“If you saw things from my point of view, maybe all of you would think twice before doing the things you do to me.”

The boy wakes up. He has a headache to beat hell and it seems like another alcohol filled night took its toll again. He checks his cell phone.

“Seems she hasn’t decided to call or text again but I don’t care.”

That’s what he wants her and everybody else to think. He takes a shower, puts on his clothes, ties his boots, throws on a dirty old hat and makes a couple cups of coffee. Such a normal routine but it seems to put a good mood in towards the day. The phone rings.

“Hello?”

“I want this cleaned, this picked up, and you’re in trouble for what you did last night also!”

That would be easy enough to understand if he could just remember what he did. What does he care anyways? Nothing he does is right these days anyways. Things start to look up, they go down.

The phone rings again.

“Dammit what could Mother want now?!”

*Answers phone* “What?!”

“What are you doing?”

“Oh sorry buddy I’m just not in a good mood again.”

“Want to get drunk”

“Sure why not.”

Seems like a daily routine that keeps going on over and over again.

The boys roll into a buddy’s house, the same time as usual. The smell of Budweiser and the sweat and shakiness gives a damn good clue that they’re drunk as usual.

“You have to quit drinking like this. I know your father isn’t around anymore and it’s hard on you but drinking is not going to solve that problem.” The boy’s buddy says to him while the other boy stays out of it as usual.

“Awl hell, that ain’t why I drink, I just drink for fun.” Said the boy

That’s what he wants the world to think. In fact he believed it himself. He never was the type to let people to worry about him. They have enough to worry about let alone staying up all night worrying about what he was doing.

Later that night he lays in bed, drunk and feeling hopeless.

“Maybe everybody is right. Maybe I am trying to drink my problems away. I don’t want everybody worrying about me. I’ll be fine. Everything is my fault anyways!” He thought as he was lying in bed. Mornings don’t seem to bother him as much. He likes seeing the sun come up anyways. The morning light, smell of coffee, and sound of turkeys still gobbling on the roost make for a nice pleasant mood for once.

“Yelp, yelp, yelp, yelp, yelp”

The gobbles down across the farm fields make him smile knowing this is what he really loves. It only helps for a little while though. He can’t bear to sleep again for another night..

Scene two:

A boy not far from here wakes up. A smile on his face at daylight while waking up to her is like no other he makes.

“Hey hunny wake up”

“Let me sleep”

A laugh comes because he knows he is just trying to be a jackass. He goes out, makes a pot of coffee and stands on the front porch listening for the turkey gobbles. His father comes out as usual to listen with him. They always were two of the same people anyways.

“Hear that one gobbling above Nan and Paps?” said the boy.

“Hell that son of a bitch has been gobblin’ every morning on the roost. You know how those birds over there are. They like to gobble like crazy on the roost then shut up as soon as they hit the ground.” Said his father

“Yeah well they haven’t been hunted yet by me” laughed the boy knowing he was starting a contest right away. They both go back inside and go to drinking their coffee.

The boy doesn’t need alcohol. His life is perfect in his point of view. Great house, great girlfriend, great mother and father, he thinks he has it made and when it comes down to it he does.

“Hey babe time to wake up now, you’re gonna sleep your life away girl” The boy said laughing because he knew what he was starting.

“My god I can’t sleep at all when you’re around can I?” said his girlfriend with tired and loving eyes.

“Nope and that’s why you love me” Chuckled the boy as he went back to messing around the house.

This boy wasn’t all perfect, but he sure was something. Tall with hands that would scratch you when you touched them, Carolinas and blue jeans was the normal look. Milking cows for a living at 15 made for a small boys big paycheck to give way to almost anything he desired because Mommy and Daddy never paid his way. He had no reason to get into trouble, but his last name sure did suit the reputation. A smile on his face every morning waking up to her was one he didn’t see losing. He sure was a full blooded country boy, fighter by day, lover by night.

“I’ll never move you kids out of my life, you guys mean too much to me especially you boy. I never had the heart to tell your sisters this but while I love them to death, you’re my favorite because I can connect to you more and I can tell you anything. I love you bud.”

Scene 3:

The other boy wakes up again with a headache to beat hell and a mess in the house from the night before bigger than the pissed off mood he is in.

“What the hell did I dream about last night?”

He suddenly remembers. Amongst the pain, the mess, the sunny day, the day ahead of him, amongst it all he comes to a realization.

“Oh my god a big chunk of my life is just missing these days. Where is my life going? Where’s my god damn father? I can’t handle it anymore!” He thought.

He slams his fist through a wall. Bloody knuckles hurt like hell but he likes the pain. He finally just puts his head against the wall.

“I don’t know why things had to come to this! I wish you could hear me dad. Do you like seeing your boy like this?! Do you feel proud that he goes out, gets drunk, and can’t seem to keep himself out of any god damn trouble this damn no good town throws at him? Does that suit our reputation well enough father? I hope it does because it seems like I’ve revolved my whole life around making you proud. I’m going to be a logger too dad. I wish you’d be able to see it. I’m sorry I forgot that bitch has you tied up on a good leash.”

“Ahhhhh what the hell is the difference anyways?” he finally mumbled.

He goes out on the town again for another night. A fake smile sheds light into everybody’s night as he gets loud and wild as usual. Through all of the alcohol he never seems to let things get to him. However that certain type of drunk comes along and he breaks down.

“What’s wrong?” a concerned friend asks as the boy stands there, arms crossed, staring at the floor or maybe just a drunken stupor.

“Nothing I’m fine” the boys says.

“Now dammit I know you better than this. Something is bothering you. Just talk about it.”

“It won’t do me any good. It doesn’t help matters.” The boy mumbles.

“Just try” the friend asks.

What starts out to be a little talk turns into a breakdown full of tears. He is known for this once in a while. All of a sudden he quits crying.

“No! What the hell am I crying about? Men don’t cry and I for damn sure don’t cry!” the boy yells.

He goes back inside and the routine drunk spell starts all over again. He wakes up again with that familiar damn headache.

The boy just keeps living this life. Whatever is ahead for him is unknown. The boy wonders where he will go, but as usual he has no clue. This boy is a strong boy, he can pull through anything. While this story isn’t a very happy story, there’s no need to worry about this boy because he can handle himself. He’s not just tough, he’s strong.