Midnight Madness

I always here sports talk radio hosts comment that "only bad things can happen when you're out after midnight."

So late last night I left work after watching an amazing production of City of Angels (a musical noir). After cleaning up and gathering my papers, I went to exchange some dvd's at Blockbuster which closes at midnight. I got there just in time. I was exiting their door right at midnight when this guy slammed up against the other side of the door. He started screaming and I didn't know what he was saying. Then our eyes met and recognition was made. He happened to be a former student of mine that graduated about three years ago. He was the kind of kid who was smart but always in trouble and barely graduated. His senior year in creative writing he was working hard on a hip hop cd and was hoping to crack the business somehow. Apparently, his life has taken many twists and turns since I saw him cross the stage.

I get outside and scream his name and he just grabs me in a huge bear hug. Now, I'm not easy to grab. He starts talking but I can't make out what he's saying because he starts crying. This is your stereotypical guy who you'd think would never let a former teacher see him cry. Evidently, he's had no one to turn to lately in life. He proceeds to remark how he tried to leave his bad friends behind and began hanging out with people he thought would be a better influence. He was trying to join the sheet metal worker's union and live a regular life. Yet, somehow, these new friends let him down and caused trouble for him with the police for something he allegedly had nothing to do with. He was passing Blockbuster having come from Orange Park just a bit too drunk.

I offered to bring him to Starbucks and get him some coffee to sober up and talk out his problems. But he refused, and just thanked me for always giving him a chance and not just failing him when he acted like a bum in my class.

When we parted, it looked like he wasn't ready to go, but I did end up bringing him to a friend's house, where hopefully he wouldn't be getting into trouble. He said he was going to visit me at school and I can only hope that he does find his way in life.

It was truly a surreal moment.