Shorty Wanna Do It Right

He reminded me of myself when I was younger. Intelligent, yet, so naïve. So unassuming that it’s rather sickening. I should probably tell him that life isn’t as black and white as he pictures it, but haven’t the gall to do so. Shorty wanna do it right. His dreams are big and so are his eyes! Bless his heart, the wolves await him.

And whether they eat him or not rests solely upon his merit. Not just how hard he fights, but how deeply he believes in that which he fights for. What is his dreams worth to him? Will his desire to “do it right” falter, or will he stand even as he is tested?

“So you said no to drugs,” I replied. “That’s the easy part.” And it was. If he only knew there was another world out there! One where each day is a choice between right and wrong; where temptation is more than just drugs or peer pressure. Each of us, like Shorty, “wanna do it right.” There isn’t a person alive who isn’t tasked with making tough decisions everyday. But what happens when those choices reoccur?

What happens when we grow and experience the low points in life? When all we have sacrificed is forgotten, and our toil bears no fruit? Even without gall, I reckon I sound like a bitter old man to this kid. Maybe I am. Or maybe I just hate to see him aboard this journey so blindly.

You see, I have lived and learned, and am qualified to teach Shorty a lesson or two! I was his age once. I remember the feeling of taking my first breath; seeing for the first time, and to wanting to do it right. There isn’t a kid alive who doesn’t aspire to do the right thing. But that’s the conspiracy of survival, you know? Life is rarely about what’s right or what’s wrong. It’s about the weak and the strong; the takers and the taken; the haves and the have-nots.

A Revelation Too Late…

It seems that when we finally discovery the mystery of life, its a moment too late. Suddenly our turn is up, and everyone is singing the praise of a new generation. A smarter, more talented one. We, the patriarchs of old, are left with billions of little puzzle pieces and the responsibility of fitting them together. Maybe that’s the price of growing older.

Oh, well: it’s Shorty’s ship now, and I gladly hand him the wheel. It’s his turn to believe, and to recognize the smell of sheep (if there are any) and blood-thirsty wolves. It’s his turn to wanna do it right. But I’m persuaded once again to ask if he will consider my words.

He won’t.

So I step aside and watch as he takes his rightful place. And as he sails into a magnificent sunrise, I am persuaded a final time: To look to the heavens and to pray for his guidance and protection. ‘Cause Shorty wanna do it right. He’s a kid who just wants to do the right thing.

This is your Monday Unleaded for the week of November 10, 2013. Have a productive week!

Top of the Stairs – Skee-Lo