Part I: It's Hard to Say Goodbye
Shortly after our first world tour, my mom became very ill. She contracted pancreatic cancer, and sa pamamagitan ng the time she was diagnosed, it was too late. Her last araw of life, I had a talk with her. I said, "I don't understand why you have to go." She said, "I'm done raising all my babies. You'll be okay." I said, "No, I won't." My voice was cracking. "I still need you, and you won't be with me." She said, "Anthony, I'll always be with you, in your heart." I cried and hugged her for the last time. I said, "Wait for me up there." She said, "I will." At her funeral, my bandmates provided comfort. I was quite upset. I was so upset that I decided to take up drinking. Unfortunately, this made things worse. I slipped into depression, which resulted in darker song lyrics. The drinking also resulted in terrible hangovers. Sometimes it lead to fights with Simon over songs, stupid things like songs. I had no idea that this would be the last time I would speak to him.
Part II: Scared Straight
That night, I sat in my room, thinking of a way to apologize to my best friend. I called his tahanan phone, but his parents sinabi that he went out. I came out of my bedroom, and the doorbell rang. I said, "I'll get it." I answered the door. It was Charles. I asked, "What's up, Charles?" He said, "Anthony, I hate to tell you this, but Simon was killed in a car crash." I said, "NO! That can't be!" Charles said, "I'm sorry, but it's so. He was killed sa pamamagitan ng a drunk driver." I was shocked, and it gave me an idea. I said, "Charles, I want to quit drinking. I don't want to hurt others the way that idiot hurt my best friend." He said, "I'll support you all the way, brother." I told my dad that I planned to stop drinking. I found a support group, and I was ready to take the step to overcome this addiction.
Part III: A New Bassist
I had been sober for a year. Because my dad didn't like the fact that I sought behavioral therapy, he kicked me out of the house, and I was forced to live in an apartment, with a cheap rent. It was ugly and rat-infested, but it wasn't the worst thing in the world. In a local café, I saw John Burns. He was in the support group, and we had bonded after the meetings, (even though we weren't supposed to). He had been addicted to any drug that can be named. He relapsed five times, overdosed twice, and attempted suicide thrice. He introduced me to his parents. After I left the café, they saw me walking to my apartment. John knew that it was rat-infested. He asked his parents to stop, and he rolled down the window and shouted, "Anthony! Do you have anywhere else to stay?" I replied, "No." Mrs. Burns said, "Come stay with us." I said, "I wouldn't want to impose." She said, "You won't be imposing. Come on!" I stayed with them until I could afford a tahanan of my own. I later learned that John could play bass. I asked him, "How would you like to be in our band?" He said, "I would like that." Ian and Charles warmed up quickly to John. John became one of the best mga kaibigan I ever had. He was instrumental in helping me write songs for our album, Scars.
Shortly after our first world tour, my mom became very ill. She contracted pancreatic cancer, and sa pamamagitan ng the time she was diagnosed, it was too late. Her last araw of life, I had a talk with her. I said, "I don't understand why you have to go." She said, "I'm done raising all my babies. You'll be okay." I said, "No, I won't." My voice was cracking. "I still need you, and you won't be with me." She said, "Anthony, I'll always be with you, in your heart." I cried and hugged her for the last time. I said, "Wait for me up there." She said, "I will." At her funeral, my bandmates provided comfort. I was quite upset. I was so upset that I decided to take up drinking. Unfortunately, this made things worse. I slipped into depression, which resulted in darker song lyrics. The drinking also resulted in terrible hangovers. Sometimes it lead to fights with Simon over songs, stupid things like songs. I had no idea that this would be the last time I would speak to him.
Part II: Scared Straight
That night, I sat in my room, thinking of a way to apologize to my best friend. I called his tahanan phone, but his parents sinabi that he went out. I came out of my bedroom, and the doorbell rang. I said, "I'll get it." I answered the door. It was Charles. I asked, "What's up, Charles?" He said, "Anthony, I hate to tell you this, but Simon was killed in a car crash." I said, "NO! That can't be!" Charles said, "I'm sorry, but it's so. He was killed sa pamamagitan ng a drunk driver." I was shocked, and it gave me an idea. I said, "Charles, I want to quit drinking. I don't want to hurt others the way that idiot hurt my best friend." He said, "I'll support you all the way, brother." I told my dad that I planned to stop drinking. I found a support group, and I was ready to take the step to overcome this addiction.
Part III: A New Bassist
I had been sober for a year. Because my dad didn't like the fact that I sought behavioral therapy, he kicked me out of the house, and I was forced to live in an apartment, with a cheap rent. It was ugly and rat-infested, but it wasn't the worst thing in the world. In a local café, I saw John Burns. He was in the support group, and we had bonded after the meetings, (even though we weren't supposed to). He had been addicted to any drug that can be named. He relapsed five times, overdosed twice, and attempted suicide thrice. He introduced me to his parents. After I left the café, they saw me walking to my apartment. John knew that it was rat-infested. He asked his parents to stop, and he rolled down the window and shouted, "Anthony! Do you have anywhere else to stay?" I replied, "No." Mrs. Burns said, "Come stay with us." I said, "I wouldn't want to impose." She said, "You won't be imposing. Come on!" I stayed with them until I could afford a tahanan of my own. I later learned that John could play bass. I asked him, "How would you like to be in our band?" He said, "I would like that." Ian and Charles warmed up quickly to John. John became one of the best mga kaibigan I ever had. He was instrumental in helping me write songs for our album, Scars.
Halloween is over, and Veteran's araw has come and gone. The susunod holiday, of course, is Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving isn't exactly my paborito holiday, mostly because of family issues. However, this holiday does get me thinking. It gets me thinking about being thankful. We should be thankful for what we have. I am thankful for my family. How we feel about our family is complicated. They can be aggravating. Some members can cause drama. Others are just downright mean. Deep down, I'll always pag-ibig them. I'm also thankful for mani Butter, my pet dog. He's been a great companion for the past eleven years, and I think he'll be around for a few more. I'm thankful for my friends. They're great people, and I wouldn't trade them for anything in the world. I'm also thankful for music. It's great therapy and quite soothing. What are you thankful for? I will leave you with this thought. "You should be thankful if you Nawawala your hat instead of your head."-African Proverb