Live

By Thomas DeLoach

Complete and totally opposite strangers path collide and over the course of three months their lives are changed forever.This is an entertaining and evolutionary book about a young male who purposely entraps himself into his schoolwork for fear of failure. Efron is extremely intelligent but lacks people skills because he chooses not to use them. Until his life suddenly collides with a bizarre character.Jackson values relationships over success, family over business, and time over money. Their story depicts how these things (relationships, family, and time) by default have lost their value in today's society without most realizing. Jackson's goal is to awaken everyone he comes in contact with to the subtle changes that, over time, have caused significant impact to the community. He does so in an unconventional way and believes with conviction within himself this is what he was born to do. Live is full of comedy, dance, excitement, romance, and the greatest form of entertainment, learning.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jan 13, 2021
• ISBN: 9781645153252

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Live

Thomas B. DeLoach

Copyright © 2020 by Thomas B. DeLoach

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Introduction

You’re beautiful, powerful, capable of things you’ve only imagined, and incredibly intelligent. Your limits are only those you set for yourself. You are not defined by circumstances but the choices you make and to the things you devote your thinking. Thoughts are the gateway to creating. What is your desired future? What do you desire for your tomorrow? What’s your desired outcome? Decide and define the answers to these questions and think on these answers continuously. Every day, devote at least thirty minutes to thinking on the answers. Then watch the path unfold.

Welcome to a literary discovery of humanity. Please enter with a mind open to discover, learn, develop, and grow. You will also be entertained and engaged on various levels. The level of interest and effort you devote to this discovery will have direct impact on your experience. It is my hope that you, too, will grow throughout this discovery. I have grown a great deal throughout the process of birthing this book. After each session of reading, whether it’s five pages, five chapters, or the book in its entirety, be sure to take time to reflect. Don’t force the process of reflection; let it flow.

This discovery is about you. Enter with expectation and make concerted efforts to apply yourself to this study. It is my hope that the reader’s expectations will be exceeded.

The human experience is consistently impacted by behavior and communication, is shaped and impacted by many variables. There are processes and procedures for the simplest task. When we purchase most items, a manual describes the purpose of, how to use, and precautionary measures of the item purchased. However, in life the initial manual received is usually two beautiful parents.

In this book, we will explore many of the aspects of what it is to live. Every human experience is unique and special, encompassing experiences and interactions that impact the individual and others. It is my hope that, at the end of this book, your appreciation for, evolved understanding of, the purpose of, and compassion for the human experience will have grown significantly. It is my hope that within the stories and information in this book you see how they relate to your person. Through life, some might not readily see how they can make an impact, effectively help others, or where they best fit within the quest to being contributing members of humanity. The greatest impact comes from being your best self and living your highest expression. A great place to start is within your local community.

Chapter 1

Jackson has an unconventional way of teaching; he’s a bit rough around the edges, but his motives are pure, and he genuinely wants to make a positive impact in the community. Jackson has major concerns that people have lost interest in each other. It is his belief that relationships have become transactional, similar to the relationships in business. Surface interactions and engagements, lack of acknowledgement of others, and lack of interest in meeting new people for genuine, authentic connections without ulterior motives.

Jackson’s priorities are safety, engagement, growth, development, evolving, and enjoying life. He appreciates and encourages alone time. He believes it is in public spaces that individuals rob themselves of countless opportunities to create meaningful connections in their everyday experiences.

Jackson is from a small town in Queens, New York. He grew up in a home with his parents and four siblings where he grew accustomed to community. His block growing up was filled with children, all of them playing together, and built relationships organically as this was the cool and normal thing to do. During the summers, he enjoyed the local summer camps, many of which the same friends from his block also attended.

On Sundays, you would find Jackson with his family in the local Baptist Episcopal Church. Jackson was a very energetic child, so the teacher in his class would allow him to do special tasks like pass out and collect pencils and papers during class. In doing this, he would also assist his teacher in keeping any of his fellow peers’ behavior in check. All Jackson’s peers respected him, and because he was taller than most, they usually listened to him as well. It was through these activities that he adopted the behavior of sort of facilitating along with actual authority figures.

Jackson spent eight years in the military and met his wife while stationed overseas. He and his wife had three children and moved back to the States after his honorable discharge. One Sunday on their way to church, with Jackson driving, their vehicle was sideswiped by a drunk driver. This sent the vehicle into a 365-degree tailspin and eventually flipped completely over three times. Jackson was severely injured, breaking collar, hip, and back in several places, but was the only survivor of the fatal accident. The sudden loss of his family changed his life forever. He blames himself, hates that he survived, and experiences emotions of disbelief, anger, frustration, and helplessness.

Outside of the funeral for his family, which he attended briefly, on a stretcher and heavily sedated, Jackson has never stepped foot back into a church. He found solace in alcohol, becoming an overnight drunk. An alcoholic trying to drown his pain and literally himself in his despair, grief, and sorrow. His attempts to first become a cop, then traffic cop, and lastly to hold down any job all failed due to his incessant drinking. Jackson lost everything and relegated himself to patrolling the streets and train stations as an unofficial law officer. This was the only thing that gave Jackson purpose, a reason to exist. Jackson devoted his life to doing for others what in his mind he could not do for his family.

Lorimer train station, 9:30 p.m. in Brooklyn, New York. It’s cold, raining, and dreary; the debris and leaves flying through the stairways adding contrast to the energetic view of people rushing through the station. Trains are regularly entering and exiting, adding more gushes of wind, which blows about the wind and debris even more throughout the station. All the normal characters of the subway are present: the regular lady singing Journey and Beyoncé on the side of the tracks toward Brooklyn and the drummers on the side of the tracks toward Manhattan.

The lively feelings of anticipation, urgency, and desire are consuming, the energy tangible as people skillfully navigate through swarms of other people. The station has a living, breathing, and all-but-consuming life of its own. Every one of them is preoccupied, attentive, and skillfully swift to ensure they catch their train. They know if they position themselves just right, there will be room in the car for additional passengers.

The people fully embrace the necessity to be on the go and love the invigorating adrenaline of living in the city that never sleeps. It doesn’t leave much time for connection between people who commute together on a daily basis. This is not always a conscious choice of isolation or fear, but of necessity. The demands of living in an expensive big city keep you active and on the go. They love the fun (never a boring moment) and fast-paced, big-city life they experience and enjoy every day.

Jackson doesn’t often admit it, but he, too, feeds off the energy. He is posted in his regular spot where he can see the majority of the activity taking place in the station. His post is elevated and somewhat hard to access. This is his preferred spot because it enables him to be attentive to the crowd without people in a hurry running him over.

It never ceases to amaze Jackson of the pursuit and risk people take not to miss their train. They run, jump, leap up and down stairs as if missing their train will induce epic loss upon everything that matters. Jackson’s interest is not just safety, but engagement and awareness. Jackson notices a hipster female he sees in the station daily; she stands out from the crowd. Jessie is classy, edgy, prides herself in her hipster look, and her confidence shows in her walk, dress, and speech. Jessie is a character and at times present as a wise ass, but really has a great attitude and outlook on life. Jessie is a dreamer, her demeanor fleeting, and she is hard to read.

Jackson, dressed in a pieced-together fake cop-like uniform, approaches Jessie leaning on a pole, flipping through a magazine. Jackson talks in an expressive, funny, and sarcastic way with varying fluctuations in his voice, There will be no reading in the train station. That’s the problem, head stuck in a book or magazine. Live a little, look around, and say, oh I don’t know, ‘Hi.’ You never know, you might make a friend.

Jessie, notably annoyed and shaking her head, slams the magazine shut. With right hand on hip and left on head, she thinks, Who is this loser? She says to Jackson, Who are you?

Equally but unexplainably annoyed, Jackson says, I’ll tell you who I am. I’m the subway police, and I’m writing you a citation for reading in the subway! He pulls out his cop-like ticket pad and pen, then begins writing out a citation. As he is writing, Jessie is at a loss for words. He continues writing and begins speaking as he writes up the citation, No reading in the subway. Live, talk, get to know people! Make a friend! Jackson rips the citation out of his cop-like book and hands it to Jessie.

Jessie responds, Buzz off, asshole. She rips up the ticket and gives Jackson the middle finger.

The crowd around them are in hysterics, laughing. Jackson walks away. As he’s walking away, he speaks loud enough so she could here, Asshole? How would you know? Trains begin entering the station; this doesn’t stop Jackson’s response: I’ve only seen you here every day for the past two years at least twice a day, and you’ve never spoken to one person.

Jessie is shocked and disturbed. Are you stalking me, you sick—

Jackson interrupts Jessie, Sick? How would you know?

Jessie is notably disturbed and dumbfounded and says under her breath, What just happened? Doors open, and Jessie boards the train.

Jackson, walking back to his unofficial post, is thinking about whether the encounter left an impression on Jessie or any of the people in the surrounding crowd. In his own way, he was trying to convince Jessie and those around to share and explore the lives, thoughts, and interests of their neighbors. Jackson within himself acknowledges that he is old-school, from a small town in Queens, New York, where getting to know your neighbors was the norm. He wondered, was his style out of touch with the times?

Jackson calls it a night as he settles in on his bench at the train station. As he settles in, he reaches for his wallet and removes a picture of his family, as he does every night. He says goodnight to the picture of them, recalling the many nights he did this with his family before the fatal accident. Usually, it’s late nights like this when Jackson experiences the greatest desire for alcohol, but he relents and rests his head on the bench. This night, he rests well.

Chapter 2

Like clockwork, Jackson wakes up bright and early. He tucks his things away and is on his post before the station is full of people. He greets his regular commuter friends whom he makes small talk with most mornings. The morning rush at the station is usually crowded but uneventful.

This train station holds special memories for Jackson. This is where he met his recruitment officer. When he was twelve years old, Jackson would occasionally visit his aunt in Brooklyn. His aunt always baked homemade oatmeal cookies, and Jackson loves cookies. Jackson, on his way back from his aunt’s, ziplock bag full of cookies in hand, comes across a marine recruitment table. Two officers on the other side of the table, Jackson just stands there and sort of look at them and then the pamphlets on the table. As a child, Jackson had always liked watching movies with cops, officers, military, or anything of the such. He found them somewhat fascinating but never considered going into the military.

One of the officers reached out his hand to greet Jackson and said, Hey, I’m Officer Jordan. What do you think about those pamphlets?

Jackson looked at the pamphlets, then at Officer Jordan, thought to himself, and said, I don’t know. Looks good to me. I mean, I like what ya’ll do.

Officer Jordan responded, What’s that? What exactly do we do?

Ya’ll protectors, right? I think ya’ll keep us safe or something like that. I don’t know, Jackson says. Officer Jordan is taken off guard; it’s not every day he speaks to young men of Jackson’s age outside of a school, and he had never gotten that type of response before.

Officer Jordan comes around the table and says to Jackson, Yes, exactly, we are protectors. What’s your name?

I’m Jackson from Queens, New York, where grandma makes the best sweet potato pies.

Officer