You think you have it bad!

August 31, 1999

Hey all. I hope this letter finds all of you in good spirits and feeling your

very best.

I live in the middle of no-where Texas. 50 miles from anything. My car broke

down the other day. I was grumbling about it and the fact that I would not be

able to get anywhere for a while until I could get it fixed. With the rest if

my life going fairly well, I was really feeling sorry for myself. My brother

was the unlucky one to have to come and pick me up. On our way home, I ask

him to stop by a store for me to pick up a few things, since I couldn't do it

myself for a while. While in the store I noticed this young man, early 20's,

standing nearby. He had no arms. My brother caught sight of him a few seconds

later. As he looked and got closer my brother turned a pale, pale white. He

turned to me and said, " I know that boy. " And I said, " Who is he? " He said he

had taught him in school a few years back. That at that time he had arms. And

we both wondered what terrible tragedy could have befallen this young man to

render him armless. My brother and I both too scared to ask went on our way,

neither one of us talked. We were both pondering that young man's fate. Upon

returning to my little town, we stopped at the Post Office/Gossip Shop and I

ask the woman working there is she knew what had happened to that young man's

arms? She said shortly after highschool he and some friends were playing on

the railroad tracks and started to jump from open car to open car and he

slipped and fell between the cars. When the train ran over his first arm and

cut it off his reaction was to grab it with the other arm. When he did the

train cut the second arm off. Now this leaves me to ponder, I feel that the

young man is fortunate that the train only took his arms. But, such an

avoidable accident. Just when I was thinking about how " TERRIBLE " my life was

going cause my CAR broke down. I was brought this boy to make me realize that

my life is so good. So no matter what the day brings you, always know that

you don't have it that bad. Good day to all and thanks for letting me get

this off my chest. a

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