Alright. I'm going to be blunt. And this story isn't suppose to make you feel bad for me and anyway, shape, or form. I’ve made a decision. For the good and for the bad. In the end it was a decision I would probably regret for the rest of my life.

On a Sunday afternoon I was sitting at my kitchen table eating a notorious lunch I made for myself. Consisted of the usual 2 Sandwiches, 2 handfuls of doritos, and a can of Mountain Dew, when my phone rang. I answered it and it was my Dad “ hey bub how are you?” I respond “Good. Working all these hours at both my jobs are putting a beating on me but, I'll get through it like always.” I had to work a double at Taco Bell that night and dreading the hot line and flipping tortillas on the grill for 8 hours straight. He asks if I sent my car insurance money to him. Me being the smartass I’am I decided to tell him “You’re paying it and I’m  just driving the car.”
We talked for a little longer on how things have been going in Mansfield and how the local subway got robbed, which wasn't a big shocker to me because the store was robbed the last time we talked over the phone. We said our goodbyes and I told him I would call him soon to catch up more because I had to get ready for work
It gets to be about 3 in the afternoon. I get dressed in the uniform I wear for work. I put on the shirt with the yellow stained spots from the nacho cheese pump. I pull the pants from my dresser that have the white streaks of sour scream that didn't come out in the washer. I grab my hat, keys, and my wallet and head to work.
When I get there I'm confronted by the manager, Chris, telling me she wants me to do cash and restock the lid and straw vender. I had no problem with that. Let me tell you; the hotline is probably one of the most messiest, hottest, and smelliest places you can be in that kitchen. You have all the steam and smells hitting your nose at once making it seem like you're in a locker room with the varsity football players. So the night progresses, we get  busy here and there, then slow down then speed back up. I'm taking orders, wiping trays, sweeping floors, wiping tables when all of a sudden I notice that I haven't looked at the clock for a couple hours but, to think I only had 20 mins left on my shift. It was unbelievable. Twenty minutes go by and I'm telling everyone have a good night as I'm smiling walking out the door thinking to myself “Yeah, have a terrible night.” I get in my car, start it, and head home.

So it's Friday, the first day of basketball tryouts are on me and I'm a little nervous. The good part about it though is I went on a field trip for marine biology so that kinda took my mind off the whole thing. We get back from the trip and its 2:40. Time for tryouts. As coach yells at us to go sideline to slide line, back and forth down the court, I look at the clock on the top left corner of the gym and it's almost time to head to work. Okay, one thing I've noticed about this year in basketball as I sat down in the the locker room on the green benches and thought to myself “how am I going to be able to keep up with my payments on my car and phone bill with  little hours?” I realized from this point on that I Am going to be be making the decision I would regret for the rest of my life.

I'm up all night thinking to myself over and over again, the words haunt my head “Can I do this?” and  “Can I make this work?” I go through every way possible of trying to think of ways to make this work and I'm not coming to a bright end of the tunnel. I knew my mom couldn't help because she's barely making ends meet now, my dad said he couldn't because he hasn't been making enough with all the rain days he's had off. I hate asking for money because I know I can do it myself. I have 2 jobs I can do it. Unfortunately, I added all the numbers and it's impossible for me to do both. I had a choice.  I made that choice and I knew what I had to do.

The next day at school was rough because I had to talk to my coaches about why I wasn't at practice. Mr. Hawn comes up to me second period, knowing what he was going to ask, I told him I made a decision, knowing there really wasn't no way out, I tell him I can't play basketball because I can't financially be stable and pay for the stuff I need to pay for and play basketball. To end my 6 year streak with a team that I absolutely would do anything for. To be able to be with them on the court for one last game. To possibly end a college career out of something I could've made a living out of. I walked away from something that I knew would be the turning point of a mid life crisis rather than a substantial amount of deep hearted feelings. This was the decision I would regret for the rest of my life.

I want you to appreciate the things that you have and the parents you have that are financially stable to support what you want to do because having 2 jobs at the age of 16 paying your own car insurance, phone bill, and gas is really hard when you have a passion for something you truly wanna do. Like I said. I made a decision. A decision I would regret for the rest of my life.