My Life Is Based On A True Story Part Four: The Last Straw

It was the spring of 2007, and I had failed at starting a new life for myself in California. I didn't even so much as dip my toe in the waters of the Pacific ocean. To this day, I regret it. Jared's activities were ever before me. I stayed with my father in law and stepmother in law, waiting for Jared to have the desire to return.

The last straw for him is permanently etched in his mind. Despite his mental state, he remembers many details of his California encounters, and I would like to share this memory with you.

Towards the end, he spent much of his time at Laguna Beach. One of the beach bums there showed him a cove he could access at low tide. One night, he tried to enter it when the water was too high. He was bashed around by the waves, and wound up freezing, and soaking wet from head to toe. Mind you, it gets down into the 40s and 50s this time of year. All he had to his name were the clothes on his back, and some loose change in his pocket.

From the cove, he climbed up a rock face and landed in someone's back yard. It was a gated community filled with million dollar homes. Peering through the back screen door of the house, he noticed a teenager, sitting in the living room, watching TV and eating popcorn. Knowing it would be frowned upon (to say the least) to knock on the door and ask for help, he instead climbed over the wall of the gated community and pressed the intercom at the entrance. "Can I get some help? Some clothes?" he asked. The response was, "Get out of here!"

Dejected, he started walking down the road. Not two minutes later, three squad cars swooped up. Six officers proceeded to get out. They handcuffed him and searched him. When they didn't find anything illegal, they told him to get out of their town. Jared said, "I'm cold. Can you at least give me a ride to the bus depot?" Their response was, "We're not a taxi service!" "But it says on your car that you protect and serve!" he countered. They just ignored him, got into their squad cars, and left.

So he walked until he came across a 24 hr laundromat. He had enough change to dry his clothes, so he stripped down to his boxers and threw his shirt and pants in. Shivering on the bench, a rich, young couple showed him unforgettable kindness. They took their plush, luxurious comforter out of the dryer, and wrapped him in it, so he could wait for his clothes to dry in comfort.

Despite the kindness shown to him, it was at this point he knew he wanted to come home. With the insurance money from the wrecked car, I bought him a bus ticket to come back.

Thanks for reading!

If you missed parts one, two, and three, here they are:

https://steemit.com/life/@snowpea/my-life-is-based-on-a-true-story-part-one-newlyweds

https://steemit.com/life/@snowpea/my-life-is-based-on-a-true-story-part-two-not-the-fender

https://steemit.com/life/@snowpea/my-life-is-based-on-a-true-story-part-three-homelessness

Love, snowpea ❤

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