The High Road

There’s an old Scottish song that says, “You’ll take the High road and I’ll take the Low road and I’ll get to Scotland before Ye.” This morning I write thinking about the High road. The High road is the rough road, the rocky road, the road that gives us cuts and bruises and often open wounds. I’m thinking about this road because of the recent ordeal that my beautiful wife, Romona and I have been going through this summer.

Sometimes there is a point in which mountains crumble and walls removed, in which all sacred things seem lost and human trust gone with it. If it were not for my savior, my Mona, I do not believe I would be surviving this ordeal. She has been my foundation, my crutch, she has been my confidant, my conscience, the rock that holds me together grounded. It has been a hard and painful journey. The veil has been lifted from our eyes and we have seen the face of humanity.

I removed a post I had written claiming I was on walkabout. This was not true. I was merely fooling myself into believing large philosophical thoughts that blinded me to the truth. I am not on a road alone. I am embraced by the most beautiful soul I have ever met, my Romona, and I regret to say that I have not treated her with the respect, dignity, and trust that is hers. She stands ever present giving me the inspiration to get out of bed each morning and to carry on each day, she is my hope. For her ever present faith in me and the guidance she gives I am forever grateful, Romona I love you and thank you for being you.

Our story began somewhere after the holiday last year when I called in ill from work and slept in. Romona and I stayed in bed and caught an extra eye full of sleep. I don’t know why I woke, maybe to go to the bathroom, but there was something missing from our driveway. Our car was missing. It was repossessed on the day I was going to make a double payment. The bank would not negotiate and the amount of money to get the vehicle back was so large that it was no longer an option. Supposedly we still owe. This I don’t understand. My friend Ray drove me down south to the car lockup and we retrieved our belongings from the deposed car.

Another friend found a cheap car for us to drive after letting us use his personal vehicle, thank you Tim. I was supposed to pay for the car when we got our finances together. This was supposed to happen by now, it did not. On the way home from grocery shopping late on a very cold night, we tend to shop late, the vehicle made a funny spit and a hissing noise and slowly came to a stop. It hasn’t ran since. It was about eleven in the evening and we had a carload of groceries to get home. Luckily a police officer came by soon after and took Mona home and came back and waited with me for the tow truck. We got it towed home, emptied the cargo and have been without a car ever since. This was about eight months ago. I relied on a friend to cart me back and forth from work, we walked, and we have been going to appointments and the stores when our son, Lee is home with his car. Thank you Lee and thank God he’s been here when home from school. Lee’s a student in his final year now at PSU. I should mention, the very same day we had trouble with our car, his engine blew in his car. It was fixed after much trouble and expense on Lee’s part. Now he’s driving a much nicer vehicle, thank God.

Another thing I should mention. My foundation and inspiration, Romona, is not well. She is a very ill young lady that needs constant medical attention. Consequently I have not been able to get her to her doctor’s appointments like she should. There are several specialists she needs to see that we can’t get to because of the lack of reliable wheels. Due to this fact several things are happening right now that would have been avoided if it were only the convenience of a working car and a better income, or a “real job” as I call it. She is still twice what I am ill or not.

As the school year progressed and I began making inquires about my summer job, I worked with the custodians at the same school I work in during the winter, I discovered I did not have a job. This revelation came with two weeks left in the school year. I am devastated, floored, and in serious financial trouble. Bills have piled up, and our mortgage is now in arrears, and I haven’t been able to collect unemployment. We’ve tried some desperate measures like selling gold, which we did not do, and we’ve managed to pull through to the mid of August. A summer without an income.

I’m facing garnishment on my school loans, no mortgage payment until school starts, and a multitude of piled up stuff that seems to keep finding it’s way here. Including very recently the discovery of a Face Book page that was started in my name without my approval. This is technically called identity theft and will be dealt with. When will it stop?

With all this happening my Romona has still stood by strong and vigilant giving me advise and the benefit of her wisdom. She is my inspiration, she is my angel, and she has taken the “High Road” with me. Now, on to Scotland.

John