’s going on? says Edward.

Who’re you with? Ron asks David.

Chuck and Elaine, says David, Chuck is David’s big brother and Elaine is Chuck’s wife.

Joanna, Elaine’s sister, goes to talk to Elaine and Chuck, down towards the water.

Wait a minute baby! Ron calls to Joanna.

Come on man, Ron says to Edward.

Joanna, Ron, Edward, and David walk down to Elaine and Chuck.

Hey Ron, says Chuck.

What’s going on Chuck? Edward greets Chuck.

Hi Edward, how’re you doing? asks Chuck.

Pretty good, what are y’all doing? answers Edward.

We’re just out getting around.

Yeah, looks like there’s a lot of people out here tonight, says Edward, looking around.

Ron walks over to Chuck and Edward.

We oughtta go get some beer, could you get it for us Chuck? Ron asks.

Yeah, okay. Are you gonna drive me to the store Edward? asks Chuck.

Yeah, let’s go, says Edward.

They go get their beer. This is the average way things normally work in this social circle. Night after night it’s the same routine. People figure ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’.

Edward, who is about to graduate from high school, is excited about that. Ron, who quit high school, has no idea of that feeling of gladness and relief. Edward, along with Beau, is elated from that feeling of completion. Edward and Beau have been good friends a long time and are together in their excitement.

Edward calls Beau, What’s going on man?

Not much, what are you doing? Beau says.

Are you ready for school to be over?

Hell yeah I’m ready, are you?

You know I am. Wanna go burn one?

Yeah, I’ll come pick you up, Beau finalizes Edward’s idea.

In about ten minutes Beau’s Mustang pulls up in front of Edward’s house. Edward’s mom tells him he’s there. Edward goes into his bedroom and gets his bag of pot real quick, puts it in his pocket and goes outside and gets in Beau’s car.

You wanna go to the Asshole Tree? asks Beau.

The Asshole Tree is a designated spot, designated by them, off the road, in the woods. It is where they sometimes go to smoke pot, drink beer, whatever.

Yeah, let’s go, Edward says.

What’s Ron doing? asks Beau.

I don’t know, just doing his thing I guess.

Edward feels like an intermediate between Beau and Ron now. Beau and Ron used to be better friends before when they were neighbors. Edward and Ron since have become good friends. Beau gets along with Joanna and David and Chuck and the rest of Ron’s crew but he has his own crew. Lee-Ann, his girlfriend, takes up much of Beau’s time. Edward and Lee-Ann have nothing at all against each other.

They have always gotten along with each other fine.

How are Ron and Joanna and David and Elaine and Chuck? Beau asks.

They’re all getting along, ya know, Edward answers.

Beau nods and slips in an Ozzy Osbourne cassette tape in the tape player. The song ‘Crazy Train’ plays in the speakers and Beau automatically turns it up, jamming. They ride to their, what seems, private spot the ‘Asshole Tree’. Edward fires up a joint and they smoke it. Two old friends in their intimacy, doing their thing.

Are you gonna go to PJC? Beau asks.

I guess, that’s what my mom and everybody expects, Edward says.

PJC, Pensacola Junior College is the place locally where young people just out of high school are pretty much expected to start their adult lives. Edward is planning to keep up his supposed pleasing of his elders, even if it is a lie. Meanwhile, he is stuck in between his two best friends, Beau and Ron, who are each on the opposite side of the spectrum. Ron, actually his new friend, compared to Beau, has taken up most of Edward’s time lately.

Ron is not at all interested in college, or anything of that sort. Edward’s actual ‘bad’ side is showing itself more and more hanging out with Ron. Edward is fully aware that the lifestyle that he is living is a poor choice. Because of his youth and his ignorance of the wrongness of his decisions he doesn’t change at all. In this way Edward is basically stereotyped as just another stupid kid by society, he feels.

When Edward is eighteen, during the summer immediately after he’s graduated from high school an incident which shape his profile partly occurs. He takes a couple of blue-10mg valiums supplied by who knows who and mixes them with alcohol, beer, and is lost in his own private world. Very, very stupidly he decides to drive while under the influence. He smashes into a van. Very, very luckily for him it is occupied by two old and understanding men. This is fortunate for Edward because he happens to be in a rough part of Pensacola, a poor black part, while this happens. There’s no telling how this would’ve turned out if the occupants of the van would’ve been young ‘thugs’.

When the police show up Edward is still rather incoherent, under full control of the valiums. After a few hours of rest in the jail cell he calls his mother and stepfather. They come and rescue Edward from the Pensacola Sheriff’s Department. His mother is obviously unhappy with the shape that her car is now in after Edward’s ‘accident’. The remainder of the summer is taken up for Edward by performing community service required as punishment for his DUI.

Edward and Ron, in one of their ‘adventures’ decide to go to the cow pasture and get some mushrooms, or ‘shrooms’. They do it early in the morning, immediately after the sun rises. They pick them out of the cow shit, or cow patties. They then go to Edward’s, his mother and his stepfather are gone.

They put the shrooms in a pot of water and boil it on the stove. Then they place tea bags in the water.

Now they have shroom tea.

Edward has a sister, Renee. She is five years older than Edward. Renee shares an apartment with an old friend, Roger. Edward and Renee’s relationship has always been your typical brother-sister relationship, this case being big sister-little brother. Renee has experimented with all that Edward has, beforehand. Edward and Ron decide to pay Renee a visit with their shroom tea in hand.

Hey Sissy, says Edward.

Hey guys, what are y’all doing? Renee greets them.

Edward and Ron, under the effects of the shroom tea, are laughing at nothing in particular. Renee apparently notices.

What? she says, smiling.

Ron, what did you do to my little brother? she asks, as if on a joke.

Nothing, Renee, he did it to himself, Ron says.

Little brother, are you being bad? What’s that? Renee asks, noticing the jar in Edward’s hand.

We picked some shrooms and made some tea, want some? Edward says, offering.

Roger, who doesn’t do hallucinogenics, shakes his head, laughing at the situation.

You guys go ahead and have your fun. I’m going to the store, says Roger.

Alright Roger, my man, says Edward, all the time laughing.

It’s good, have some, Edward says to Renee.

Okay, sure, why not? Renee says, taking the jar and pouring some into a glass.

We’re gonna go see what Randy’s doing. We’ll check on ya later, says Edward.

Okay, I’ll see you guys later, thanks, Renee says.

Ron and Edward get into Ron’s Pinto and take off.

You alright man? Edward asks Ron, still giggling.

Yeah, how ’bout you? Ron answers, also giggling.

They go over to their friend Randy’s and spend about thirty minutes over there. Then they decide to return to Renee’s.

Renee should be zooming by now, Edward says in the car.

Yeah, you wanna go and check? Ron asks.

Let’ go.

They go back to Renee’s. Roger is still gone. Edward knows his sister but he doesn’t know what to expect under this situation.

Edward rings the doorbell. He and Ron wait for about five minutes with no answer at