8. He Died, But I Don’t Feel Bad About It
1995, was living with my druggy mother and sister who was 4 years older than me. My mom worked at a bar and as a 7-year-old kid lived half my time in that bar. We did have a “house” that more of a shed on a lot that was converted into a house. Well, my mom got close with one of the patrons who also drank a lot and did drugs. Well one day she broke up with him I guess and he kept coming over threatening her.
A few day later, she gets a call from him, not sure what was said but she tries to hurry us into the back room where we kept our clothes. She attempts to hide us all under the clothes but I start freaking out and tried to leave the house. As I get to the front door a truck a pulls in. I stop and hear him get out, screaming for my mother. He tries to get in the door at first and fails, I’m about 3 feet to the side of the front door. He shoots at the door. I freak and jump on the top of the couch that is right next to the door while also grabbing my tee ball bat. He kicks and kicks at the door and it finally opens, he walks in and I plowed him right in the forehead. He instantly goes out. I scream and my mom finally comes out with my sister and we both leave then call the police at the bar. That same night I went to go live with my father permanently as my mother had arrest warrants.
I didn’t know until I was about 16 that he had ended up dying in the hospital between my concussion and alcohol poisoning. I don’t feel bad about it though.
9. They Drove Right Into Us, Head On
When I was a truck driver – in training actually – I had the misfortune to be the tool someone else used to commit suicide.
We were driving late at night on US 277 between Piedras Negras and Del Rio. It’s kind of the armpit of Texas – flat, straight, boring, right near the border. I was at the wheel, my driver mentor was in his bunk, but awake chatting with me. I saw headlights ahead, a long way off. Didn’t think anything of it. After awhile, they got close, and it looked like they went to turn left, only there wasn’t a road there. Then they straightened out and drove right into us head on.
I had just enough time to see that it was a Tacoma, and the driver was male. All I could do was let go of the steering wheel and hit the brakes.
We were busted up pretty badly, but we cut that pickup in two. I had a broken wrist, my mentor had a bunch of broken ribs and a bruised liver. We got out to see the damage and when we walked to the rear I saw a work boot sitting on the double yellow line, with about 6 inches of leg sticking out. I still get an odd feeling in my stomach when I think about it.
Obviously, I didn’t plan to kill the guy. And there wasn’t much I could do without foreknowledge – semis aren’t exactly nimble. But it still takes a bit to tell yourself you couldn’t have done something else. He had a young wife and two little girls.
