A thousand mile journey begins with One Step
How can I say This?
You might Remember 2020 and the Virus, No where was safe.
January and February it was denied and brushed off as the Flu by the than President of the USA.
Later it was Said that it Started earlier than we suspected in Wuhan China back in Oct, Nov, I remember my Son was very sick the 1st week in January that I almost had to rush him to the Hospital. We call the Doctor and he prescribed some meds for him. He began to fill better and we don't know if he had Covid-19 or not. The next following week in January the 2nd week I had gotten Sick to but not has bad, I did have the Flu shoot like I get each year. I felt better after a few days.
I don't know if GOD was watching over me During 2019 into 2020 before my life would change and my health was put into chaos on a daily basis in February of 2020. Before I go into the specifics of 2020 let me back up.
I've been working for a company I like and cared for ; for many years to be exact the past 36 years were a culmination of what I did for a living, How I saw myself and what I considered to be a big part of my Life.
In the Years before this company, I was employed by a few Employers starting from elementary to high School than to the Military and my Discharge. So Lets start Their, Elementary to High School, My Mom and my 3 brothers and 1 Sister had Different Fathers. Men at that time were Rolling Stones Where ever they layed their hat that was their home. I believe it was a tough existence Wars, Poverty and people were trying to live in a world that was Constrained and racist. However many other men made the best of the cards they were dealt and survived regardless of those circumstances they Thrived.
So Without Excuses I tell this part of the Story on what I saw on a Daily Basis.
I never met my older brother Father, My mom told me she was Raped by his dad, My dad was young just as my mom was and when she became Pregnant by him and after I was born he didn't believe I was his son because he claim I was to dark skinned to be his Child, .I don't know if he was drafted or Joined the military so off he went and some how something happened and they lost Contact. My Sister Cynthia Father I don't know what happened to him and my mom but I do know he had a drinking Problem. His Drinking was excessive. My mom scrapped up enough money to send us to Catholic School because she wanted us to have a been education. I learned she only had a 6th grade Education. Any way on the way from school daily we would run into my Sisters Father on the Corner of I think 79th and Central smelling of Wine, drunk as hell and my SIister never try to avoid passing by that store. Lonnie Campbell was his name and he was so proud of his baby Girl. He would ask everyday we pass by that store and he saw us that would she give him a Kiss on bother sides of his cheeks and one on the forehead. I also think she was proud to know her father and didn't hold his condition against him. She Loved him regardless. Freeman's Dad was a WW1 or 2 Veteran where he Lost his Leg and now that I think about he problem had PSTD. He had a gold Tooth with a star on it, He was Volatile but giving at the same time to help us as a Family as much as he could. At night he would take off his leg and put it beside the bed and we thought as kids we'd move it hide it and memic his walk and the way he would dance when the music played. I remember one night he became angry for what ever reason, He held me my 2 other brothers and my one Sister Hostage including my mom and threatened to kill us all that night. he always would beat my mom and I feel helpless to do anything to stop him every time he beat her. It was the scariest time of my life at least as I saw it, He never put his hands on us, but his intentions were clear he was not a happy Man being with us. I don't remember how it ending but it wasn't a day to soon. I was always in fear of this man. This brings us to a pause in men that came in and out of our lives until for a few years a Man name John Brown who also treat my mom with a lot of respect, he brought home his check and gave it to her to pay bills, buy groceries and take care of our needs, he was a happy go lucky kind of guy but enjoyed all of us. He would everyday egg me on about getting some why IDK, well he came home early one day and caught me with the girl next door and told my mom and all hell broke loose and my mom punished me day in and day out unlike my other brothers and sister she found things for me to do. I think she knew I was in need of attention like none of the others, I was a curious Child always into things, wondering how things worked. I was not glad at the time but knew if she didn't spank me from breakfast to lunch and even dinner that I would be out of control. (personally I thanked my mom in my adult years for her strict focus on me and my Grandmother did the same what would I have become) Thank you mom. Anyway John Brown always said to my mom and us I smile all the time but when I smile and grit my teeth I am angry, he would leave and not come back for Several days, Than one day he moved to Las Vegas and that was it! So this brings me to Jamaul my youngest Brother his dad was in the Military and active soldier that love to spend time with my mom so much so that a lock was put on her bedroom door and we were told don't knock, Don't bother her until she comes out, I just believe he want privacy and some peace. Understandable he was only on leave for a short time every visit than he was gone. Each morning tho he would wake up with that Military call everybody up I want to see ass and elbows. It was different but enjoyable to have him their at the same time. During his time their he had a 1969 Cadillac It was a Classic Amazingly he let me drive it to my Prom I was so excited and proud that this opportunity was available to me as we all enjoy having him around when he showed up because He made my mom happy and excited to see him too. What a life it was she was Pregnant with Jamual and he showed up less and less until we saw him no more..
My Personality was shape by the men and my purpose was to never treat a woman the way I saw they treated my mom. I picked up the good things and hated the bad things I saw.
About this Time My mom move into a all White neighborhood Lennox CA She had save enough to purchase a home. The School We went to were all White as a matter of fact I was the 1st Black in the school, you can guess the rest, the name calling, the intimidation and threats. Can I touch your hair some were curious and some were offend that I was their in their School. Than another Black kid showed up Mark L he was the light skinned black who could pass for something else if he wanted to but he didn't He was and is still now my Best friend. Theirs a lot to unpack here what you've heard about I experienced first hand.
So my next job was after I left this Jr high school and attended High school at which the racist attitude didn't stop but became even more intense. Ill leave that for another time. As I got through my Freshmen year1972 I began to find out that I could work and get credit for it. I signed up for it During my Sophmore year in 1973 I think or my freshman year. The Employment I got was working for the Government at the FAA Department of Transportation. until Graduation in June of 1976.
I found Employee after Graduation working at United Airlines at LAX as a Ramp Service Tech and also found a second Job At United States Customs on terminal island my hours were United Airlines from 10pm till 2am than from 8am to 5pm. In high school I purchased a 1967 Cadillac from my savings of U.S Savings Bonds during my years at High School and working for the FAA at $18 per bond payable of $25 at maturity I think I had maybe 30 to 40 bonds buying one every 2 weeks. Well here is where this story goes south once my car breaks down, and I met my Dad at 18 years old. Who at that time want to play father and tell me what to do and how to do it. I wanted a relationship with my dad, I called him all the time he had not time to call me. Oh well So when I ask him to loan me so money to get my car fixed remember I had to jobs to get too, He said why don't I just buy a new one I told him I don't have the money for a new car at the time. But I could pay you back for the loan he still refused and I lost both Jobs. We did not talk any more for a while. By the time I tried to find him after I go back from the Military I could not find him. Later on while Working for Xerox in my 1st 2 years I found out he had past. My Cousin Jennifer starting looking for me to tell me after she found paper work in my dad house showing I was his son. That's the Choyce Side of the Family ....
I Than decide to Go to the Military after my play Cousin Donald Simpson joined and talk me into going so on Dec 2 1976 until March of 1977 I served and to be truthful President Nixon stopped the Draft and their was no wars at the time. I had a lot of fun and some stories you would not believe, however I was alone going through Boot Camp and it was not bad and was a mind growing experience, I got a honorable Discharge because the military claims I had flat feet before I entered the service, I did have some foot issues but nothing I thought would change the course of my military service, The doctor I went to : to get another arch support ask the I return that on Monday that day was Friday. I might a different Doctor who told me that the previous doctor is recommending that I be put out of the Service for a injury that occur before I entered into the military Called Flat Feet. One Week before I would get Benefits and move on to my Job of being after being trained as a Field Commutations Electronic Equipment Mechanic. All done but short of the 90 Days of service by 4 days.
Okay I go come home What now! I find a job with a company Call airspeed, handling Freight while all the time being harassed about my performance. Come to find out the Supervisor was Racist, after being told by white co-workers about his tendencies. He made me work all day as hard as I could and then called me in the office and told me today is you last day! Wow
Nickels and Dimes Go here I Think during this Time working here about 2 - 3 years as a Employee than as a Manager in charge of Hiring, Firing, Accounting, Banking, opening and Closing etc.. As a manager the store in the begining made about 800- 1200 per week. Now these are Video and Pinball Games and we were packed every weekend. I decide to see what I could do to increase profits of the store. I would during the week allow the games to be easy to play as far a the score so I lowered the amount of points needed to win. We were not busy during the Week. However by the weekend I would bring in my Stereo and play music and increase the scoring to win back to what they were suppose to be and the people would come in because of the music, my attention to giving more game play to those who complained and the store began to bring in 2 - 5K Per week and the boss who would call me and ask what am I doing and would I like a raise almost weekly. Then one day a guy that I knew would always ask questions and come in an play daily showed up one day on a hot day I had not put 2 and 2 together as he was wearing a trench coat. Well he met me at the gate just as I was opening put a gun into my back and said let's go in here and get all the money and just as he was leaving he said to me it's nice to have you life isn't it. ( this story taught me that to be aware of people and the motives the signs are their and you need to pay attention to everything about them, you can't trust everybody.)
So for the next year I was unemployed searching for a career not just another job, I went through a black help company really popular I just can't remember the name. They trained me on how to do, dress and handle myself on interviews this was free of charge and put me on the course to find what I was looking for, I enrolled in ITT Technical Institute for Electronic Engineering Technology. A $10000 Course at the time How was I going to pay for it IDK. I had to do something During my 1st year it was tuff, I continued to Looking for work while driving 20 miles daily for class in the Valley. Employers starting coming to the school to trainees but not luck yet until my Sunday paper arrived, That's where I always look for employment and the beginning of the week like I was trained and the Black Community Service Center. I noticed a Small area on the News Paper that Xerox Was Hiring
Xerox a big company a Career, I called for the Interview, I'm set for it on a Friday. When I arrive it was being run by all Blacks and on top of that the Manager I had at Nickels and Dimes is now a Manager here at this company. The District manager was Latino I think, at the end of the interview he ask me did I have any questions for him, Like I was trained you need to be different and stand out so I said So when can I start would like me to start now! he looked at me as if I said something he had not heard and said you have two more interviews with my other managers and will see. Rufus Rosser my Old manager talk to me for a minute and vouch for me, which gave me confidence in a small world and my impressions of my passed say how you treat people on your journey make a difference that you never know if you paths will cross again. By the time I got home the phone rang and I answer and they told me to report for orientation. That was Dec 5th 1983 until June 6th 2020
I was inured on the Job over time however my back injury was in May 2019 but I continued to work until Xerox told me they could no longer accommodate my limitations on Dec 9th and told me not to report for work and that's when workers comp kicked in, Lot's of doctors visits and delays by the insurance company denying treatment for awhile.
In this present I am still on Workers Comp with not more STD Short Term Disability and was transitioned to LTD Long Term Disability with Prudential and that was a long process, they wanted to know everything about every Surgery, Doctor and Hospital visit I had.
Now I get a call from a company call Allsup what is this well they fill out the application to help you Qualify for SSDI Social Security Disability Insurance, They want to know everything too in a shorter form of information.
I am told it's not Permanent Disability however it can take 6 to 8 months to get it. I am hoping to get back to some since of work whether it's my own or working for someone which I don't fore see the latter I am ready to do something than to sit a home getting a check.
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