Oh, my! What a change!

Well, things have changed.  My, what a difference a day makes.  Let's start with the basics.  The owner of the marina changed game plans on me after I had given her a month's rent plus.  I was given two weeks to settle up or leave.  No more "we'll work with you on this".  Now I know what her word is worth.  I did an overdraft knowing that I had to do something to show good faith.  My act of good faith was rewarded poorly.  I feel that I now owe nothing here.

Two days later I'm at VA at the peer to peer group I belong to.  It's good to have other combat vets around.  We speak the same language.  It helps.  I told them about the fun and games I was having.  By the end of the meeting I had a spare $80.00 in my pocket.  It's good to have brothers.

Leaving the peer to peer group meeting I decided to stop in a VA Admin and check on the progress of my claims for PTSD, agent orange, and just plain "you fucked us, now pay up!".  Much to my surprise I found that my request for a pension was approved and the letter was to be mailed that day.  I was given a copy of the letter before leaving.  I no longer have to work for a living so long as I live simple.  In less than two weeks I will have enough in the bank to buy the outboard I need, pay off a few debts and leave a little for odds and ends.  I was given my freedom.

So, I decide to celebrate.  To do so I went to the place I had first met most the musicians and fans that I call my friends.  I was surrounded by love and respect as soon as I walked in the door.  It took me nearly 15 minutes to get to the bar to order a drink.  I could not take a step without someone stopping me and wondering where I'd been, how I was doing, it's good to see you here,......Wow!  All at once from a deluge of bad news comes an affirmation that I am valued and loved.

Now I can go ahead with living my dreams.  I have the freedom to live as I please, where I please.  Next step after I get Avalon situated at anchor is to get my passport while the getting's good.  After my experience at the license branch I fear for our freedom and safety.  The clerks there spent more time on the phone calling the cops than they did helping citizens get their driver's licenses renewed.  The terrorists have won.  There is no doubt in my mind that we live in a police state that rivals most third world dictatorships.

I knew what to expect and I had all my documentation with me, and then some.  I now have a gold star on my license that tells all that I am a "good citizen".  What will be done with those who have real difficulty attaining their documentation?  One old woman had no idea how to find her marriage certificate from 40 years past.  The look on her face said that her world had just been destroyed by the very people she had trusted to protect her future.

I had to go to the beach after that.  I rode my bicycle to the license branch to get my citizenship approved, and then I rode it to the beach where I parked it and walked from one end of St Pete Beach to the other and back.  All in all about fifty miles.  If I didn't burn off that energy I was gonna have to kill someone.  Preferably a lawyer or an NSA officer or a politician or a bank exec or................YOU FUCKING SOLD US OUT FOR A FEW DOLLARS PROFIT!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bottom line, I'm now considered a prime citizen with proven documentation, the VA has come through with enough money to keep me alive and living my dreams, I have friends and people who love me.  Life is good so long as I practice tunnel vision.  I think it's time to visit the southern islands.  I want to see the Southern Cross.

Screw it, I'm going sailing.

No one gets out of here alive, so live it like ya mean it.