A Rick Beck Story

Editor: Khris Lawrentz

Published: 18 Mar 2021

Dedication

Being born is usually a step in what becomes a longer story, but being born is no guarantee those steps will be easy or even point you into a direction that yields up the best result.

Being born is merely a condition, and what comes next has little to do with that young and helpless life.

“I was born the year I turned 12.”

For Tommy, who I couldn’t repay for his kindness if I worked on it full time. The best I can do is to write about how important his friendship was to my survival.

For Chuck, @Tickie Stories. This one’s for you.

Thanks for asking me to take this one out of mothballs. This is a revision of that story. I only took it out because you requested it.

And thanks to Chris. I gave you no easy task, Chris. In some ways, this is the most important story I’ve ever written. Thanks!

Writer’s Note:

In this society, if you don’t measure up, step out of line, or dare to march to a different drummer, you’ll find yourself excluded by those who consider themselves to be better than the other, no matter your color, beliefs, or sexuality. I think those who consider themselves in charge blame black people for being black, gay people for being gay, and especially, they blame indigenous people for getting in their way.

I blame no one for anything. “I think. Therefore I am.” What I think doesn’t matter to a hill of beans, according to Rick, my namesake, in the movie Casablanca.

To quote another great philosopher, I don’t know who, “It is what it is.”

Which means you don’t need to take this story seriously. Although, every word is true, according to my recollections.

The only pay our authors receive, are your emails to them. Rick is a fantastic writer and his stories deserve your feedback: RickBeck at CastleRoland dot net.

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