No Compromise

The Years Lost

As I have established, I enjoy a life of adventure. I have always been a fan of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. But not just Homes, I love the Bone Collector, a 1999 American crime thriller film directed by Phillip Noyce and starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. just to give you an idea of how my mind works.

My wife and I got married in 1998 and she was never told about my homosexual experiences in the past. To be honest I am still ashamed of the fact. But I squandered much of the money that I was awarded in my youth to bail my mother out of whatever financial debts she got herself into. You see a Socialist views everyone's property as theirs. Such was the case with my Mother.

I spent much of the time living with my Grandfather, listening to my Grandfather and Mother fighting over money or rather my money. My Grandfather was always defending my right to use the money that the United States Army gave me for my school.

My mother stood on the idea that I needed to pay for my upkeep.

"Your some goes to school and has never gotten anything lower than an A-, he goes to the DoJo as soon as he gets out of school and comes home with broken bones at least once a week. He does this to pay on a mortgage that you never had to take out, if not for your incompetent ways. If you bring up my grandson's money again, I will kick you out of my house!" Two days later my Grandfather went into the hospital for a scratch on his leg. My mother murdered my Grandfather because she didn't think I would emancipate myself to be rid of her. The night my Grandfather died my uncle took his kids and my sister and I out to eat. We all knew something was up. I was 15 at the time and moving out because my mother only saw me as a cash cow. Still the adults were not telling us the truth.

We got in my uncle's station wagon and the adults stood outside the car and argued. "Tolie can you see what they are saying?" I learned to read lips by the time I was nine because my mother would ground me from the TV but would forget that I had a TV in my room, so I would just turn off the sound.

"Sorry guys I am a bit rusty." My family didn't need to know that my uncle was accusing my mom of murdering my Grandfather.

We finally got to the hospital and we were ushered into a private waiting room. My sister had spent her life in the hospital so she knew what this meant. My sister looked at my mother in her eyes and yelled, "You killed him!"

It was then the doctor came in to talk to us. "She is right, you are a murdering piece of garbage. If I see you again it will be in Hell" I took off running home. My bag was already packed because I had a plan already. I had made arrangements to join the foreign legion.

My uncle Danny drove up alongside me as I ran down Mill Plain Bld. He wanted me to get in the car. I just kept running. "You knew it to be true. I read your conversation in the parking lot! No! We are done!"

I ran home and my uncle Danny kept driving and met me at the house. "What are you going to do, Tolie? Where are you going to go?"

"I am joining the FFL. There is nothing for me here. Why aren't they arresting her?"

Danny picks up my bag. "Is this all that you are bringing?"

"That is all I am allowed to bring. I passed or I am homeless. How is that for an act of faith?"

"At least let me drive you to the airport." Danny put my bag in his trunk. I smiled and nodded yes.

"I have to get back, my sister may have done this but Tammy is not ready to be on her own. I will tell the family that you are going to be alright, but that is all. God be with you." I shook Danny's hand and gave him a hug.

I was not happy that all the adults seemed to be supporting my mom. In fact Danny even told me that I needed to give my mom the money. While it is true that I was the sole bread winner, that was never my fault. She was the one that refused to work. She was the one that constantly told me the world doesn't need men, even after she stole everything in my wallet. That money is earmarked for Harvard Law.

After spending $4500.00 on a one way ticket to Paris France, I found the gate with, "Entrée" and knocked on a big steel door.

Amazingly enough I didn't seem to need to know French to get through the door. The French Army gave me an IQ test that was similar to the American ASFAB. I failed the ASFAB multiple times but this one I did quite well. My grades in school never reflected my inability to take tests, besides if I don't get in I am sleeping on a streets of Paris France with no money available to me and no knowledge of French. I was starting to question my ability to complete the selection process.

France pulls from colonies and former colonies of France, while SF groups from other countries only have the branch of the military they are a part of. So yes you bet the 15 year old me, who weighed at 160 lbs.was going up against full grown men who are mostly experienced soldiers. Yes I was a bit scared. After selection I realized the work was just beginning.