Trouble in Paradise

As told by Otto Rocket

When you first turn 18, you think of total freedom. To finally be done with listening to what your parents have to say, "Clean your room, brush your teeth, because I said so, and stop the teasing." The list goes on and on like a broken record. I am Otto Rocket and I have lived in Ocean Shores my whole life. I had it all: captain of the football, basketball and baseball team. Countless MVP trophies lie in my bedroom.

I am a senior at Ocean Shores High School, but lately life has looked not so hot. I was recently diagnosed with an anger disorder. It cost me a lot of things, including my job. For about four years, I was told to collect and shelve books at the public library. One day, I apparently screwed it up again. My boss Stan said to me, "You did it wrong again. Books with green labels go on the green shelf and red goes here! My God, do you not even pay attention?!"

But he was not through with me by any stretch of the imagination. "If it wasn't for your father that I knew for so long, I would have fired your butt a long time ago. You are an idiot! A moron!" Stan went to the same high school as my dad, but I wasn't going to put up with his BS any longer.

I snapped in front of the whole library to hear this "You know what?! I worked my ass off for you for four years and you treated every one like the crap off your boots! In fact, you treat them like the shit that comes out of your ass!" Then, he fired me, "I don't want to see you again, Otto! Go to hell!"

If you thought that was bad, when I got home, I got the lecture from my dad. "You what?!" I told Dad many times how abusive Stan was. "I don't care; you are grounded for a year! You need to grow up and learn to respect authority." Think it stopped there? Here's a hint: I mouthed off to my math teacher, because he said I didn't pay attention in class. So, he said, "Do you have stupid written over your head? You will NOT talk to me like that again."

I snapped again by slapping him in the face and walking out of class. Stupid teacher, I thought, as I lit one up. Yes I am old enough to smoke, well, since last week. Problem was, security caught me doing it. I dropped it and fled as fast as I could. I thought since I was an all-state track star that I could get away. It was over before I knew it.

I was slammed to the ground and cuffed. They booked me at the jail, plus the mug shot. Talk about utterly embarrassing! Again, I was so humiliated when Reggie picked me up. She started to cry, "Why don't you listen to anyone? It is like talking to a brick wall. It was the longest drive home, ever. Raymundo had this red-hot look on his face.

"Since you can't be responsible for your own actions, Reggie will be. You are to come home from school every day and can't go anywhere without her supervision. Furthermore, she will follow you from class to class to make sure you won't skip. Am I clear?" It was like being treated like I was five years old again. I ran to my room, in tears. I took all my clothes off and went to bed. The next day, at school, everyone was laughing at me, because Reggie watched every move of mine.

Everyone was teasing me and they were calling me a baby. How low could it get. My girlfriend, Carson, of four years told me she was through with me. I couldn't believe it. Why would she leave me? "Go figure it out for yourself, you jerk!" I talked to Twister, my longtime friend and best bro, "Otto, I am 

here for you, but you have to stop always complaining about how your life sucks. You ignored my advice to get help by going to anger management, and look where you are now. You are not the same Otto I knew growing up. The Otto I remembered always had a smile and a can-do attitude. You're always bugging me about how Lars bullied you and how no one listens to you."

I said, "Yeah, but..." "See Otto, you are so damn stubborn that you don't see what you're doing wrong. You have to always be right, and if not, screw the world." "I love you as a friend, and you're hurting others, like me. At least promise me this: see how your own actions are hurting you." "The loss of trust, the arrest, being fired from your job, and your girlfriend leaving you. Anger is a violent, vicious cycle."

Twister sighed and started to cry. "Because of Lars' anger towards others, he is in prison for battery for two years. He may never get a job again." He started to plea with me "I don't want this to happen to you, man. Please, see the people you're hurting, including yourself." It hit me like a ton of bricks. I lost it all: banned from all the teams I played for, as a result of my arrest. I lost my job because of my temper, and possibly the chance to graduate. All because I can't control me temper.

I thought enough was enough. I decided to go to a therapy session to discuss my problems. My therapist told me "Otto, it seems that you feel like the world has turned on you. The reason why you feel so angry is the fact that you have a lack of trust for people." My response was, "Well, loyalty is hard to find. The only one I trust is Twister. We have been lifelong friends. And I am doing this for him."

"But, Otto, you are doing this for yourself too." I told her about I worked on my grades and my athletic accomplishments "You are really driven to succeed. Use that to focus on your anger." "I want you on medication and stick to it. Also, write a log and list things that upset you. I want you to come to anger management every Tuesday to discuss outlets for your anger." I felt, satisfied, like someone was paying attention to me.

The first thing I did was apologize to everyone at school, my friends, and family. I had to earn the trust of everyone back. Pills, therapy, anger management, year I was a wreck, but at least I am on the right path. I hung out with Reggie, since my punishment was a year long. Skating, mini-golf, movies, you name it, we did it together. Our relationship between us grew stronger in that period of time.

In fact, it got so much better that Twister was allowed to see me at my dad's. Do I have everything back that I lost? No those things are gone, forever. Rebuilding my life is not easy, nor fun, but a few places I am looking at for work, such as Hot Topic are willing to give me a second chance. In fact, I start next week. I am a better human now that I try to listen more.

Sometimes it is the bad things in life that are the best teaches. I did graduate from high school and am looking at several film schools. I am grateful that Twister was there for me and gave me a second chance in life and that God gave me a great friend in him!