When Is Lunch? - The Next Meal

Continued from: When Is Lunch?

He ran away from home.

He joined the military. They gave him more food then he had ever seen, a warm place to sleep, and a direction in life. Basic Training was like a pleasant vacation. The drill instructors, while stern and forceful, enforced fairness and teamwork that he had never known.

After basic training he was sent to schools, trained in the ways of the military and the modern world, and sent out to do those tasks. He received honors, awards, praise, promotions, and he felt a honest kinship with those he worked with.

He also met a girl and fell in love. He finally met someone that understood him and didn't want to run away away when he starting getting serious. They married, had two wonderful kids, and eventually a house in the suburbs and a golden retriever. He was living the dream.

His world was fantastic. For a long time he thought he was so lucky to have such a good life. A little too lucky. "You don't deserve this" said a voice in his head.

He turned around one day and the people who he thought supported him, were laughing at him behind his back, insulting him. The people who he thought understood him, were making jokes about him.

Then, after eighteen years of faithful service, the military told him he wasn't good enough to be in the military anymore.

"What happened?", he thought, "I did everything I'm supposed to do."

His mental health suffered a breakdown.......

..... to be continued .....

Story Soundtrack: I Alone - Live

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