I’m a drifter who has lost his way:

And i’m still searching for my dream. A wandering nomad with no place to stay, like a gypsy or a refugee.
How can this be?
Well, Could be all the time spent as a kid, riding, and looking, seeing whats over the next hill, or around the next curve. I wasnt afraid to hop on my 10 speed and pedal 32 miles one way, to get a drink at the springs, then ride home.
I remember times after being done with my Plain Dealer route: Chris and i would ride around, looking for new an cheaper soda machines, or neighborhoods we never rode bikes in.
Were “Sir Robert The Cheap” still alive, i am sure we could hear lots of “driving’ tales. I thought i was gettin over on him, I found out lots later that he realized “Its in him, an its gotta come out” “Let that chiled boogie woogie”. So he bit bullets and his tongue and went dont ask dont tell on Mom.
Wanna explore? Live by a lake. A BIG lake. Cliffs to climb, beaches to walk, an if you’ve a boat? Your gold. New beaches, islands, ore boats to watch, just a plethora of things.
I believe the class of 73, graduated on a tuesday. I am relying on partially corrupted files here, and by That friday, i was packed an leaving for Point Judith Rhode Island.
I had scored a job on a offshore lobster boat. Saving just a ton of time here. If you’ve seen “LOBSTERMEN” on Discovery? Thats was my job. It was the most physical job i’ve ever had, and in the top 5 for dangerous. Whats danger to someone 18?
Spent the summer doing that, but fighting of a ‘tug’ of looking over the next hill. I would get bored up there. I’d hit the bong 2x and hop in my car. Just crusin. I worked hard, got paid, saved money but just wasnt happy. Towards the end of the summer they hired another deck hand is a less than stellar reputation-so i used that as an excuse to head on down the road.
i remember at the time, headin south. I was gonna stop in on a girl that lived in Cape Coral Fl. Along about the ring around Washington D.C. the wild hair changed course on me. I decided on the spur of the moment, and a check of the gas money, to head out to Missouri to see my brother. We’d fallen WAY apart after he came home from S.E. Asia,and i wanted to find out why. Sorry Rhoda, family first.
I got out there, and he was much much less than THRILLED that his ‘little brother’ was on the doorstep. I dont remember staying long, perhaps long enough to attempt registering at his college, and hassling a few of the freshmen girls, it blurs here.
I ended back in Mentor in September, to a less than welcoming home of a prodigal son. I must have been a real jerk if my own parents sighed and rolled their eyes eh?
Back in HIS house SRTC…sir robert the cheap..you were under his rules. I chafed at this for about two weeks before i was looking for ways to escape.
Joined the navy, because i was sick an tired of being told what to do. boy SIR ROBERT just about peed his self when i hit him with THAT line.
“HELEN, HELLLENNN!!!, Come here. “ok john- tell her”.. So i used the same line on her. I was gettin abit annoyed at Sir Robert, cackling and guffawing like mad while i was trying to be serious.
Helen got him dialed back a bit before in her, kindest most teaching and instructing voice bashed me with: “John honey, You dont think SOMEONE in the navy WONT be telling you WHAT to do”??
Well it just didnt matter, cause it wont be YOU!!!.. Harsh words.
It was there that i developed one HELL of a rift between me an my parents, I sure could use a “do over’ on that one.