The Privilege of Youth
Chapter One
A Good Man's
Departure
April 21, 1999, 2:35 a.m.-It's been a long four days. In the last ninety-six hours I've
crisscrossed the country, traveling to five states, and have only been able to steal seven
hours of sleep. I pride myself on a strong work ethic, but now my body is on the verge
of collapse. What began as a slight quiver last week has now become an uncontrollable
seizure of my right hand. I've been able to hide it in public by casually placing one hand
on top of the other or making a tight fist behind my back until the tremors pass. But now
in the nearly freezing weather of Northern Ohio, for the life of me I cannot steady my
hand so I can insert the stupid key into the doorknob of my motel room. After three
attempts my patience erodes to the point that I begin mumbling a string of off-color
language to the howling wind. Huffing, I slide off my computer case, which contains my
hefty laptop, and my worn overstuffed satchel from my left shoulder. Steadying myself,
my left hand gently clutches my right one just below the wrist and, after another few
stabs with the gold-colored key, I'm finally able to fling ... read full excerpt from: Privilege of Youth: A Teenager's Story of Longing for Acceptance and Friendship ebook
