If you ever feel like you have it bad

Howdy, y'all. I know Most usually write notes with the intention of being funny. Whether or not I succeed most times is a matter of opinion. In fact I kind of try to use most of my Facebook in attempts to be funny. But today. I'm not going to do that.

Lately, I feel like I've had a lot to mope about. These last 5 months have been rough to say the least. Really it's been give or take a year since everything was firing on all cylinders for me. Today, as I watched my two favorite sports teams suffer crippling losses, I really felt down. Then I remembered what it was that has kept me going this whole time. It's a story that I am going to tell you now. For obvious reason's I can't tell you how I know this boy or what his real name is, but I assure you he is quite real. This shit is heavy, so if you are in a good mood, hit up somewhere else

This is the story of "Parker". Parker was born into a family with quite a bit of strife. His mom was a drug addict and dealer, (probably, did a little smack while she was carrying Parker) and his dad quickly bailed out of the picture soon after Parker was born. Till about age three, he grew up in his mom's drug-dealer house and saw God knows what. Around then, she was picked up by the police on a drug charge. This left child-services with the question of what to do with little Parker. The mother's parents were dead, so this left them with no choice, but to track down Parker's dad. They found him, living two towns over with his new wife and two new kids. So child services brought Parker over to his dad.

Who immediately refused to take the three year old in. It seems he didn't want the delicate balance of his new home to be upset by the "tainted" Parker. When they asked the father if there was anyone in his family who could take care of the boy, he informed them that his parents were also dead and advised them to place him into the foster care system.

Child-services may have done just that, but someone turned up the following day to claim Parker. His Mother's Grandmother. His Great-Grandmother. Just 85 years young when she picked Parker up, the little old lady brought him back to her house to raise him. In the same town where his father lives with his new family. That has the same school district.

Luckily, Parker's mom still had a lot of friends on the outside. They often needed money and would go to Parker's great grandmother (we'll call her Nan) for handouts. Or, if she didn't have any, steal things to pawn. He calls these people his uncles and aunts. The ones that steal from him and Nan.

Given the circumstances, Nan did a pretty great job raising him. Though he would have some learning disabilities, that was pretty much it, and given his mom's drug use, it's kinda miraculous.

So he's in 6th grade, now and he's doing cross country at his local school. This is a sweet kid. No anti-social disorder like some kids have, he doesn't bully other kids. This is the kinda kid who asks what kind of Pokemon cards I have left and if I'll trade him. And every day at school he sees his two half brothers. 4th and 3rd grade. Does he see his dad drop them off in the morning? Probably not everyday. But to be a an 11 year old kid, to feel like you've done something to make your dad not want you, to see your brothers he's chosen over you, when all you did was exist... That is the most fucked up thing I have ever heard in my entire life.

Parker's Nan is now 93. A couple of years past life expectancy. How much more time in a loving home does Parker have before he gets put into the system? He asked the person I know him through the other day, "If something happen's to Nan? Where will I go?" Apparently, he didn't say it sadly or like he was concerned. It was just a question. He was curious. Where would he go next?

Yet, Parker is out there running. He does it everyday. He's pretty much always dead last, but he just shakes it off. Talks to the other kids when he's done.

And that's Parker. I've known him for two years. I know we can all have tough times and it can be tough to get through them. But if things feel like they just can't get any worse, think of Parker. I know you hear stories like this in a magazine all the time. It's a whole different ball game when you can see the kid, talk to him, visit his house, etc. Just know that Parker is a real kid, he is out there and he is dealing with shit a whole lot more real than you and me.