Some job changes, more moves, and our son is born

I went from the cook job at KCJ's to another cook job at Cattin's in Puyallup. That's what I think happened anyway.  There might have been another job in between.  My memory of the time period is a bit blotchy, but, here goes.

We had moved to a new apartment complex in Puyallup.  Right in the middle of the hill that goes from downtown to South Hill on Meridian. The name of the complex is alluding me right now, but, I remember they were pretty new, and nice.  My mom was working and living there cleaning and prepping apartments when tenants moved out. I JUST remembered....that is why we moved there in the first place.  I worked there as maintenance with her doing many of the same things. I have always had the memory of dumping the dumpsters that were placed around the complex by hooking them up like a train to the back of a pick up truck. They do this at CWU and it always reminds me of this. 

I am trying to remember who mom was with at the time....I am thinking it was with a guy named Bill. He wasn't a bad human, just a raging alcoholic.  He did work, but, he also drank, all the time.  I remember, well after we moved on from the apartment complex, my brother and I going and helping her pack up and leave him. As adults, we did this with mom a few times. 

So, Cyndi and I are together, keeping our marriage going the best we could, we had our dog IROC, and I was working at the apartment complex. It is also during this time I remember working as a cook at Cattin's Restaurant right by the Puyallup Fair.  Oh man, I just remembered this is also when Cyndi started working at a salon in Federal Way.  I remember because at first it was fun to visit her at her work, but it is also where I thought she was cheating on me and I was super jealous and super paranoid.  I know what your thinking.....didn't you cheat on her many times??  Yes, I did. She never did actually cheat on me as far as I know. It will come up later where she, rightly so, gave me back some pretty good karma.  But, that wasn't here. 

At the apt complex is when we starting breaking up and getting back together.  For a few months, she got her own apt at the complex, and it was the first time I was living alone since going in the military.  It sucked....I didn't know how to handle it. Drinking, smoking lots of pot, and working was how I coped for the most part. Cyndi and I decided to get back together and it was in Puyallup, where we had gotten back together and things were feeling ok in our world, that she became pregnant. I remember thinking, ok, this is awesome and will help our marriage. 

It is also the period of time where I finally landed a really good job. A job that I could make a real go of and turn into a career. Through a friend I got an interview at Loomis Armored.  This is toward the end of '89 and the prospect for a guy like me to get a good paying job with benefits, well, that was huge.  My soon to be boss, Dan Rushing, who took a vested interest in me, said the words I wanted to hear; you are hired.  That began a nearly three year job that I loved doing. It was hard work, took someone with excellent social skills, and, for me at the time, it felt like I finally found a really good job that could be long term. I was really good at this work. Quickly I was put on the hardest routes that required someone who could move fast, do good work, and keep customers happy.  I was that person and I thrived at Loomis.

With that job, we made another move. The Loomis shop was (and still is) right by Lincoln High School in Tacoma.  Thus, we moved into a little duplex that still sits right by the Tacoma Mall; 36 Nevada Street. That place is where our baby boy spent his first year alive. Tyler was born July 24, 1990.  I am pretty sure we were living at the place I am describing when he was born.  He was born at Good Sam in Puyallup, so I could be wrong....try not to judge me to much for not knowing exactly where we were living when he came into the world. But, I do remember well his first few months at the duplex on Nevada Street. 

I had just arrived at our first stop on my Tuesday route, route 14 in Belfair when the call came in over the radio.  Dan was calling to say he was heading out to relieve me, Cyndi was in labor and heading to the hospital. It was about 730-8a when the call came over the radio.  Dan came out, gave me his truck and I headed back.  I grabbed our vehicle at the shop and went to Good Sam.  Cyndi was in labor for nearly 12 hours. Me, being young and dumb, and we laugh about this now, came into her room at one point eating Frito Lay Chili Cheese chips and it about drove her over the edge. I also remember getting high that day. For me, cigarettes, pot, and alcohol were all part of my world and very normal.  Thus, me getting high on the day my son was born was pretty normal.  Tyler was born at 8 in the evening.  Cyndi will remember the exact time, I want to say it was 8:24pm.  I will never forget walking around the maternity ward with him for the first time. It is the first time I started humming in his ear.  I became a father. I vowed on that day to always be in my sons life. Having had the shit storm of a childhood I had myself I wasn't going to let my son be without his father no matter what.  Aside from my real dark period with Meth and about a six month period with very little contact I have held true that promise. So, we brought our baby boy home and started the life of being parents to a healthy baby boy. 

Loomis, while a really good job had an aspect of it that didn't go well for a guy who already liked to drink. A group of us, nearly everyday, right after our shift, would go to the 38th Street Bar directly after work. We would put down some beers and, we would than go home.  Now, that happened sometimes for me, and sometimes not.  Some days I might go home, already a little tossed.  Some days I would go home only to change out of my work clothes and I would head to the China Inn right by our place for the remainder of the day/night.  Some days I would go home and hope Cyndi wasn't there so I could easily slip in and out. 

To end this one a positive note our boy, Tyler, who is now 30, is a pretty good kid. We are both immensely proud of who he is as a person. He has a bit of both of us in him throughout.  He is one of the most caring people I know.  Much like his Grandpa Jones (Cyndi's dad Bob) he would give the shirt off his back to help someone.  Just like me, being a father is his most important role in life.  He has two beautiful boys who I am in awe of how good a dad he is to them.  He can cook like crazy, and, a lot of that comes from his mom.  My son is an amazing man and I am proud to be his dad.