One More Trip Around The Sun

Today is my birthday, and like every birthday, I tend to get a little nostalgic, thinking back on birthdays past, both good ones and bad ones. Now let me just say, I have had some humdingers and some that were forgettable at best, but either way, I was just glad to make it to my birthday because it meant I made one more trip around the Sun.  Back in the day, some people would desrcibe me as , an arrogant pompus smartass that, at times could be a little irritating (and those were my friends!) I admit, I didnt always make the best choices in life, and all too often, I'd usually end up with some regrets. But I had something that alot of people didn't...The best set of pals in the world. My teenage years were spent mostly in the vehicles of my cousin Ron (RW to all of us), Eric Shankles  or Tommy Hunt. I didnt drive at the time, because I was trying to "stay out of the system" as long as possible for reasons that I probally shouldnt say...haha.  These were all good guys and if there was any corruption done to these dudes, it was probally partly my fault, if not entirely (although, for the record, I do believe Josh Fisher got RW drunk for the first time, so that ones not on me.) There were 8 of us..RW, Tommy, Eric, Heath, Raub, Josh ,Travis & Myself.  Others passed through, but at the end of the day, it was the 8 of us in one way or another. Alot of our weekends were spent in Deerheads Cove, on the tailgate of someones pickup truck, drinking beer, telling lies, and trying to think of which girls might be willing to sneak out. (and there were a few, but I wont mention any names, because some are good family women now...lol) Sometimes we would hit up Aetna Mtn (pronounced Etney by the locals) and that meant we would usually end up back at Tommy Hunts house (poor old Chet, Tommy's dad, never knew what or who to expect when he opened Tommy's door.) Like most teens, we relished the fact when someones parents were out of town, because that meant one thing...PARTY!! ( Still sorry about that one Eric..lol) RW's parents would stay gone a week at a time, we never threw any parties there, but my God did we drink some beer and break things( again, Josh Fisher) You neve knew when an impromptu wrestling match was gonna break out, sometimes you'd turn the corner and catch a flying elbow smash from the top rope..aka...the couch. My buddy Raub's parents went on a lot of vacations, and he had a bad ass pool, so that was HUGE...And when all else failed, there was always the old Cureton House, the sight of many a teen on any given weekend.(When I was older, I once asked a Dade Co. cop how they never knew people would hang out there, he told me they always knew, but they just figured as long as we were there, we would be safer than we would have been if they were trying to chase us off.)  I look back now and I laugh at my teenage self, but in another instance, I miss him. Life didnt turn out for me the way I had envisioned all those many nights ago in the Cove on a tailgate, I never made that million dollars, or traveled the world, or find the cure for Cancer. I never got to experience the joys of being a Father (although I have been called a real Mother a few times, lol) I tried marriage, it didnt work, which is why I subscribe to the theory that marriage is an institution...for people that need to be institutionalized...I cheated death more than once, had 7 surgeries and turned 30 in a nursing  home, but through it all I always knew it could be worse. I used to tell all my buddies " Dont you know who I am?...I'm Bill Black, I'm never gonna die"...and the way I lived reflected that idea, but now, I know better. We live forever in the memories of people and the stories they tell about you, both good and bad. Today, I am the most laid back, peaceful guy you would want to meet, I'm a hippie at heart, a deep thinker and amateur therapist and my focus is on helping as many people that I can by just being there for them, you know, making  sure when I'm gone from this world there will be a good story or two that gets carried on by the ones that knew me. I hope I get the chance to make many more memories before my times up...It takes 1 year for the Earth to orbit the Sun...And I'm so glad to be here this year, it means I made One More Trip around the Sun...I hope its not the last...Til next time..Peace...Love...and Happiness