I am not alone
August 8th, 2005 | 9 comments
One of the more comforting things in life is to know you’re not alone in the world. That out there on this big ball of dirt, there’s someone, somewhere who shares something in common with you.
While shopping with Marathon Girl this weekend, I learned that in fact I am not alone. My life now has purpose and meaning.
Why?
I saw someone wearing a Detroit Tiger baseball hat.
Least you don’t understand the subtleties of Major League Baseball, people don’t just walk around wearing Detroit Tiger hats. The Tigers often rank up there with the Devil Rays or the Rockies in terms of respectability. In the eyes of many, wearing a Tiger hat it’s the equivalent of walking around with a big L on your forehead.
I first noticed this guy in the parking lot and pointed him out to Marathon Girl. (Marathon Girl didn’t seem to think this was such a big deal.)
As luck would have it, we ended up shopping in the same store.
About halfway through the shopping trip our paths crossed. Our eyes met then immediately went to our respective baseball caps.
No words needed to be exchanged. Just a quick nod to one another in realization that, yes, there are other Tiger fans out there that share in the same pain and confusion each night when we see that the Tigers have suffered yet another setback or made another bonehead move.
So if you see me with a smile on my face, you’ll know why.
I am not alone.
I can now die a happy man.
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LOL!
That reminds me of what it’s like to ride a motorcycle. Motorcyclists will wave at one another while riding. It’s a great feeling, like you’re part of a special community.
You’re funny. Good funny – I’m not laughing AT you. Not really.
Abel: I just read the newest update to your book. I believe you want honest criticism so I will give you a few thoughts from objective eyes. I agree with your editor completely on the rewrite. The first one it is as though you are telling a story that you really don’t feel you are just telling the story of this guy where in the rewrite all the emotion and anger are there you are the man this is your story. Although never in your shoes I believe anger is something that would never leave when the person you, at the time, loved more than anyone else in the world chose not only to end their own life but also that of your unborn daughter. I think most people would have wanted to smash something (I don’t mean that literally but hopefully you know what I mean) over the head of anyone who acted like Krista was saint. No she was not and I believe your anger should be a very important part of your story or it will have a false ring to it. Although no one would ever want to put themselves in your shoes if they read your story and thought you thought Krista was a saint after killing herself it would just ring so false. I have known people who lost a spouse to a car accident or illness and absolutely when the person died they were elevated to sainthood and God forbid anyone question that but the circumstances of suicide and taking your unborn child should NEVER in anyone’s eyes have raised her to saint hood. I think for your book it is important that the reader feel your feelings and emotions you don’t want the reader to think you are telling a story you want the reader to feel this is your story you lived it and feel every emotion you felt. Your rewrite does this and I think it is important for your story that you do explore your anger fully as there unlike other deaths “It Was Not Her Time” Krista did this not only to herself but to Hope. Do not gloss over this as I think the reader needs to feel your pain personally not as a story. I am hoping you want to hear honestly as I think you will tell your story in a way that will help people just like your widower blog but go back and feel each feeling again as you commit to paper and then hopefully some day even Aidan your new your baby to be will get some understanding of what their Dad went through and have a real sence of this big sister they never had the chance to know because of a selfish decision Krista made. I think your book will be wonderful but don’t tell the story LIVE the story once again and then put it to bed. You are a magnificent writer Abel and what you are doing is really important but Krista was not a Saint and your family should not have treated her as one after her suicide and it will not ring true if in any way a reader cannot feel your Anger. Good Luck. Looking forward to reading more posts.
Don’t Tiger fans die a slow death almost every day during the summer?
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Hey, I’m really having a hard time right now. I’m getting better, but I just haven’t sorted a lot of this out emotionally yet. There are updates coming.
Being a Texas Rangers fan, I can at least always know that I’m not going to have to give up any birthday celebration (10/15) to see what’s going on with the MLB!
Hey, this is too much. I grew up in Detroit. Those were the days when Tigers and Lions caused people to say “Oh, my!” and later so did the Pistons. That was then, but retro is cool, right?