Turnstiles

I have been on many Turnstiles.

My first turnstile was continuous from the age of 12 to 31. Any help dad needed, I was there to be that help. Little did I know that I was forming my own life path. This occurred even after my marriage and up until dad's death in 1981. From that point on, I was helping mom in a multitude of ways. However, the helping turnstile ceased in late 1994 until the end of 1998, with my departure from the marriage.

1999, I met Cheryl. My first mission of penance (for my divorce) was to be there and help her get through her post surgery home / farm set up. For two years, I was everything from farm hand to grass cutter to hospital chauffeur. After not being able to see my kids, I moved back home in 2001.

From 2001 to 2007, I was mom's helper. First negotiating her settlement of credit card debts with the reverse mortgage, Then, housework, or arranging of it. As my finances grew stronger after the 2nd bankruptcy and divorce, I began to be her cook, paid some of the bills and so forth, In 2007, I even helped her die by signing the DNR for the hospice.

From 2002, I pulled double duty, also helping Diana. Finding her the ability to finance and purchase her house, and continuing to beautify it, increase it's functionality, assisting in securing a privacy fence contractor after I paid for the adoption of Lily; installing her pond and then later, expanding it; installing the back yard sump pump to drain the excess water splashed over the neighbor's pool, as well as a multitude of other projects. That came screeching to a halt on labor day, 2008, when she asked me to dog sit Lily while she went for a 4 day weekend up to central Michigan to spend a weekend with a guy she met on line. I was finished.

After a brief hiatus, I had wished Cheryl Happy Birthday in the late fall of 2008. That spurred on a lunch meeting, following by my real estate connections to help her find a condo to live in. following her separation, we gradually grew back together and my repairman ways continued, and my things were finally moved across town in June of 2010. I continued on my Helper Turnstile while being her hospital chauffeur and all around main source of income, and relegated to photography equipment hauler. After her death in April, 2013, I had begun the process of moving back to the west side, finally doing so in December of that year.

From 2008 to 2015, I had become subservient to Sammy, not only shooting all his photography. I was still on the helper turnstile in that regard. However, in the process, I became more and more resentful of the fact that I was giving my photos away for free. That ended in 2015, when I decided to flip the switch and go pro only.

In July of 2014, I met Jude and after 4 months, broke up feeling guilty as it was so close to Cheryl's death. We got back together in March of 2015 and I moved her in in June of 2015. In May, I had spent time with her on her home purchase process. The bid was accepted and title transferred in mid-July. I then willingly climbed back on to the helper turnstile, stripping and refinished the hardwood throughout the first floor. We painted all the walls and restored the bathroom. By October, the "honeymoon" period had ceased when her cat died after slipping and breaking her back.

From that point on, Jude was even more antagonistic than she was argumentative before. The relationship deteriorated. By Christmas - ultimatums were issued. Her birthday was worse, as she'd just had surgery, and by June, all communication ceased. In September, she notified me she was going out on a date and not to wait up. That night, I saw photos on Facebook of her and Jamie together, and she didn't return home until the following Tuesday. I was making plans to leave but the apartment was not going to be ready until 12/1. Ultimately, she stayed away from her own home for most of the remaining months there. I moved on 11/11 and swore off any future involvements. That lasted just a short time.

I was ultimately chased down by a girl 18 years younger, (Heather). By the new year, we had started seeing each other when she had convinced me she was divorcing her husband and already separated since late September. I was back on the helper turnstile.

I guess my mission in life is to assist  or help others....