Serial Killers and Hives

You would think that living in Florida would be wonderful. If America needed a douche, Ocala would be place to insert the hose. I was pulled over by the cops that first month on my way to work. They told me I was speeding and that they would throw me in jail if I didn't get my drivers license changed. I explained I had just moved there and just found a job and would do it the next day. For some reason, they let me go with a warning. Man, they were mean.

Once, and only once, I took a wrong turn into a neighborhood that I wasn't familiar with. Some black guy came chasing after me with a two by four and yelling that I was in his territory and that he would kill me. I avoided that area the rest of my life.

During my lovely stay in Ocala, Eileen Wornos was hitchhiking and killeing the men that picked her up. Plus in Gainesville, not too far from Ocala, at the college some drifter had killed some female students and cut off one of their heads and put it on display. Ah, Florida, The Sunshine State!

I settled into my job at the kitchen store. Although the pay was minimum wage I enjoyed working there. I would do all the stock, inventory, unloading trucks, pricing and my favorite "Window Dressing". We had a drawing the first month we were open and the winner would receive a $500 dollar gift certificate. I entered Ken and his family into the drawing everyday. When a winner was chosen, the first name to come out was unledgeable so they drew again. Ken's sister won the gift certificate. She didn't even offer me any part of the certificate and not even a thank you! What a lovely family.

One day a man came into the store and asked who had done the window displays. I told him that it was me and he said he was really impressed. He owned an Art Gallery in the better part of town and wanted me to come in for an interview.

I decided that I would quit drinking again so I could get the job at the art gallery. When I went in for the interview I told the owner that I was a recovering alcoholic. He was impressed with my resume from North Carolina and my honesty. I was hired and I quit the mall that week.

My new job consisted of framing, ordering of art, and helping customers. On occasion, I would get jobs on the side from women who asked me to come to their home to hang the art for them. I have a natural eye for this sort of thing. Things were beginning to look up again even though I wasn't happy with my home life.

It was easy to stop drinking again because Ken was always at his mother's house or god knows where. I pretty much was alone at home most of the time. When he did come by he usually had his son with him and he would get drunk and pass out.

I wanted more. Then I got it, a bad case of the hives. From the middle of my chest to the middle of my back on the right side. This was the first and only time I got hives. The itching was unbearable and the lotion did calm it down. I had to take off from work. Too much time on my hands lead to one thing. I started drinking again.

When the hives were gone and I was ready to go back to work, I had gotten drunk the night before. I showed up at the art gallery smelling like booze. I couldn't smell it but others could. The boss pulled me aside and asked if I had relapsed. I lied and said no. I told him he was smelling the strange gum I had been chewing. He fired me that day. Drinking makes you do and say stupid things!

Now what??????

Love & Peace,

Clayton