Personal Narrative: The Ugly

“Ugly” is something I said I would refrain from during my campaign for office. I’m going to hold true to that through the election and afterwards, win or lose. My reasoning for that is; I know whoever is elected must move forward and serve the citizens, regardless of what happens during the campaign, whether that be me or one of my opponents. It is a hard enough job with the amount of hatred already surrounding police officers. Adding insult to injury is bad for our community.

Tough questions have been asked of all candidates for several offices, not just the office I seek. Some of those questions have been pointless in my opinion, others have been necessary I suppose. I have never asked a supporter or undecided voter to ask any question
I am what I like to refer as, “comfortably poor”. I rent the house I live in, which happens to be in a wonderful neighborhood with outstanding neighbors. I’ve tried home ownership on a deputy’s salary and it didn’t work out. My neighbors and I talk to each other face to face. We lend tools, we borrow sugar. I try to cut my own grass twice a week whether it needs it or not. I’ve never had the “yard of the month” but I take pride in how smooth it looks. I take care of my place because that’s what good people do. I’ve been a landlord, I appreciate my landlord, I think he appreciates me. I have two roommates that are both dogs. Where we live is almost too big for the three of us. We don’t need the house on the hill. It seems wasteful.

I live alone because I am divorced and divorced on other than ideal terms. Rarely is there an “ideal divorce”, I guess. This is the part of my life that is really not anyone’s business. I look at it like this; if you don’t care enough to help put out the fire, I don’t think you get to sift through the ashes. Either way, I try not to let cross words leave my mouth about it. I am sure sorry to the people I let down and thankful to those who understood. Hard lessons