Carpe Diem

Riley hadn’t had it easy in life. He’d gone against the grain regardless. He lived his life as happily as he could. Despite losing so many people in his life. His mother included. He was a teen when she died of a Brain Aneurysm. Despite one thing after another happening that left him in a spiraling Depression. People had attempted helping him. People who walked away one by one after a while. He didn’t seem to want the help. Happiness and good things never stayed in his life for long. It left him feeling more like a burden. The toxic living environment didn’t help. Neither did living in a highly religious and bigoted area. His mundane life as a Dishwasher was just that. A mundane life with no hope of being able to better his life. 

Drapetomania and Wanderlust seeped into his dreams. He wanted nothing more than to move to Miami Beach. He wanted nothing more than to leave the area that never once loved him. He’d found solace during those trips. He loved the laid back atmosphere. The acceptance of being who he is. He’d no longer felt the need to tell anyone anything. Their actions were speaking for them. Actions that had spoken far louder than anything they’d ever say. He’d distanced himself from nearly everyone. The few people he kept in touch with were leary of helping him. Trips to Miami Beach helped him in ways people didn’t know about. He’d stopped talking over time. He knew people wouldn’t understand. Or help him. He’d observed everything long enough to know Mental Health wasn’t something people really understood. It wasn’t often talked about. There was stigma around it that left those dealing with Mental Health Issues not wanting to reach out as a result. He wanted to speak out about it. His experiences kept him from doing so. 

The confrontational argument he had with Jackson left him homeless. An argument Riley had seen coming. Comments Jackson made that Riley didn’t agree with. Comments he called Jackson out on. He left his job at the Restaurant to leave for Miami Beach. There wasn’t anything tying him down. He packed the few things he had and left two days later. He’d led a simplistic life. He didn’t have much to pack. It meant it wasn’t going to take him much time to pack. He left a few thing behind he knew he couldn’t take with him. For the time being anyway. Everyone was left stunned after Riley began talking about what happened. They saw Jackson differently. Jacksons own actions and other things he said left people wondering about his mental state. It was Jackson’s health that worried others. They’d seen a decline in his health. He’d downplayed all of it. It was becoming more apparent to others he wasn’t taking care of himself the way he needed to. Riley had taken a step back. He’d stopped talking about Jackson not listening to him or Doctors. For good reason. Jackson wouldn’t listen to him. Or anyone else. He’d given up on him. 

The one week since he left everyone seeing far more issues Jackson was having than ever before. They’d realized Riley had been a buffer of sorts. Their own ignorance hadn’t helped. They’d seen what Riley had been talking about. A heart to heart to Jackson from his Doctor changed everything. A comprehensive assessment had been done that determined Jackson had Dementia. Something Riley had already known about. Something others had already suspected. He was placed into an Assisted Living Facility after that. Riley had come back only to deal with the aftermath. To take the few things he’d left behind. He had a job as a Marketer. He had a studio apartment close to the beach. He was far happier than he’d ever been before. Everyone noticed while he was in town. Two friends brought him and the few things back to Miami Beach two days later. 

He reflected on the last week en route down. How it hadn’t taken him long to get rid of everything he knew he wasn’t taking aside from everything Jackson wanted. He’d seen how fraile Jackson had become. A shell of his former self. He hadn’t even stayed long. It was long enough to shame him a little more. That he was now laying in the bed he’d made. Five hours and a long conversation with Charlie and Reagan left both of them understanding Riley’s perspective far more. They’d let Riley talk most of the way. Their responses left Riley understanding their perspectives. His studio apartment left them in awe. They left all three boxes by the couch before roaming around for a while. He showed them why he loved Miami Beach so much. He showed them why he was looking ahead in life and leaving his past in the past.