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Learning to Cope – Eric – 30

Eric stepped outside with the down-pouring rain coming at him with massive thundering. There was a storm brewing and the dark clouds kept getting darker. This time he was in a hurry to get to work this morning.

Shit! I can’t be late today. Damn me and my rotten luck! 

Things hadn’t been easy for him. Sometimes, it seemed, no matter how hard Eric tried to keep himself out of trouble it followed him everywhere he went. This wasn’t all his fault. But troubled followed him from a young age and it seemed he had seen many struggles and hardships.  For one thing, his mother abandoned Eric and his brother Randy at a very young age. Eric was eight, and Randy was four years of age. Eric was the only one who knew their father. His Father was a drunk, and he spent most of the time at bars spending all the money he earned from working.

This all took a toll on their mother. She couldn’t take having to work two jobs and take care of them. To make matters worse, she got tired of having to dig a grown man from bars every night. One day she had enough and kicked him out for good. Eric recalled that night.

She was home sick with the two boys. Randy was a baby and running a fever. Eric had to call a cab to take them to the hospital.

He was only four-years-old.  But his father was nowhere to be found. After they came back early the next morning. His mother stormed into the living room and kicked him out.

Get out of here! 

We don’t need you, you miserable excuse for a man!

In the present, Eric kept driving while wiping his eyes.

 Shit, I need to get to work on time! 

I just need to get there!