Priorties Are Out of Place

Constantly on the grind to get this money in a legitimate way; even if being legit is being a slave doing some ol manual labor type work.  In these streets of Denver Colorado is where you will find me; not chillin' but grinding for this cheese.   On a some what cloudy day the hands on the clock are slowly turning towards 2:30 and I am driving this big ass truck with my helper on my side looking towards the sidewalks at all the people out walking. 

We are choppin' it up about about white bitches, mexican bitches and sistas; when we see Robert (a fellow co worker) walking towards the job.  I pull over and Alberto rolls down the window to say what's up!  Looking a little dazzled he turns around and comes up to the driver side " Man I got put out of my hotel room"  I then knew he was going to ask for money.  He gave a sob statement " I am going to have to sleep under the bridge."  Looking dead in his face I say with no emotion and severe directness "I don't have no money man."  He looked away.  I told him hold up let me call LT on the radio and see if he got it.  Lt and I have a transmission going on and Robert says he needs $30.  

Beep, Beep horns come from behind the truck.  I forget I pulled over and traffic was behind me...so I tell Robert to come to the yard.  Lt was pulling up in a truck right behind me; so Robert jumps in the truck with him.  We park the truck and walk into the office to clock out.  No one is in the office so our discussion begins.  I say to Robert " I just remembered I got that $20 tip from yesterday...I will give that to you; but I don't have $30.  Lt says you "gonna give him 20?"  "Yeah"  I say. "I will match it with another 20 then" Lt says.  I ask Robert "will this be enough you only needed 30 right?"  He then says no he needs 60.  I am puzzled now.  I am thinking why didn't you say you needed $60 from the jump. 

I then detect alcohol on him.  The way he was slurring his words and getting overly animated with his story of being kicked out the hotel room.  So I make my way out of the office to go to my car to get him the 20 spot.  LT was on some ol hell naw I ain't given him 40.  Lt just got a new Impala.  He has plans on tinting his windows and putting a DVD player in it...so he is all on some "naw man I ain't got it."  Robert proceeds with guilt trips and begging tactics.  I told them "look here man...I can't keep going around and around with this story...I gotta go get my seed" (son) so I smashed on out.  On my way to the driver seat of my ride Robert keeps re assuring me that next Friday I will get my money back.

While I am in my car going to get my boy...I start to think about Robert.  He is a married man, he just lost his place where he was staying with his wife.  She went elsewhere and he went to a hotel.  They don't get along, although he continually makes excuses for their drama and relationship; I think he loves his wife.  Robert is an alcoholic plus he is 50 something.  He has nothing in place for his future, lives check to check and has habits.  I don't respect his character; but I honor his age and will not openly disrespect him.  He is an elder.  As I watch his life dwindle into shit...This here is the example or a real life individual who lacks discipline and has no clue to where they are going.  He has no true direction.

Lt calls me on my cell and tells me he gave him 40 and dropped him off on the corner so he can catch the bus.  LT is not too happy about his decision to give Robert 40.  He says he knows he ain't gonna get that money back.  I guess Roberts begging tactics worked.  Lt and I talked a good 20 minutes and I told him...man Robert can get back on track if he would just get his priorities straight and set some goals to accomplish. Yet, when you are old and set in your ways...it is very rare to see change.