For some reason this morning I am thinking about Adam, Laura's nephew. Here is a photo I took at Adam's high school graduation in Chowchilla, California. He is with his mother, little sister Tawni Jo, and brother Dakota.The last I heard he had gone to live with his father, with whom he has a very rocky relationship, or maybe with his nutcase on-again off-again girlfriend Ashleigh.
Adam is intellligent, imaginative, athletic, and makes generally poor choices. You never quite know when he's lying or telling the truth. He lived with Laura and me in Oakland for several months during his last year of high school. I used to pick him up from the BART station after school, get him something to eat, talk to him about his life and mine. I sensed that he was a bit lost, trying to find some meaning or purpose to his life. He had just become a father at the age of 16, and it was a very confusing time for him. I hammered away at the importance of education, thinking in that self-delusional way that all parents do that I was making a difference.
After some time I was disappointed to realize that Adam was lying to me about many things. He was skipping classes and some days not going to school at all... oh, well. He is who he is. He's young, confused, and trying to figure things out. But he's a good hearted kid. He moved back with his mother and as I mentioned, he managed to finish high school. But after that he left his mother's house for parts unknown.
I will try getting his contact information and calling him.
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