There's nothing special about me, I'm just an ordinary guy. I'm just an
everyday Joe, another dumb schlock walking the streets.
The world would disagree with you I'd think.
The world would be wrong.
Why don't you tell me about yourself anyway?
Alright, well, my name is Jake Simpson, I'm 26 years old and I'm a
current resident of Atlanta, well, the suburbs at least. I'm not much to
look at, about five foot six, short brown hair, brown eyes. My job never
required me to wear a suit so you'd probably see me wearing khakis and a
dress shirt on most days, jeans on casual Friday.
Are you married?
Yeah, I'm married, for the time being at least, to a beautiful lady
named Marie. We met in college, both of us were studying art at the
University of Georgia and we hit it off almost immediately. We dated off
and on most of the time we were there.
I'll tell you, those were good times, she was gorgeous, the parties
were great and we just had a lot of fun. I wish I could get that back.
Anyway, we both graduated and we decided to get married right after
that. The wedding was beautiful, everyone was telling me how great of a
bride I had and everything. But then after the honeymoon the old maxim of
not knowing someone until you marry them came true.
How so?
Listen, I love her, don't get me wrong, but things changed a lot right
off the bat. I had always remembered her as a wild child who I could have
fun around and laugh with. But that screeched to a halt within a week and
she was wanting to only go to dates at fancy restaurants and drink nice
wine. She knew I was never in to that stuff, but she never bothered to
tell me.
But I guess what really got to me was the kids thing. I wanted kids
bad, I still do! But she waited until two weeks after the honeymoon to
tell me that she was infertile and would have to undergo some kind of
serious and painful surgery to fix it and that she wasn't going to do it.
That just broke my heart.
You didn't talk about kids before the honeymoon?
That's the thing, we talked about it all the time, well, I did anyway.
When we started getting serious, I'd bring the issue up, talk for about
fifteen minutes on the whens and whys I wanted them and she'd just sit
there and smile. When I was finished she'd tell me how sweet I was and
changed the subject. I should have known something was up right then.
I want to know more about you.
Like what?
Your job? Maybe?
I am, or at least, was a graphic designer for a local design firm. We
did mostly contract work. A small business would want an five-star
brochure for their clients to read , but wouldn't have the people in-house
to make it so they'd hire us. The service didn't come cheap but it was
easier than hiring a full-time graphic designer and probably a lot better
quality
The end result is that I did a lot of work for a lot of different
companies who don't even know my name. Doesn't matter though, the pay's
good, the work's fairly easy and you don't get burdened down with
overtime.
Plus, it meant that Marie and I had enough money so that she would only
have to work part time. Even that wasn't really necessary but I guess
without kids to take care of she didn't want to stay around the house all
day. Besides, she got a job as a graphics consultant and between the two
of us we could afford a lot of the finer things in life without busting
our humps.
Sounds like a good life?
It was. I'm not saying it was a bad life. But I guess I kind of got
worn down by it. I mean, in college I was an artist. I used to make
sculptures out steel and glass. I loved working with my hands and showing
off what I made. I used to have them all over the house until Marie told
me to put them away because they were ugly and that I wasn't that artist
anymore. She told me I'd have to accept that.
In a way, she was right though. I was doing the 9-5 grind and I wasn't
complaining. I hadn't made a sculpture in three years and I can't say that
I had any plans to either. I guess just because you graduate with honors
from a recognized art school doesn't mean you're an artist for life. I
should probably just be happy I found a way to integrate my love for art
with my work and leave it at that.
So when did you start thinking about going on your little adventure?
I didn't. When I woke up the morning I left, to me it was just another
Tuesday morning, no different from the one before it, or before that one
and so on. It was just another day.
So what happened then?
I woke up, I ate my breakfast, I brushed my teeth, I read my paper, I
went to work and I even left work thinking everything was ok. I got in my
car, made my way through downtown traffic and started heading up 85 to go
home.
But somewhere along the way, somewhere in that thick traffic I began
thinking about what I had waiting for me when I got home. A cold wife who,
while I loved dearly, hurt me to be with. A home without art or fun, a
life without expression and all so that I could get up and go to the same
damn job that while I guess I shouldn't complain about it, I felt like it
was grinding me away.
I just got more and more mad about the whole ordeal and by the time I
looked up at the road I only had half a mile to my exit and no way to get
over. Ok, that's a lie, I could have gotten over if I had really wanted
to, but when I saw the sign and realized I was in the left hand lane, I
didn't even put on my blinker, I just floored it and started weaving
through traffic like those idiots I usually shoot the bird at.
By the time I looked up again, I was two miles past my exit and I
started to panic. I thought I had lost my damn mind, I was wondering if I
had a death wish or something. I began to think that I should seek therapy
or something like that.
But then I remembered something, when I was in college, I had often
wanted to just roam the nation, see the world so to speak. I mean, if you
don't count vacations, I'd never really left Georgia in my life. I mean,
Florida's nice for a vacation, but let me tell you, the people there are
assholes. No offense if you happen to be from Florida of course.
None taken.
Well, I realized about 20 miles later that I was doing it, I was really
doing it you know? Traffic was so thick still that it had taken me a good
thirty to forty minutes to get that far and there was no way I could
explain that to my wife. So I decided to go for it. It was that simple. I
wasn't going to let life break me any longer.
So then you started planning?
Sort of. I got my head back if that's what you're asking. I knew that I
needed money and that since my checkbook was at home my only means was my
ATM card. But I also knew that my ATM card could be tracked and if my wife
was determined to find me, she could use the trail of purchases to find me
like a homing beacon.
So, I figured while I was close to the city, I'd hit an ATM and take
out what I could. So I found the nearest one and tried to withdraw a
thousand, but of course the ATM would only let me get five hundred. I
guess I wasn't completely clear at the time after all.
Anyway, I figured I had that, the forty dollars I had before I started
the day and my watch, which could be sold if needed. But beyond that I had
no clothes except for the ones on my back and my gym clothes, no food and
about a half a tank of gas.
Sounds pretty rough. Were you scared?
I should have been, but I was exhilarated. For the first time in years
I felt truly free. I didn't know where I was going, what I was doing or
anything, but I loved it and I jumped right back in my car and kept going
up 85.
I had no idea what was going to happen next, but I knew it was going to
be great.
I really like this story!!!!!
I really loved this story.
I liked this story alot
That was very cool and interesting.
Cool story, inspiring stuff 🙂
AWESOME!!
sometimes i feel like this. that i just cant take it anymore and what to leave everything i've ever known. the only thing, i never do it tho because i know i will miss everything and want to go back. so in other words its not really worth my time so im not ever gonna just run away. not soon anyways. ;1
This story way fantastic, i started to feel badly for the jake being married to such a bitch, he should have stuck by the art he liked to do!!!
the exhileration of new found freedom
Hey very cool story! i have already run away like twice. but i came back everytime. I am tempted to run again. But everytime i say this i think that maybe i wont come back. But NEwayz, love the story.
sweet story. ive tried to run but i get dragged back. now i don have a place to go. but its inspiring.
very inspiring. I feel the same way a lot even nowadays, just moved about 5 monthes ago and am ready to do it again. But I found someone now and maybe I'll stay.
I THINK THIS STORY WAS GREAT I KNOW HE DID A STUPID THING AT THE BEGINNING GETTING MARRIED TO A GIRL THAT COULD NOT HAVE BABY OR EVEN WANT BABY I KNOW I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A BABY AND SPECIAL WITH SOME ONE THAT WAS FUN AND OUTGOING AND DIDN'T CARE WHAT OTHERS THINK OF THEM AND HE JUST WANTED TO HAVE FUN BUT ALL THOSE GUYS GO TO THE GIRLS THAT DONT APPERATIE THEM I DONT KNOW WHY THOSE TYPE OF GUYS GO FOR GIRL LIKE THAT. I THINK HE DID A GERAT THING JUST LEAVING AND TAKE THE MONEY. I WOULD OF DONE THE SAME IF MY LIFE WAS GOING TO BE LIKE THAT. WELL I GIVE THIS GUY ALL MY SUPPORTS FOR DOING WHAT HE DID.
i really like this story cant wait to read the rest
hmmmmm. this is quite inspiring. not only can you write poetry, you can write great stories too. i just can't wait to read the rest.
p.s. if this story is about you raven – i hope you found your freedom.
I dearly appreciate this story, normally I wouldn't care for such radical behavior…but that's really what makes life worth living, and a story interesting enought to read. Very realistic and detailed, I love it.
what a sad story
Great story! Wish I had the guts to do this!
I think everyone has ever felt that need of freedom the character felt (well I do)
Wow, i know this stroy is probibly old, but I think it's great for this person to finally have the guts to do what he thought was best for him. If we all had that wit, the world would be a happier place.
inspering…makes you stop and think about your situation GREAT STORY RAVEN*
Running away from my shitty suburban lifestyle would be absolutly invigorating. This story has a
sort of schizophrenic vibe to it, (in opinion of course) it reminds me of those gratifying little interviews you have with yourself that assure you of personal well-being.
I love this, it reminds me of my own dreams of just taking off. The character is amazingly akin to one of my closest friends, i snt this to him inhopes he realizes the resemblence. Great story.
The story's really well written, I must say. Just one thing, though–it mirrors John Updike's "Rabbit, Run," with a slight twist on the backstory. Was that deliberate? Just curious.
Good job, though, from one writer to another!
Dude, your story sounds really good. The only part that was really bad was, you got married to that girl and she didn't want to have any kids. she just wanted you to be miserable.
i love your stories they are like the shit and your site you are like the bomb. your stories are so realistic and sad if you are kinda like that rock on bitch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i love your stories there not too unbelieveable but just enough to where i stay stuck to the desk your talent for writing is incredible
Yea this was very god. It reminds me of a quote I came across once…"I cannot say that things will get better if they change, but things must change if they are to get better"… Jake's got guts! Things dont always turn out that well.
that was…………. that was a good story thanx for sharing
I really liked the story it made me want to read it more. I have never even been on this site and the first thing i read was ur story and i liked it and i just wanted to tell you.
woa, sounds sad, and cool at the same time…. I hope you can travel without her finding you… This is giving me ideas….
hey raven,
that was pretty cool. but, you kinda made me laugh when you wanted to have kids and your wife didn't. To be really honest with you, that part was kinda sad. Anyways, this was a really cool story.
That was a really compelling story, I really enjoyed it so far, how that man felt the desperation to break free from awife who couldn't concieve, and woke up to the same routine every day, he had more guts than anyone could muster, and if all of us could do that, the world wouldn't be as screwed up as it is now.
wow if i left my girlfriend like that she would find, and kill me. scykopath (cough, cough)
You seem to write for your self, wonderfull therapy, but dont expect people to love your work for the same reasons that you do. You are important to your self, but so is every one else.
wow I really want to read some more of that story it was really cool!
That was a really good story, but I don't understand it, but it was exalent.
your story is just every one lfe.
hey what up ppl
hey dude love it man love all the things you write keep it up
hey dude love it man love all the things you write keep it up
Who are you talking to in the story?????
I'm confuzed.
this site is great! i love every piece in it! it just thrill me from head to toe! i may be posting a work of mine but that is if i can see it's allowed… well i guess i can… i just love this site besides it's not about death anyway it's about life!
Ithink its so cool that you still have the same gril sents college
THIS STORY IS AMAZING
to courtney on December 29, 2006 03:21 PM..you spelled since wrong…? Sents?
i like ur story dude it so totaly rocks. ive ran away b4 and never have went back 2 damn hard 2 find me but yet i happen to wonder why wont people just leave me be i just look inside of my self and try 2 see is there some kind of monster or is it a demon inside of me. srry dude if i sound weird to you but ill try to keep my story straight and true. srry i just like 2 write in poetry at times.