A Bridge Over Troubled Waters

And Now the Fine Print

A warning: Many political contests involve muckraking on an epic scale.

*  So, here's the deal:

In the past, I've done some BAD things: as in illegal, immoral, weird — or just plain disgusting.

There are few things that any political opponent could smear me with that are worse than what I'm willing to tell you openly.

I'm no paragon of righteousness.

I'm neither a great man nor a great person.  I'm human.  I make mistakes.  I'm imperfect.  I don't have all of the answers because I don't know all of the questions.

Additionally, many questions are themselves in flux, constant or otherwise.

Since more is unknown than any mortal mind can ever know, I'm profoundly ignorant.

I'm no hero or candidate for sainthood.  I've feet of clay.  My castle is built "firmly" on a foundation of quicksand.  In the US Navy, I was a grunt and a sad sack.

Worse, I was an unworthy "pushbutton crow."

(Translation: I became a noncommissioned office by contract rather than by advancing through all of the lower ranks.  To some people, this is contemptable.  Being unworthy of such a privilege is perhaps nigh unforgiveable.  After all, even Marines in boot camp are "maggots."  To be lower on the military hierarchy than that makes one a "bug.")

Even worse, I was better at fantasy role playing games than I ever was as at being a sailor.

And my roleplaying skill was frequently questionable, in my opinion.

I was a bug.  With undiagnosed autism.  Even so, I got an honorable discharge.  Moreover, I did learn a few things.

DELETE

Then I might be correct.  Or I might be wrong.  Just saying. 😐

["Correct about what?!  We don't know because...  You just deleted it!!"  Yup.  Not sorry.]

As for the "illegal" part, I'm thinking that it is time that I deal with a few, annoying loose ends.  Even after 30+ years, a skeleton in one's closet makes for a really creepy hat rack!

*

Another legal snafu:

According to my military debriefing, if I ever mention "in a business deal" that I ever was in the US Navy's nuclear power program [albeit briefly], then the penalty is as follows:

#1: Ten (10) years in prison.

Plus:

#2: A fine of ten-thousand dollars ($10,000.00 US).

However, comma, this fact is blatantly clear on my DD-214!  My official military discharge papers!

So...

If I ever wanted a part-time job scrubbing toilets for minimum wage...

Then I might have to show my job interviewer my DD-214!

And, hence, reveal the taboo fact in a type of business transaction!

Which I certainly hope is legal.  (Not that scrubbing toilets is my dream profession.  I'm crazy, not insane.  Hopefully.  But I've been wrong before.)

Here's the twist — the turn of the screw — that you-all probably saw approaching:

Nobody, but nobody, mentioned charity deals or political deals.  More to the point...

Nobody ever said that I can't make business deals with people who have prior knowledge of the fact that I was ever in the US Navy's nuclear power program.

Besides — Who?  Cares?

Word.

Spoken like a true politician, eh?

Double word.

*

P.S.  Have I ever promised the following:

That I'd make you hating me — any easier than me loving you?

Besides, since open rebukes eclipse secret admiration, I don't like to avoid rebuking myself.  Nor should I shirk from your rebukes.  Even so, I am to love myself.  Some days that is easier than on others.

I know the stings of depression and self-loathing.  Still, I stand.  At this present moment, as I type these words, I stand on The Rock.  My feet are planted on Solid Ground.  Today's troubles are sufficient.  My future is yet unwritten.

Sincerely, "Macbeth Raymondovich."  Alias *DELETE.  7 November 2020.

Today God's grace is sufficient.  God bless you and all of the Holy Angels.

* = "YOU DID IT AGAIN!!"

Yup.  Still not sorry.

[Edited 13 June 2021, 30 October 2023, 14 December 2023.] :)

[Edited again on 23 December 2023.]