Implications

It was warm May morning as Alecs loyal dog and him began to rise. His dog "Charlie" hadn't been feeling the best after seeing the veterinarian. Charlie had developed a large tumor on the inside of his hind leg. On this particular day Charlie was about to develop the kind of pain that any friend dreads to see a loved one go through.

This was not gonna be a good day Alec thought to himself in silence as he wiped away a sole tear from his eye and reached for his phone. Staring at his phone for only a few seconds he heard another agonizing whimper come from Charlie as he tried to get comfortable on the cold garage floor where they spent their down time. With Charlie by his side Alec made the hard choice to call the vet.

Thankfully that day the vet was able to squeeze Charlie in for one last visit. Hey Charlie, Alec said holding back his trembling voice, wanna go for a ride buddy? Of course Charlie wanted to go for a ride. Even in his worsening condition Charlie never passed on a chance to hop in the truck to go for a spin. Usually down to the lake, or to walk a creek with Alec.

Something told Alec Charlie knew this was going to be a short day. He was still as excited as he could be to hang his head out the window. Charlie was even excited to hop out and pee at the vets office one last time. As they lay on the floor of the vets office Alec started to unravel knowing this would be the last time he got to spend a moment with his best friend. As the Doctor stepped in and administered the lethal dose for Charlie Alec kayed there and held his buddy until he could see his eyes gloss over. As the Doctor returned to check on Charlie he calmed told Alec "he's gone now".

Alec picked himself up off the floor much heavier than usual. Dried his eyes and proceeded to usher himself out of the office and clinic all together. He could only go back home and fight to get this off his mind. Mildly panicked he gathered some belongings and hastily made his way out the door and headed to the lake property in his old Chevy pickup. Not knowing that in just a cpl months his heart was going to take the worst blow ever.

Alec spent memorial day alone this year. Going for a walk alone and doing some mountain biking to keep his mind distracted.

Alecs lake property was located in a beautiful valley in the Ozark mountains. It is a poor area though sadly, a lot of the lake properties are run down so he also made sure to leave his lot cleaner than he found it when he headed back home. He wished it was a nicer lake he bought land at, but it's just good enough for him being a single man for the last 7-8 years. He didn't need much.

2 months had passed by and Alec was getting restless with paying bills and being so alone after all these years. His divorce had been almost 10 years ago and subsequent relationship had ended 7 years prior to Charlie's death. Alec, got Charlie at a time when his girlfriend was pregnant with a baby, unclear of if the baby was going to indeed be Alecs he waited out the process. The baby wasn't his in the end so Charlie and him moved on as best they could.

Alec stayed part of her life at the time and even raised the young boy until the lovers just couldn't do it anymore. There was too much distance between them. No one was inside Alecs mind and heart enough to know exactly how many pieces he broke into over that situation and his divorce, but Charlie; He seemed to get it. Never leaving Alecs side unless to escape for a quick run which he did almost up until the end.

See, Alecs girlfriend was a life long friend as well as a lover. Alec had to use all of his senses to figure out that she was unfaithful and actively searching for Alecs replacement even though they were still together. Slowly Alec built up the courage to end the relationship only to have her announce 2 weeks later that she found the love of her life. That was lights out for Alec. She's been married ever since.

As the years ticked away for Charlie and Alec, Alec quit dating. Quit trying. Quit living for that matter. He kept his focus on work and his peace of mind. Alec fell in love with a new hobby and that truly saved his heart in large part. For years he spent stomping around in creeks and river beds alone or with Charlie looking for shiny rocks and artifacts. It really gave him a sense of purpose to find those treasures and to learn the history behind them. It was something to do and get excited about. It did his old weary heart good

All the while, Alec kept anyone of a romantic interest at bay by not giving away his attention or not making eye contacts for too long of a time so not to give any potential girlfriends a doorway into his heart again. He had honestly lost all faith and even confidence in himself and trust in others. It was a cold world him and Charlie were in at that point.

Just a cpl years prior to Charlie's death Alec had worked at a restaurant where he met the most beautiful young lady with a set of eyes that could make a diamond jealous. She was always so excited to see him and talk to him. His growing excitement was beginning to crumble the shell he called home for all those years. Until one day he showed up to work with just enough courage to ask her out.

He was sure that the way she looked at him implied that she was crazy about him. He was quickly devastated as he turned to see her looking at a new coworker the same way. Crumbling down came all of his expectations. All of his confidence was gone. Surely he couldn't become any colder than he had been leading up to that day. She had given him the kind of hug at the Christmas party that made him want to be held again. He was certain she was the one.

Alec, begrudgingly left the job and packed up Charlie and left for another job all the way in Colorado. Unfortunately for Alec and Charlie his pain didn't just revolve around love lost, but also around his waining desire to even work in his chosen Field. All three of the heart breaks were from women he had met at work. Not a great recipe for a successful love life. Shortly after arriving in Colorado, the two of them had to move back home as Alecs patience for his beloved industry was coming to a momentary end and his willingness to leave a job had been growing and growing.

Alec and Charlie made the long drive to Missouri and camped out at that the lake for a month while Alec calmed his mind and planned his next move. Once the time came on memorial day weekend, ironically enough; Alec and Charlie moved back home to pursue a different career path. He Was getting out of the restaurants that had brought him such turmoil and despair. A knew experience was on the horizon. Alec spent the next year and half busting his chops for a company handling HVAC work along with plumbing.

At this point everything had settled back in pretty nicely for Alec and Charlie. Back to piece of mind instead of pieces of mind. As long as he avoided dating or even flirting at that point his heart was safe. So, back to being cold and distant it was. That is until the day Alec had to put Charlie down. He had a very hard time with this. That was his buddy for years and years. So, 2 months after Charlie has passed Alec made the decision to pack up his feelings, belongs and what was left of his pride and permanently move to the lake and start an off grid life for himself.

Slightly optimistic, and trying hard to recover what was left of himself Alec began the hard process of starting over alone. He worked swiftly on his project and over the next 6 weeks accomplished a lot and actually began to feel a true sense of self return. He was busy every day and this project or that project. He was loosing weight like never before. Dare I tell you that he was healing and that his self work was bearing fruit finally

One day, on his way to his first day at gas station job he picked up his truck up and died on him. Not knowing what to do he scrambled to fix his old Chevy named Cindy after his first day at work. Not giving much leeway to Alec, the job did not let Alec come back after the 3-4 days he spent working on his truck. He ultimately was unable to fix it at the time and had to spend his savings on a new to him car to get back and forth to work. Now, about out of money and options Alec had resort to the what he knew best; How to cook and manage restaurants. Although he was in no way shape or form trying to be anyone's boss at this time.

Effortlessly, he managed to land a good line cook job at a popular steak house. Also on the same day he received another call from a former job under new ownership that was in the same area. "Great!" He thought to himself "I have my bases covered".

Before he could start either job he had to make a trip back home to get his new car in good working order. Upon returning, he needed to stop at the store to pick up some new work shoes. Exiting his car, he couldn't help but notice a cute little blonde girl passing in front of him as she walked into the store alone. He politely followed behind her and quickly passed her by without a word once they entered the store. Thinking to himself the whole time to stear clear of that one. Being respectful of her and her age as she seemed to be younger. She was not just pretty though, she was quirky and captivating and of all things just a hair shorter than him which for him is hard to find. He shook off the goose bumps and continued his shoe shopping never to see her again; at least for the rest of the day.

Alec woke up early the next morning for his opening day of training. Everything was going pretty smoothly and he was getting along well with his new coworkers when he walked off the line to get a soda. He rounded the corner when a beautiful little thing came around the other corner and walked in for her shift right in front of him. His breath shoulders fell from the shelf he kept his emotions safely stored on in. To this day I dont know if she knows how abruptly she shook this old tired man.

Nothing came of it that day as if she hadn't seen him the day before. Thinking to himself "oh well". There was no formal introduction of the two and for the next month or so it was uneventful. Alec was being bombarded however by the other pretty girls and the few that looked at him a certain way. The kind of way that made him look down, or away from his temptation. Repeating to himself quietly that he didn't want to repeat the kind of eye contact that his love interest had taken away from him just a short couple years earlier.