Silent Partner

SILENT PARTNERS

By James Michael Fulgaro

In looking back, it will never cease to amaze me how we humans believe we are the creators of our own destinies. When it fact all we've created is the excuse that comfort's us when things don't turn out as we expect. The excuses that I refer are the labels we have made acceptable over the centuries, such as fate, destiny, or the cliché "it was meant to be" etc. Rather than admit that we are not in total control of our own direction, we pronounce that things just happen. To be fair, things really do just happen, except we define such far too loosely. That just translates to circumstance, situation, need, or the lack of it.

We are all guilty of being good old plain downright lazy on occasion, letting someone else direct our destiny because it was easier. On the other hand, we didn't have the guts to face it and fail, failing by and large is not a bad thing as long as you learn from the experience. With that said, that is the crux of my story, I was about to meet those life elements, want, need, circumstance, chance, and a hell of a lot more. Certainly, I didn't get it all right, but I was able to get where I wanted to be in spite of myself and maybe with a little help from those elements.

Growing up in a quiet village not so far away, I thought of my life, a life that was to mirror the life of the people around me. Well, you'll see that didn't happen because in my early youth, I hadn't met the elements I mentioned yet. When I reached my teens, I was to learn what I thought was to be my destiny, was not going to be my life. This country boy also learned that any mold could be shattered within a moment of one's own heartbeat. Being naïve was the natural by-product of living in Mayberry-ish USA. This was due to the lack of life experiences, which are sparse at best. We were raised in the old-fashioned style; not that I'm saying that's bad, but not necessarily the style for everyone. I also learned that destiny could be very devious and clever, and sometimes really downright mean and sneaky.

Destiny took advantage of my youth and inexperience, which I guess goes hand in hand, taking me totally off guard. My first experience was so subtle that I was unaware that anything had happened. When I did realize it, there was no going back, until I was beyond that point of no return. Let me clarify that I was in hook, line and sinker, there was no way in hell that I wanted to go back. Forgive me, I don't mean to sound melodramatic or mysterious, well maybe a little, let me explain. My story may not be a unique one, but it sure gave me a great ride and looking back, I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Here goes, as best as I can remember. First off, let me introduce myself, I'm Jake, Jake Roisenier. That place I refer, as not so far away is Pallsmere Vermont. I was born and raised in that sleepy rural aka backward community. As is the rule in every household, the Pallsmere children were raised without elaborate needs and expectations. Trust me, this was a good thing solely because not anything beyond simple was going to happen. Pallsmere's only claim to fame was that it had become the pit stop for the city folk as we called them. We townspeople considered ourselves blessed for being the perfect distance between several surrounding major affluent cities with people who were accustomed to having everything readily available to them. They, unlike us hicks had to stop for their cocoa and biscotti break and other acquired indulges they couldn't live without. They always remarked how wonderful it must be to enjoy the simple life. They were right about simple, I didn't know what a biscotti was until I was thirteen, and it was always a long cookie to me.

I was never able to figure out if they were being complimentary or condescending. As I usually do, I made up the excuse they didn't know what else to say to hicks. It was kinder to believe it was the grass is greener everywhere else thing. Either way they visited our perfectly quaint picture postcard countrified hamlet before moving on to our nearby popular ski resorts. Having the only general store that was well stocked with stuff that city folk can't live without, was genius. Also being within easy reach of every chalet, house or villa rental certainly didn't hurt. Not only did it bring life to Pallsmere, the locals enjoyed a very small sense of being alive and were able to see the outside world through our momentary guests. When spring arrived all city things stopped, we would slipped back into our meager yet serene existence.