Lasciate ogni speranza, voi ch'entrate.
(All hope abandon, ye who enter here!)
Dante Alighieri
I suppose it’s about time that I get around to this. If for no other reason than to get Laura’s comment off of the top of my page. Yes, I’m Randy. And yes, most of what the others have said about me is true. Although never take what Peter says at face value, he was without oxygen for several hours after he was born. I do my best to compensate for his failings, but a person can only do so much.
Since I allowed everyone else on this end to tell their stories first, I feel no need to go over already trodden on ground. So make sure to read the other stories first before reading this one, which will end up being much more valuable to you than all of the others put together. Just to warn you, I'’m the only sane one in the group. And that includes those on the Denver end. It’s quite a task keeping them all in line, but I’m up to that. In fact, I’m up to anything. They all wisely look to me for guidance. Even Evan, although he’d never admit it. And so I humor him, merely because he’s my oldest friend. You see, even I have a kind side. Although it’s not all that big a side.
I do what I can to watch over the people here, especially with recent troubles that have gone on. However, I do allow Evan to lend a hand on occasion. It makes him feel useful. And yes, he does have his uses, few as they are. We’ve been close friends since we were quite young. Our first meeting came when I happened to come up on a small altercation that Evan had gotten himself into. Those “blunt ways” that he speaks of get him in more trouble than he’d care to admit. Although I must say that he does have a knack for getting the best out of those situations. However, in this particular case, he was a tad overwhelmed. So I helped him out. Mainly because one of those he was sparring with was someone that I really could not stand. We were quite successful in this and found out that we work very well together. I suppose you could say we complement each other. People look at him as the good one and myself as the evil one. Quite an accurate point of view. However, to contradict what he says, it is he who puts up with the honor of my friendship and not the other way around. I’m afraid the man is quite deluded. Unfortunate.
The rest of these people? Well, I must admit to being fond of them. Yes, even Peter. Although why I’m not sure. As younger brothers go... Well, I suppose he’s not all that bad. After nearly losing him this past summer I’ve decided that I would prefer to keep him around. And someone is going to learn that when it comes to my brother, I’m the only one allowed to send him to the hospital. And that goes for these other people as well. Although some I wouldn’t consider doing that to.
Darkness there and nothing more.
-Edgar Allan Poe
I have to spend some time extolling the virtues of the woman who for some odd reason agreed to marry me. Jesse is a very special woman who does happen to be completely focused on the good side. An odd match we are. While I tend toward being more of a dark person, you will find few people leaning more toward the light than she is. But I couldn’t ask for a better soulmate. She makes my life complete. And that’s as sentimental as I’m going to get. And yes, I do have to grudgingly admit that I owe Gayle for introducing us. I will be very glad to get that debt off of my chest. She tends to bring it up on a regular basis. She hasn’t always been that way, she used to be pleasingly quiet. So much for the good old days. She’s now quite the opposite of how she was, which does make me admire her a bit more. Although unfortunately, I still feel as protective as I ever did. I seem to feel protective over all of these people. I suppose that comes from being the responsible one. I will help to make sure that we get through our current difficulties all right and that things once more get to a more settled balance. Some people will be answering to me, although I probably will allow Evan to go along to make him happy. But then, it’s not a bad feeling to know you have someone that you can count on to be there and know just what you need when you need it. And who is prepared and willing to provide the needed services.
I find more and more that it is well to be on the side of the minority, since it is always the more intelligent. Pride...If you haven’t got it, you can’t show it.
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
If you have got it, you can’t hide it.
-Zora Neale Hurston