The present...
When I was younger my parents took me out of a dingbat, backwards Xian private school and stuck me in the worst school in Alabama, Johnson high, a ghetto school full of backwoods gangstas, teenage filthy mothers, and surly, criminally lazy teachers. Had I known then what I know now I would have immediately sued the school system for failure to provide. I learned absolutely nothing positive from there, just negative vibes, danger, and drug abuse. When I got to college I had to REALLY make up for lost time. But through it all, I realised I had something better, a goal for a better life. I wanted kids that I could raise well, full of happiness, hope, and the money to get it. I wanted to make sure that MY family would never have to worry about a car breaking down, let alone dinner. A yearly vacation? A small (yet refined) beach house? No problem. My careful planning and investment (after achieving my college dreams)have set us up pretty damn well. Sure, I'll never be a rock star, although I flirted with it in the early 90's. I can always go to the studio addition we had built (after my partnership went through) and rock out all night. With the right building contractor you really can soundproof the hell out of a three-room sound studio, and still keep it air-conditioned. So what does the future hold for me, my two lovely children (Siobhan and Allen Jr.), and my lovely, slightly perverse wife? I'm thinking about early retirement, of all things! My childrens good grades (and my extravagant donations to the right schools) have insured their future, and honestly, I could enjoy my career for as long as I'm able, but...sometimes I entertain my age-old fantasy of buying up a big chunk of Antigua, opening that super-exclusive hotel, and being the manager-chef, drinking Kaliks or rum-&-cokes while watching the sun go down. We're closed Mondays and Tuesdays; that's when I help on the Board of Education for my little adopted home, planning the future to make Antigua the place where scholars REALLY want to research, where any of our high school graduates beat the hell out of any standardized testing...I love my 'retirement home', you know. When Siobhan and Allen bring the grandkids here, I intend to spoil them rotten. Oh, I raised my kids to raise their kids just like I did- wonderfully. We had hard times, sure, but we grew together, and grew better for it. I'm running out of time (the Stevens are here for our Memorial Day barbecue, and NOBODY wants to miss that!), but I just wanted to let everyone know just how happy I've FINALLY become! I love you all!
p.s. Just kidding. I'm broke and this town has NO employment. If I weren't in school, I would probabl;y drink myself to death.
p.s. Just kidding. I'm broke and this town has NO employment. If I weren't in school, I would probabl;y drink myself to death.