Dale Nelson:  

Wow, my story is really not a very good one. I chose the wrong path in life & regret every minute of it. In my Freshman year of High School my mom & dad got divorced & my life went on a downward spiral. I had plans of going to college & becoming an architectural draftsman. Once dad was gone that dream quickly faded away & I felt pretty hopeless. Unfortunately, I had an uncle just a couple years older than me who was into drugs. He got me started on that crap & it ruined my life for the next 30 years. I was vulnerable at the time. For years I couldn't keep a job due to a drug habit. I ended up in prison 3 different times for a total of 10.5 years. Stupid stuff really, like breaking into soda machines & selling cars that were stolen to a chop shop. I've never stole a car myself. I was the middle man with the connections. I faced a 45 year sentence on the chop shop stuff. I got lucky when one car owner died & another said he wouldn't press charges because he couldn't take off work for court. I ended up getting 6 years for that in the end. Damned sure was not worth it ! Anyway, after I got out of prison for the last time in Nov. 99 I decided NO MORE DRUGS ! Haven't drank or touched hard drugs ever since. I do still smoke & grow weed. It actually seems to keep me out of trouble as I stay home & away from the bad influences. I'd rather play my guitars as it's much more enjoyable then searching for my next fix. What a life. How could I be so stupid ? I've done much better over the past 23 years. I own my place, although it's only a double wide mobile home. I'll be selling it soon, as my dad is 84 now & needs my help. He's left his house on a 1/4 acre to me along with his life insurance policy so I'll still have my own place when I retire. I work for a union print shop. I hate to have to give up my job as it's the best company I ever worked for. Good pay & really great benefits. They pay for everything (Health insurance, Union Dues, quarterly bonuses, 50% 401K match, etc.) Hard to leave a job like that. I sure hope I'm doing the right thing, as I'm really worried about it. I was married for a little over 20 years. My wife passed away Dec. 13th, 2022 from a multitude of things. She had a double lung transplant 6 years ago. All the meds she had to take caused cirrhosis of the liver. That led to stomach cancer & then to lymphoma. I remember the docs saying there was nothing more they could do for her & asked if she wanted to die in the hospital or at home. Sorry, but this is making me cry...Expand for more