Wheel of Fortune

Wheel of Fortune

I turned on the TV the other day and there it was, Wheel of Fortune. The program that so captured my attention those many years ago in that little Kansas Jail. There was Pat and Vanna doing their thing, a little bit older now. It is amazing how Television seems to keep them so young looking. They were much younger when they made such an impression on me. I guess I was younger too. I was looking for myself, full of spice and vinegar, I thought I had it all figured out. 

My son was living with his mother in Washington. The state of Utah had declared that I was supposed to pay child support, That is where this story all began. I had decided that it was an unfair judgement, but what could I do? They were the government and I was only an unhappy father. 

I met a man, there in Kansas, who was part of the Patriot Movement and another man who had gotten out of the system. They told me how I could do the same. I didn’t feel to do what they had done, but I decided to take control of my life and assert myself. 

When the letters started to arrive from the state of Utah, I ignored them. They were persistent and threatening so I decided I would let them know how I felt. I called up the office and told them who I was and told them they didn’t have any jurisdiction over me because I now lived in Kansas. The letters stopped. I told them!  Several weeks passed, one day when I got the mail, there was a letter from the state of Kansas. It was an invitation to a party. Actually, it was a summons to appear before a local judge. I decided to ignore it. After all I had planned a trip to Utah and it would be inconvenient, I would be gone on that date, what could they do to me? I was out of town, I would just claim that I hadn’t received their letter.

I took that trip, had a wonderful time. I had only been home a couple of days when he arrived. The Sheriff from Donovan County. Not the Andy Griffith I had watched on TV, He meant business and asked me to come with him. He told me to get a toothbrush and some personal items as I would be spending some time away from home.

That was how I was introduced to Pat and Vanna. Each day around dinner time the little Black and White TV was turned on. There it was, Wheel of Fortune. I had to look through the bars of my cell to watch. This is inconvenient, I thought to my self. Why can’t I have my own TV? 

The Sheriff told me I wouldn’t be able to see the judge until Monday. It was only Thursday, and They wanted me to be sure to attend this party, I was the guest of honor. I learned about TV dinners in that little jail, and TV breakfasts and TV lunches. The smoke was so strong I asked to be placed in another cell. They only had two cells. There were 3 other men here, they didn’t seem so bad, but the smoke was strong. I got my wish, I was placed in solitary, alone. I had a steel toilet, steel sink and steel cot with a blanket, oh yeah and my toothbrush. There I sat, wasn’t much else to do. Couldn’t see the TV, but I could hear it.

When I told the jailer I was fasting, he wasn’t happy. They like to have their guests happy and fed each day. I explained, I was looking for answers to my life and that this would help me. Each morning, noon, and evening, the TV dinners would be placed on the shelf, and the sheriff would check on me to see if I had eaten anything. He was concerned, I reassured him I was still alive and healthy. I lost a few pounds, during my long weekend getaway. 

That little Kansas jail gave me a chance to find out some things about myself. What did I want out of life? How would I choose to interact with others? What is it that will bring happiness? I found myself in that jail, and along with Pat and Vanna, I entered life again. A new man with a new perspective on life and the rules that we live by. It had only been a few weeks earlier that I had stood out in that field and shouted at God. I had demanded answers. Well, I got my answers, along with the lessons of life that helped to bring me to where I am now. I am able to see the richness of life around me and appreciate the differences that we all have. I can look at a sunrise and only imagine all the wonderful things that life has to offer me. Life has been a wonderful teacher to me. I try to see the bigger picture now when new lessons come up before me. I want to be a good student because some of these lessons are hard and If I fail, they will keep coming back until I get it right.  Blessings and Love to all as your “wheels of fortune” ....  Bring you closer towards your sunsets.