Chris Clark:
CLASS OF 1986
West Aurora High SchoolClass of 1986
Aurora, IL
Brighton High SchoolClass of 1986
Brighton, MI
Chris's Story
I lived in Howell, Michigan when I was in 8th grade, after the school year I moved to Brighton.
I started out high school in Brighton Michigan. I attended 1983 and 1984.
I hung out with Laura Hinds, and Jessie Biggs, and met Laura's friend Lisa Hardin and dated her while I was there. First time in my young life I could say...I was happy.
My dad was a salesman, in the multi-level marketing wave of the mid 80's, and he was successful. Very successful.
He was so successful, I received a call 3 days after school was out after sophomore year from my dad, and I was told to get my butt to the airport, there was a ticket for me waiting to go to Chicago. He was moving up!
I was to pack anything and everything I wanted because I would not be coming back. Tell that to a 15 year old, you are bound to have problems later, however I was good kid who KNEW right from wrong, and I feared doing wrong.
The news I was moving, hurt me very much because I cared for my friends and I resented my dad very much because he had said we would be in Michigan for my full 4 years of high school. So I let myself be happy, and make friends.
I resented him (my father) for 20 long years, and pretty much blamed him for my unhappiness of my life. Never mind getting some VERY bad advise from him as I got older.
But in Brighton unlike other times I actually made friends. I did not make friends too much before because we moved around A LOT. The 2 years in Brighton was the longest I ever stayed anywhere growing up.
When I got the call from my father to get to the airport, I did not have the heart to call Laura, and Jessie, to tell them I was leaving. I did not even contact Lisa until 2 weeks after being in Ill, because I was so crushed. Because even at a young age I knew it was over, but we did give it the ole' high school try. No blame to anyone, just the way it was.
I went to West Aurora High School, and graduated in 86. I hung around Leroy McGloghlin, Dwight Posey, and Mary Travis. I married Mary Travis July 12, 1986. I was married until 1993 after 7 years and a half years of marriage, I was divorced...My dumb ass. Should have never got married in the first place...oh but just try to tell that to a 19 year old who thought he knew it all.
We moved to Arizona in late 1986. It was then I had it in my mind I would stay in Arizona for at least 10 years and NOT move around. I wanted to know how REAL people lived. Because all this moving around as kid took it's toll on me growing up, and I was going to make changes. As much as I could without my dad's influence on me. As Wayne, in Wayne's World said...SHHEA RIGHT! Arizona was the BAD advise from my father.
I wanted to go back to Michigan. I could have gotten back with my friends, from what I know now. However, the advise I got was I was a different person then and I would not have the same friends as I did. Well at 19 I did not have the brain I did now, and I even as a 19 year old, my father's influence on me was still in tac...Expand for more
t. I should have went back to Michigan.
This the only time in life I ever wondered "How my life would have been different if I did not get married, and I went back to Michigan."
I then married a second time to a psycho hose beast. I take full an all responsibility for my 1st divorce, my second divorce, all her fault. Literally she went crazy. Did I drive her to that? NO! LOL! She was messed up before that. She had some issues she FAILED to tell me about or I would have made different relationship arrangements such as never getting involved in the first place.
I am happy to say am now married for the 3rd and final time in my life. My saying is "My wife is my life...And I love my wife! And I do. I actually found happiness in life. 1st time after 24 years, and I deserve it! I now say, I have been happy 2 times in my life...now and in Michigan.
I have 2 wonderful step-kids, and I try everyday to be a good father to them. It is hard sometimes. I see my wife with them, and I know they will be good kids, with the RIGHT influence in their lives. And I wonder sometimes if I am capable to be a good father figure after my father's horrible influence on me. I try as hard as I can to be different them him.
I have held many jobs over the years to Perry Drugs, to J.C Penny, to Alaska Airlines, to Ford Motor Credit, to now owning a thriving home based business I love that actually I built from the ground up, and have made it our homes' primary income. I always knew I had it in me.
I have had a bout with Skin Cancer, however I am in full remission, and not have had any flair ups in 6 years. One of the reasons why my size has gotten bigger. But healthy!
I lost my mother on June 30, 2008. It was the first person I knew besides my Grand Father dying sense in 1972. She was locked in with a 2 year battle of illnesses. Took me 6 months to accept that she is gone. She suffered for six months before her passing, and after that something lifted from her to where she could enjoy the last 2 days of her life before her passing at home. I miss her everyday!
I lived in Arizona from 1986 until 2006, and now reside in Texas. Talk about a culture SHOCK! LOL! My new wife and I were looking for a change for both of us. She had lived in Arizona for 22 years, and I 20 years. It was time to move away from Arizona, an start a new life. A new life that includes listening to our kids wants, and understanding the meaning of stability in their young lives.
I would not change my life for anything now! My wife loves me unconditionally, and she is my rock. I am eternally grateful for her love she gives me on a daily basis. I am a lucky man, but REAL happiness has finally found me in my adult age starting at the age of 38. I am a new man now at 42. Maybe the man I would have been if I had gone to Michigan. I like to hope so anyway. Well at least different. My new wife and I do not always see eye to eye, but we do know what life is like being unhappy, and it is time for us to be happy.
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