Good Time Charlie

Sorry if I left anyone hanging. I decided I wanted to think this section out a little more. In case you can't tell, my writing is spontaneous, unedited, and there will undoubtedly be repeated facts.
I really loved the way I lived in Houghton Lake. I was in a place where the odds of being related to anyone other than My mom, brother, or one sister were slim to none! I loved that. As I said before, I had my own home, but my mom was still around. She helped me with the bills because my sister was with me, and often would pick up our laundry as if she were running a laundry service. My mom has always been pretty awesome! She had taught us to take care of ourselves very well, very young.
She wanted more for us than she had been able to provide. Although I blew it off, I really did enjoy school. I just never wanted anybody to know that. I decided to go to back to the adult education center and take my GED. At least I would be able to attend a community college this way.
While in school, I was taking a "new" program provided to undergrads by the government. I was in a Nurse Aide and EMT licensing program. I was doing well. I was paying my bills and going to school, but I wasn't working. I was a serious party hound. I did fill in as an emergency bar tender for several of the local bars. I have a knack for bar tending. I can take an eight drink order and remember it until I have it completed without blinking an eye. I made Mad Money during the annual Tip Up Town festival!! Anyway, keep in mind, I was still only 16 at the time. That added a lot of excitement, because I was able to convince all of these people that I was 21. I still laugh about that.
One night, my buddy wanted to go to our favorite hang out. I was a good sized bar, probably about 120 capacity. It was a mix of Country and Rock and Roll, the perfect place for me. The bar was huge, a horseshoe big enough to split between two bartenders without a problem. The pool table was in the back by a nice wood dance floor, and the back door and restrooms. It was the equivalent of a bike bar, but there aren't many bikers in Houghton Lake, they do the snowmobile thing up there. That is one thing I really missed. I had been around bike clubs my whole life, and up north they are not the same.
I came from a wild life, and liked it. I didn't have to fight more than once. I had been bullied for many years, about 15 when it stopped. That one fight stopped me from ever fighting again. I beat the hell out of the target and two of my friends, with NO recollection of what happened. She was hospitalized, and I thought it better not to ever hurt anyone like that again.
I found the roughest crowd I could up there, and that's who I became closest too. It was years later before I found out just how dangerous my friends had been. Another reason for no names......
So, we go to the bar. We're hanging out at our usual table in by the dance floor. Playing pool, drinkin, and dancin, and just having a blast. A couple of guys walk in and come right up to me and my friend. I'm checking this guy out. He's got long, straight, white-blond hair; a body that just won't stop; and the bluest eyes I have ever seen. He was about 5'6", which is fine, I'm only 5'2", and I wanted him. He had this little touch of asshole, and I liked it...lol. I had no idea at the time, that I had been set up. He was there to meet me. OOOOOhhhhh Man!!!! Sealed, no need to even ask.
I'm just gonna call him Charlie. It's better for everyone that way.
We hang out for a while longer, we're sitting at the table and Charlie hands me a lit doobie! I'm just like WTF!! Not that I hadn't been smoking for a few years, but IN THE BAR???? A little shit eatin grin, and I was in. After a few hours of dancing and pool, we decide to take a ride. When we get outside, I am simply in love! He's got a souped up El Camino. Gloss Black and bad to the bone. The first the he says is, "wanna drive it?" Hell yea I do!!! Off we went. We headed out to my girlfriend's house for a little more partyin. It was about a 20 mile drive, and we came up to some kid in an I-Rock. Charlie says to me, " wanna race him?"  I'm just pumped, he says, " you just do what I tell you and keep her straight, I'll shift " so the light turns green and we're off! I had NEVER driven anything that fast before, then he said "hang on tight" and hit the button I didn't even know was there! What a rush, my first taste of nitrous was soooo sweet. We blew that kid away like he'd never moved. In my head, I really wanted to get to know this guy better.
We had an amazing night, and he said he'd get ahold of me the next night. My buddy was happy too. The set up was a success.
We spent about three months together, when one day he says, "I left you a surprise on your nightstand, follow the directions. See you tonight." It was two lines of cocaine with a note. It explained how to do it and about how long to wait to do a little more. Just a little at a time, and later he would show me a few other things. What the hell. I was almost 17, curiosity got the best of me I guess. I tried it. No real big deal. I liked to smoke weed, cocaine made my weed buzz go away. I wasn't stupid. I had been around drugs for many years. I had just never tried it before. I did the two lines throughout the day, and that night we had a small party. My sister was seein his brother, they were there, a few other exclusive couples, and it went on for three days! We kept it quiet that we were seeing each other because they were older and we didn't want any trouble for them because of our ages. It was a big mystery back then. Charlie acted like it was a big deal the difference our ages, but I found out later that he's only 6 years older than me. His older brother was seeing my younger sister though...LOL. My mother had decided she couldn't stop us anyway, but we still kept it quiet.
We went to parties or to the bar together. Went out of town just about every weekend. And then one day, I find out why I never go to his house. He has a live in girlfriend who is like 2 months pregnant. I was bummed. I had fallen in love with him. I couldn't believe it, but, they also had a three year old. Evidently, he always kept one on the side. I was the one for a while. Some people had even thought that he may leave her because of me.  At the time, I hoped he would. Today, I'm glad he didn't. We spent more than 8 months together, even after I found out about her. I didn't care. It wasn't my fault, I didn't know about her, and come to find out she knew about me! I guess she had been forbidden to contact me, and so she didn't. I would never put up with that kind of shit out of any man! He introduced me to many things. He taught me a lot, and we are still friends. Just not the kind we were back then. Neither of us do drugs anymore. He's still building cars and racing. I quit drinking. I guess I just grew up. We had a crazy kind of relationship, but I would do it over. He told me the day we called it quits, that, "if I could be the kind of man to be good to one woman, she would be you. I love you, no matter what, but you deserve so much more."
That was that. I moved out of Houghton Lake. It was time to come back to Ludington. I needed to get away from the people I had made friends with, but wanted to remain friends with. I haven't been to Houghton Lake in more than 10 years, but I think about things from time to time and I wonder what would have happened if Charlie and I hadn't parted ways. I imagine I wouldn't be here writing this today. Fast cars, drugs, and money are the quickest way to lose everything. That's why I left town. I was so close to being arrested it wasn't even funny. I had pushed my luck and my new found "power" a little too far. I was 17 at the time, and my mom agreed that maybe going home to Ludington was the best thing for me at the time.
I had decided I wasn't capable of working in Nursing Homes, I never even took the tests. I didn't want to spend my life on call as an EMT, I had more important things to do back then. When I look back, I don't think I would have been a very good EMT, I am too emotional for that. I tried the CENA thing for a while, but no matter what, I always seem to get attached to the people I took care of, and having it as a job was emotionally unhealthy for me.
Ok, I'm gonna let this be for a while. The next part gets a little crazy and even more confusing, so let this sink in, and know, I left out a million details on purpose. Yes, I want to share. No, I don''t want to give you the whole package. I am still working on a book you know....