You Found Me by Joel Cobbs Page B

r e th an I w a n t e d to . I did n 't w a n t t o hu r t , bu t I w a nte d t o at th e s ame t im e . I pu t my p a nt s o n a n d w a l ke d t o th e d o o r , ho l d i n g my s h i r t i n my h a n d.
    I ca ugh t a g l im p se o f m y s e lf in th e m i r r o r. F r o m th e ne ck d o wn I w as r e d, a l m o st c r ims on . I c ou ld s e e w h e r e my s k in h ad s t a r t e d bu r n i ng . I d on 't kno w ho w ho t th e w a te r w a s, bu t it w a s ho t eno u g h t o do s o me da m a g e . I q u i c k ly pu t th e s h irt o n a n d w en t i nt o my r o o m.
    M y s k in w a s h u r t i n g e ve n m o re no w. I t w a s th is w e i r d bu r n i n g sen sa t i o n t h a t , d e s p i t e th e i m m en se p a i n , f e lt g o o d. M y he a r t w a sn 't hu r t i n g a n d my h e ad w as ok a y .
    I s t a r t e d putt i n g my s u it o n a s sl o wly as pos si b l e . I t h u r t so m u c h . I t w a s so w on d e r f u l. I w a s in p a i n . I t did n 't f e e l go o d, bu t a t th e s a me t i me i t did. I t w a s l i k e m e di c i ne ; i t t a s t e d n as t y a n d m a ke s yo u g ag but , at th e s ame t im e , y o u c an f ee l i t t a k i n g e ff e ct a n d m a k i n g y o u f ee l bet t e r. I t w as ex ac t ly l i k e t h a t , on ly p ain be i n g th e m e d i ca t i o n . P a i n . S o m eth i n g I w as al r e a d y c o n s u m e d w i t h w as p r o v i n g t o b e th e b alm w i th in i t s e lf.
    I w a l k e d d o w n s t ai r s. Du r i n g t h e th i r t y s o me o dd m i nute s it to o k t o g e t my s u it on , D ad h ad f i n is he d s ho w e r i n g , g r i pe d a bo u t t h e ho t w a te r be i n g go n e , b r u s he d h is t e eth , go t te n d r e ss e d, f i x e d s o me c o ff e e a n d s at d o wn a t th e t a b le d eb a t i n g a bou t b r e a k f a s t . I m o v e d s l o w l y , t r y i n g t o kee p th i ng s fr o m hu r t i n g w o r se th an ne e d e d.
    I s too d the re f o r a m o m ent , g i v i n g h i m an aw k wa r d s m i l e . “ Mo r n i ng. ”
    “ He y , D ad . ”
    “L o o k, ” h e s a i d, “ I ' m so r r y a bou t l ast n i ght . Th is w h o le th i n g i s so h a r d. I did n 't m e an to . .. ” I w a ve d it o ff.
    “ F o r g e t a bou t i t. ” I w a nte d t o r e t u r n th e f a v o r . O h , I so w a nte d t o . H e r e a c he d a n d g a v e me a h u g . I a l m o st s c r e am e d. I n f ac t , i t to o k e v e r yth i n g i n side o f me no t to . M y s k in w a s s t ill ten d e r f r o m j u st a f e w s e c on ds a g o a n d he r e h e w as m a k i n g i t hu r t . I t w a sn 't th e k i n d o f p ain I nee d e d. I t w a s to o m u c h . I w a nt e d h im t o s top , so I q u ic k ly h u gge d h im b ack a n d l e t g o . I w a s c r y i n g no w, a n d so w as he . B ot h o f u s, g r o wn m en , c r y i n g o ve r t wo d iff e r en t th i ng s. H i m, f o r Mo m. Me , f o r m e .
    “Y o u hun g r y ?” h e a s ke d th r o ug h th e te a r s. I s ho o k my he ad. “ M e e i the r . ” A noth e r m o m en t . “ L et 's g o a he ad a n d he ad th at wa y . ” I no dd e d a n d w a l ke d w i t h h im t o th e c a r . T h e v an w a s n 't the r e . We w e r en 't s u r e w h at we w e re go i n g t o do wi t h i t , bu t at th e m o m e n t it w a s n 't g o i n g a ny w h e r e . I t w a s s i tt i n g at a m e c h a n ic s ho p i n R o s ett a F a l ls, w a i t i n g t o b e fi xe d. I th i n k in p a ssi n g c onv e r s a t i o n we d e cid e d t o g e t r id o f i t , bu t noth i n g w a s r e a l ly d e cid e d on .
    We bot h go t in th e c a r . I 'd w a nte d t o d r i v e th e t r u c k . I w a nte d t o b e a b le t o l e a v e if I s u dd en ly f e lt li k e it w a s ne c e s s a r y . I m ai n ly wa nte d an ex c u se t o l e a v e ; the n I w ou ld n 't h a v e t o b e th e r e d u r i n g a ll th e sa pp y te a r s a t th e en d o r t o f ee l a n y th i n g I did n 't w a nn a f ee l.
    We pu l l e d o u t o f th e d r i ve way a