A Friend’s Offer

A Friend’s Offer

by KIMSNo Comments
Some time has passed and both Kirk and I have finished our military service. It's around early 1986. Kirk found a place to stay in Fremont, California and since he became married to a wonderful person, Stephanie. More on her, later. I was unceremoniously fired from my first Cali job and landed a second as a cashier at a local health food store. I liked that job much better and the owners grew to trust me. During this time, I hung out with Kirk and Stephanie often poaching meals as often as they'd have me (which was unusually often). I was a pest. I had no other family in Cali. Kirk and Stephanie were it. He took me under his wing. He promised to look out for me after I finished my obligation with the Navy. He was true to his word. He must've let Stephanie know, because, she didn't seem to mind my regular appearances at their home...especially for...
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Roomies

Roomies

by KIMSNo Comments
After landing in Okinawa, Japan, it was time to receive our assignment for a roomy. Looking through my lens of autism, all of this adjusting was purely matter-of-fact, for me. My father taught me (and my siblings) to become expert situational adapters. Sometimes there's no choice but to make due with the situation you've been given. There was, certainly, nothing I could do about the circumstance of deployment, so, adapt. I made the best of it and remember: I'm just 18 years old. As for my roomy, he introduced himself as Stanley K. Burrell. He said the "K" was for Kirk. I'm a big Star Trek fan, so, his name being Kirk (like Captain Kirk) and the fact we were in the Navy was, ironically, perfect. From that moment forward, I knew him as Kirk Burrell. Always curious and ready to take a new experience head on, my first purchase was a 10 speed bicycle. This was my transportation to...
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