CHAPTER 18
Fulfilling A Wish,
My First Place,
& A Farewell to Flesh
While in Stockton I had discovered something disturbing. Grandpa Borelli’s ashes were in a box in Grandma’s spare room. Actually, they were in a plastic bag within a box about the size of a shoe box. Being a Navy man and having a fondness for the sea, Grandpa Borelli wanted his ashes to be spread over the ocean, and yet they had been sitting in that box for the past four years.
On the day that I left town I went over to Grandma’s house and the two of us snuck his ashes out while Loyd was in the other bedroom. For some reason Grandma didn’t want him knowing, so we kept it a secret. Since I was headed up north near the coastline I’d be the one to fulfill Grandpa’s wish.
When I got into the car Mom had rented she asked me what was that in the bag at my feet. “Grandpa Borelli,” I said. Shocked, but at the same time pleased, she smiled.
Klamath was so small that if you were to start playing a song in your car when you entered, you’d be out before the song was over. The highway ran through the tiny town, and Mom and the kids had been living in a duplex right beside that highway. Crescent City was about forty-five minutes away, with a shuttle making the trip back and forth a few times a day. Right away I knew I’d have to relocate as soon as I could, since Klamath had no opportunities for employment at all. In the meantime, Mom and the kids showed me the three things to see in the small community. The convenience store, a couple of tourist shops, and the surrounding forest. I was ready to get on that shuttle for Crescent City the very next day!
I wanted to get Grandpa Borelli in the ocean right away. To me, four years had been four years too long, so I made sure to bring him along. Crescent City was comparable to only one area of Stockton as far as size went, but it was better than a couple of spots along the highway, which Klamath basically was. We found a deserted area of the beach where a large hunk of a rock stood. As tall as a few storeys. Since the path to the top wasn’t that inclined and the edge dropped off into the ocean waters this is where we’d free Grandpa Borelli’s ashes. Judging from the sea below, there wouldn’t be a problem with him washing out to the vast water world.
Upon opening the firm plastic box and the plastic within it I discovered that the ashes looked more like gravel. I guess all those little pieces that looked liked pebbles were actually bone. When carrying it I remember thinking that it felt quite heavy, but then again it was Grandpa Borelli. (Minus one leg.)
After everyone said their goodbyes and with box in hand I crept as close to the edge of the mountainous rock as I could, then poured him out over it. A gust of wind came up, blowing some of the ashes back up my way. (More like chalk dust than ashes.)
This didn’t freak me out as much as I would have imagined, but nonetheless, you don’t expect the ashes of a loved one to be blown back up in your face!
Once Grandpa Borelli had been all poured out I tossed the box over the cliff too. Was this why I was the only one he sort of remembered during his last days? Did his soul somehow know that I’d be the one who would carry out his departing wish? I suppose it’s possible. I’m just glad I could fulfill it, and only wished it could have been done right after his passing.
Not having many options to choose from, I applied at the one place I had good experience with. Burger King. Unfortunately due to the very limited schedule of the shuttle, management couldn’t use me during the few hours I was available. Hence, I was in a catch-22 position. I either needed a car, or needed to live in Crescent City to be available for work, but needed a job to have money for either one. And so I had to waste a few weeks away in Klamath until an opportunity came up.
Daniel and Mom were constantly at odds. He was nearly seventeen and wanting to hang with his friends all the time. When it came to this age, he and I differed in two major ways. One, he didn’t have a drive to work. I’ve always had. And two, he didn’t give a shit about school. I didn’t much enjoy learning about things that didn’t support my future goals, but at least I had goals. And even if I hated a subject, I never let my grades suffer. He on the other hand was getting straight F’s, literally.
And half the time he’d refuse to even get up to go to school. So between this and the normal chaos of the household, he and Mom couldn’t be under the same roof, and he was soon placed in a foster home in Crescent City.
Given his performance in school, Daniel was put on a special independent study type program. The set-up was similar to what I had done, but why in the world did they believe he would be self-motivated enough to do his assignments at home?! Who knows.
The home he was placed in was with a woman named Kimt. A hirty-something, who was divorced and had two kids from her Filipino ex. Cody, about eight, and Keesha, around six. I started to visit Daniel in his trailer foster home, and before long would stay the night every so often.
One night while staying over, Kim had been drinking with her younger companion. A store run needed to be made, and given the fact that I was the only sober adult there I offered to be the one to go. So with the keys to Kim’s station wagon, Daniel and I were off to the store. I didn’t have a license, but since it was only a quick run I didn’t think much of it.
Still living in Klamath, I didn’t know Crescent City that well, especially at night. On the way back from the store and in the right-hand lane I mistakenly veered right, not realizing we were heading for the entrance of the highway. By the time I did realize it it was too late to turn back. Now on the freeway, I planned to get off at the first exit and head back, but no exits were coming up! Five minutes turned into ten, then fifteen. At this rate we’d probably end up in Oregon!
It was around eleven at night so there were hardly any cars out. Looking at the center divider, it looked like I could just drive across on the grassy area and head back the other way. Having no idea when an exit would appear, and not knowing if we’d find our way to the entrance once we did exit, (some highway exits and entrances are right across from each other, but others are not and could get you lost) one thing was for sure. The longer we kept driving the more of a chance I’d have of getting pulled over or running out of gas. So I decided to go for it and as soon as there were no cars in sight I slowed down and headed across the divider to the other side. Halfway through, the car got stuck!
My heart started to pound a mile a minute. I kept flooring the gas, but nothing. I then told Daniel to jump out and start pushing. A few cars passed on each side of the highway, but they just kept going. Who knows what they were thinking. All I knew was that we‟d be screwed if a cop passed. So I kept flooring the gas while Daniel kept pushing. Some of the longest few minutes of my life! Finally, the car budged and we were back on pavement!
I breathed such a sigh of relief as we were now on the opposite side heading back to Crescent City. As we approached the exit and saw familiar surroundings Daniel and I were like, “Damn, that was a close one!”
Next thing we knew a siren went off behind us.
Shit! After that whole ordeal I was now being pulled over?! Nearing the trailer park I pulled up right before it.
The cop had stopped me because my high beams were on. This was something I had noticed in the store parking lot, but had no idea on how to switch them to low. So I just drove with them instead of no lights at all. I was disgusted to see how simple it was to go from one to the other after the cop reached in and double-clicked the switch.
Learning that I had no driver’s license, he ran my California State ID and then wrote me a ticket for driving without a license. Fortunately, because we were right outside the trailer park and he wasn’t an ass, he allowed me to drive the car in. My court date was scheduled for the following month.
When we drove into Kim’s driveway and I turned off the car I just wanted to get those keys out of my hands and back into hers. I had tried to do a good deed by preventing someone from driving drunk, and in return I went through hell and was now facing court. But being the optimist I am I said, “at least we didn’t get caught in that center divider!” And we were sure not to tell Kim about that part!
A couple of weeks later, Kim, her two kids, and Daniel moved into a nice two-storey town house just a couple of blocks from the beach. Now with extra space, I had Daniel ask Kim if I could move in. I’d pay her like a hundred bucks a month until I found my own place. She said sure, and I immediately went back to talk to the manager at Burger King. A couple of days later I started slingin’ Whoppers again.
As usual, they started me in the kitchen. Although I had made it known during the interview that I could work any position, they put me on the simplest, the broiler. Basically, putting in the meat patties and buns on one side and going around to the other side to retrieve them as they came out cooked. Not realizing my strengths, they were letting my talents go to waste.
A middle-aged woman named Pam owned the restaurant. She was married to this guy, Richard, near the same age, who before marrying into the business supposedly was a bagger at the local Safeway grocery store. A lot of employees would tease him behind his back, saying such things as “Paper or plastic?” After my first couple of hours on the job I understood why they didn’t respect him. He was a rude ass!
During the lunch rush you’re constantly feeding the broiler with meat and buns, then rushing over to the other side to catch them. You have to make sure you balance the two, otherwise you’ll either run out of cooked hamburgers and Whoppers or have them piling up on each other if you’re not there to catch them.
Well, as I’m doing my thing Richard comes up and gets on my case for not staying on the one end of feeding the broiler. If you have two people working it, sure you can stay on one end only, but if you’re the only one you’ve got to balance the two. So here this ass was, not even knowing me yet jumping on my case without realizing what I was up to. I tried to explain, but he kept cutting me off, telling me to just get over to the other side and stay there. I said fine, but that I had a question for him later. Meaning that I would explain myself after the rush, and that if he only wanted me to feed the broiler, who did he expect to be on the other side catching?
So with just simply saying, “Ok, but I have a question for you later on,” his response was, “No questions. You either do it or you clock out!”
It was all I could do not to go off on that idiot. Respecting a boss is one thing. Putting up with someone talking shit for no reason other than that person being an asshole is quite another! But I managed to stay calm and avoid his dumbass as much as I could.
Within a couple of days the members of management as well as everyone else began to see who they really had on the payroll now. Without waiting for permission, I’d jump on the Whopper board and do my thing. Yeah, I thought to myself. Show me someone who’s faster and is just as accurate!
I was soon positioned on the Whopper board every day. Unfortunately, this willful ignorance and stubbornness exists in every industry. You can stand there and tell someone until you’re blue in the face how good of a job you can do, but due to egotistical problems, as well as the above mentioned, oftentimes people won’t give you that chance to prove yourself. Even if it would be of great benefit to them if they would just listen and see for themselves.
So the only thing you can do when dealing with such imbeciles is to be ready to just slide in and prove yourself when the opportunity arises, or to move on. After all, if they’re going to be so obstinate, they don’t deserve the success they would get from your talents anyway.
So yeah, ignoring the stupidity around me I went from station to station proving myself, and soon they did what all my past employers had done. Put me where they needed the strongest performer. It feels really good to do a great job for good people, and I only wish the world didn’t have so few of them.
Before long I had the schedule I wanted, the hours I wanted, and the position I wanted. All for proving what I had already mentioned in my interview. That I could work anywhere in the restaurant and do it well. While working 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., I’d be the only person in the kitchen for the first four hours. Multitasking all positions. Guess who became one of my biggest fans? Yep, the ignoranus, Richard. It was weird seeing him nice to me yet still treating others like shit. Even when I’d try to buy a cinnamon roll or something on my break, he’d give it to me for free. I was glad I was finally being appreciated. That’s all I’ve ever wanted. Just a chance to prove myself.
When my court date came around the judge gave me an option. Either get my license or face more trouble, including penalty fees. So Kim allowed me to practice in her car and a week or two later, after passing my written exam, I went for the driving portion.
Driving around the small city, I followed the instructions of the examiner. Once we got to the intersection by Denny’s he told me to turn left. This is where I made my detrimental mistake.
You see, ever since I first began observing others drive I’ve always noticed one common thing that everyone does when turning left at an intersection. They actually pull out into the intersection as oncoming cars pass. This way they can turn left as soon as it’s clear. Having witnessed everyone I have ever been in a car with do this, I thought such technique was part of normal lawful driving.
Wrong!
The examiner said it’s blocking an intersection, and no matter how well you do with everything else on the test, if you make that mistake it’s an automatic failure. Not to say I was doing great with the rest. I didn’t feel that confident in that station wagon anyway. Perhaps it was because of my first experience with it. At any rate, I had failed and needed to concentrate on taking it again, and soon, so I could beat that ticket.
Kim’s mom had a smaller car. Although the power-steering was a little off I felt much better with it when I tried it out, and was able to use it for my second test. And boy was there a big difference! It was like I was one with that delightful little car. Even when the dreaded turn near Denny’s came up, I had it down! (I found out later that he always gets people on that turn. I knew I wasn’t the only one!)
Pulling back into the DMV parking lot, I knew I aced the test, and sure enough I got the PASS. Proud of my accomplishment, I went into court and got my case dismissed.
Going through the jackass stage of adolescence, Daniel was butting heads with Kim a lot. He ended up going back home to Mom and the kids, while I continued looking for my own place. Now that I had money back in my pocket I ordered these VHS instructional tapes from Stephen K. Hayes, as well as joining his Shadows of Iga Society. I really appreciated this new exposure to the art, but you can only learn so much from books and videos, and so I kept working towards my goal of actual hands-on training.
After a month at BK I finally found a place of my own. It was a studio-type, where everything but the bathroom was in one room. The great thing about it was that it was less than a block from work. I soon had all that I needed. A TV. A phone. Even a Soloflex I was making monthly payments on. (Wanted to be in shape so when time came for me to move to Ohio I’d be ready to train)
Besides learning more about Stephen K. Hayes I also began to learn about the 34th grandmaster of the art, Hatsumi Sensei. From how he was the first to allow foreigners to study the secretive art to how he chose to live his life, including not eating meat. In my eyes, this man who had proven himself to be a true master in such an intriguing art was amazing, and I wanted to model myself after him. So the following month in May of 1995 I decided to give up meat. Cold turkey! (No pun intended)
I've always been an average meat eater. Fish, pork, chicken, beef. And now I was giving it all up as part of my devotion to the art of Ninjutsu. Some might think working at a burger place such as BK might’ve made my endeavor a lot harder, but being the driven guy I was I wasn’t fazed. Instead of Whoppers with cheese I now ate veggie Whoppers with cheese. It’s basically the same thing, but with no meat patty. A lot of people think ordering a hamburger with no meat is strange, but it’s actually just a really good cheese sandwich.
I soon started growing accustomed to my meat-free diet, and would only rarely have a small desire when I happen to smell bacon. Don’t get me wrong. I didn’t become a health nut who lived off wheat germ and water. I still drank my cola and ate my sweets. But at least it was a step forward toward my new life. My personal sacrifice to the art I so desired to become one with.
The next couple of months went by relatively quickly, with me spending most of my time at work. Being summertime, business picked up even more. I had fought for the title of Production Leader and got it. After all, I was already doing the job of one. The restaurant manager had recently quit, and Richard’s daughter from his first marriage was being brought in to replace her.
She had no experience, and I was one of the key people who trained her in the kitchen. She was pretty cute, but already married with two kids. (Although it had been said that she was heading for a divorce.) During her training, Pam and Richard decided to keep their vacation plans and entrust the restaurant with the management team we currently had.
Since Richard’s daughter was still getting used to the kitchen, I took on the role of head honcho in front, which basically meant overseeing and directing all aspects of the operation. Expediting the orders. Deciding on food levels. Supplying change for the cashiers. Etc. Too bad Pam and Richard weren’t around to see how smoothly things went.
You know by now how much of an honest person I am and thus wouldn’t be saying such if it weren’t true. For those few days things really did run smoother than usual. But I didn’t have the royal blood of the owners, so once again I’d have to put up with being passed over. But my main focus was on becoming a practitioner in the ancient art of the Ninja, not becoming King of Burger King. So although I enjoyed conducting a seamless fast-food orchestra for a few days, I had more important things to pursue.
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