I needed to move a sofa.
I mentioned this to an American. He said, "You know anybody with a truck?"
I did not know anybody with a truck.
He looked at me with real concern. Not pity. Concern. The way you look at a man who has told you he does not have a name.
"You gotta know somebody with a truck."
I asked how one acquires such a person.
He said, "You just do."
This is the third time I have received that answer in this country. It is the answer to everything here. You just do. There is no process. There is only the eventual fact of having.
He said, "Ask Kevin."
I do not know a Kevin. He said Kevin like I should. He said it the way you say a shared uncle.
I met Kevin four days later. Kevin owns a truck. Kevin does not own a truck for himself. Nobody owns a truck for themselves. Kevin owns a truck for a fifteen mile radius.
Inside I said: THIS MAN HAS TAKEN A VOW. HE DID NOT ANNOUNCE IT. HE SIMPLY PURCHASED A BED AND ACCEPTED THE CONSEQUENCES.
Kevin arrived on Saturday. He brought the truck. He also brought a second man.
I had not asked for a second man.
The second man's name is Tony. Tony came because Kevin came. Tony did not know me. Tony did not ask what we were moving. Tony brought gloves.
They moved the sofa in eleven minutes.
I offered them money. Both of them laughed at the same time, which felt rehearsed and was not.
I asked what I owed them.
Kevin said, "Buy the pizza."
That is the price. That is the entire economy. The truck costs one pizza and the pizza is not negotiable and the pizza is also not expensive and everyone knows what size.
Inside I said: THE FEE IS FIXED ACROSS THE ENTIRE NATION AND WAS SET BY NO ONE.
We ate on the floor because the sofa was against the wall and none of us wanted to be the first to sit on it.
Tony told me his daughter plays soccer. I asked if she is good. He said, "She's aggressive."
I still think about that.
Three weeks later, Kevin texted me.
"You free Sunday? Helping Tony move a fridge."
He did not ask if I wanted to. He informed me of a fridge.
Inside I said: I HAVE BEEN CALLED UP. I DID NOT ENLIST. THE PAPERS WERE FILED ON MY BEHALF.
I went. I moved the fridge. I have no truck. I contributed only arms.
Afterward, a man I had never met asked me if I knew anybody with a truck.
I said, "Yeah, I got a guy."
I have a guy.
I am somebody's guy now, too. Tony has told two people about me.
He describes me as "the guy who's strong for his size."
I have never been prouder of a sentence in my life.
The biggest lesson I've learned is that you either have to live with the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.
Don't live with the pain of regret..
Rank 1, 16 years old, all games on stream and going to school fulltime
Announcing… SWORN
🎮 1-4 co-op action roguelike
🤴 Overthrow a Corrupted Arthur
🪙 Reclaim a fallen Camelot
⚔️ Become formidable Knights
📈 Test thousands of unique builds
Join the Closed Playtest and play now!
Sign up: https://t.co/OFRBwx97Bw
❗ Camelot's gates are OPEN to everyone!
👉 Click: https://t.co/mj6U5wwVZb
⏬ Install the Open Playtest on Steam
✅ Play SWORN
You can play all week long — live until March 31st! Get #SwornIn
I don’t practice. I’ve never aimtrained, relied on practice tools, watched guides/tutorials, VOD reviewed myself, VOD reviewed pro players, or watched educational streamers to learn.
dont care aobut being rich and famous or having good social status or alot of girls just wanna do wats fun and makes me happy im glad i understood that so early in my life
In attempt to do my part in the fight against Asian hate crimes while still safely quarantining, I have designed some Melee apparel and all profits will be donated to the Asian Pacific COVID-19 Recovery Fund. Please consider retweeting/sharing to support!
https://t.co/OjFhjfkJoN