Friday, July 5, 2024

A Drive Through a Zombie Apocalypse into Work

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July 5, 2024

I started my vehicle. The rumble from the motor shakes the ground, rattles the surrounding environment and alerts the neighbors that I am off to work. The vibration rattles me awake. Or could the jitters be from the 12 ounces of caffeinated coffee I chugged down before I left the house? It's Sunday, but it's not a fun day for me. I have to work. It sucks, but thankfully I only have to work every other weekend. The morning drive was deprived of human activity, so it was quiet ride into work since it seemed as if everyone was still sleeping but me. The birds' chirping broke the silence, voiding out any thoughts that an apocalypse could be upon us. Why don't we have more zombie animals? I dock my phone, set the music, don the sunglasses, and head out in search of the occurrence of crime and disorder. No, I'm not Batman. Only a guy entrusted by the public to do his job for an honest wage. 

I leave my cul-de-sac towards the long stretch of treelined roadway, domed by a blue sky, brightened by a rising sun. What a beautiful day, it sucks to have to go to work. On my trip to the exit gate, I pass some people doing their morning walk. They are my first sight of people who exist, reassuring me that we are not currently being attacked by zombies. I feel relieved and let out a sigh. Now there won't be a delay to work. Like a man on a mission to the moon or another worthy trip, I focus on my drive on the winding roads. I hang a right and head east into a sea of brake lights. There is traffic, and there is a ton of it. My God, there must be an apocalypse occurring!  People. Are. Fleeing!

What is up with this traffic on this beautiful Sunday? I dodge to the right lane, the lesser of the traffic lane, but about 10 other drivers decide to do the same thing and immediately clog my lane with their cars, creating a backup, but then freeing up the lane we just left, so I turn my car into that lane and pass them. But I see a few police cars with their lights activated, and the officers outside their cars are directing traffic back to the lane I just left. They blocked the whole intersection off, forcing cars to turn south., Wow, this must be a huge apocalypse, and they are warning us to stay away. As I inch closer, I can see that it was a traffic crash. It's not a zombie war. No need to panic; I only need to follow the traffic flow and find a new way to work. At this point, I should just go home.

I travel about a mile to the next major roadway, where I can turn east again. A car was in front of me, and the driver decided to drive very slowly. It's slower than the 40-mile-per-hour posted speed limit. They trickle down to around 12 miles per hour. But why so slow? Maybe the driver is turning into a zombie, and the zombie can't drive. Perhaps the driver is being attacked by a zombie by the person in a car who didn't know they would turn into a zombie. Oh no! It's mayhem, I think to myself. As we approached a dual-turn lane, I pulled alongside the car and saw that the problem was much worse than zombies. They are texting and driving. What a fool that person is.

I decided when the light was green, I would get away from them as quickly as possible, as if a zombie was coming for me. And with the green light, I zoom down the road, away from that car and any vehicle around me. I need to get to work. But at this point, I should just go home.  

Weekends are made for family and friends, but I knew when I took this job that some work weekends would be required. I will honor what I signed up for. That makes it easier to drive towards the work site. An honest day pays for an honest day of work. And no matter how much I was hoping for a zombie apocalypse, It seemed that even that wouldn't stop me from getting here. 


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Saturday, June 1, 2024

Lack of Motivation to Write a Blog

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Nico, Christopher Jr., Blake and Max partaking in a little KFC. May 25, 2024. 8:18 P.M.


June 1, 2024

Lately, I have needed more motivation to write a blog. Seriously, I can't write a single word. Allow me to tell you about it. There are no words to use to be witty, creative, or helpful; l have nothing to say. It pains me that I have typed out this much so far. Tap, tap, tap on my keyboard. I stretch out a string of words to create enough sentences for a useful paragraph. I'm writing aimlessly, hoping to have something tangible to publish, something inspirational, informative, or funny. I don't know why I do not feel like being vocal about this or that. I just don't want to write—no offense to those who write daily. Pen to paper, fingers to keyboard, or, in this case, standing naked beside the shower while steam from the hot water attaches itself to the glass of my phone as I mash out this note on my iPhone's notepad. 

I thought about what to write all month and couldn't figure it out. I'd like to write about my trip to the Dominican Republic or Europe again. How about re-describing the beautiful sunrise I witnessed while driving to work the other day? The sun breaks the earth's horizon over the Atlantic Ocean like it's climbing out of the sea. The bright orange ball begins to illuminate the blue sky with orange hues. It was breathtaking to witness a wonder of magnificence no matter how many times I've seen it. No, I have no motivation to tell you all about that.  

All my strength, emotion, and feelings rolled up inside me have bubbled and can now be seen from my normally stoic exterior. The stress in my face allows many people to read me. Man, the fact that people can see it written all over my face causes me stress. The emotional bubble begs me to pop it so the negativity can spill out of me. To transcribe it in a Word doc and publish it! It will allow my stress to be replaced by happiness, and I can start fresh again. But once the anger and anxiety rear their ugly heads, they can espouse themselves, free flowing in my opinions and written in this blog, full of ranting and complaining about whatever has me so worked up. Whether it is my kids, marriage, or work. Sometimes, the weight of all three can be overwhelming and create a controlling environment that makes me feel like I cannot do anything for myself. But I'm not in a vulnerable place mentally or motivated enough to rant at you at the moment. I will anchor this emotion until a better time to release it. 

If I had the inclination to make a change in life with an essay I was writing, I would first begin to say that I worry about my kids living in the world during these turbulent times. There is concern about the environment and financial growth for their future. Of course, I'm juggling money around like I did yesterday or today, and probably will tomorrow, like a card hustler on a New York street corner. What will their financial future hold? There is so much to consider in today's world. It is better to zone out and fantasize about good things, like candy factories and furry animals. 

I really wish I was in the mood to blog my thoughts. I want to tell you everything that is going on inside my mind. It should be refreshing to say all this in my latest blog post. My trips, needs, and wants. But not in this blog. No, not today. I will tell this story soon enough though. But this lack of motivation to write is killing me. 

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Blake and Max enjoying life in America and respecting those who gave us this freedom on Memorial Day. May 27, 2024, at 7:45 P.M.




© Copyright 2012- 2024 Captain Imperfecto, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be republished, rewritten or redistributed without permission.  Please contact if you would like to re-publish in film, television or print. 

Wednesday, May 1, 2024

Along Came Max

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Left to right. Blake, Max, Nico and Christopher. April 28, 2024.

May 1, 2024

And then there was Max. Max is my fourth son and, more than likely, my last child. I am fortunate to be a father of 4 living children. I had 2 twin daughters who passed away. I never wrote about the birth of Max. He is my Covid baby. Conceived in 2019, born into history in 2020. What a time to be pregnant. Lockdowns were prevalent, and shelter-in-place was ramping up. It was mass hysteria in the United States and the world. I would ask myself several times what kind of society we were bringing my boy into? Being blessed to have a child should be an exciting time for parents. But when there is so much uncertainty about the world, restrictions regarding who can attend doctor appointments, and witnessing a tanking society, there sure was doubt on bad days. 

Max came pretty quickly after his brother Blake was born. Be forewarned, men: Once women figure out their bodies and can get pregnant, their sense of fertility is greater. Having a second baby rather quickly after the first baby is a reality. I don't care if it is your 1st child, 2nd child, or 15th child. One never realizes how much they need that kid in their life until after they have one. I needed Max. He completes us. Selfishly, I did secretly hope for a daughter. We had a gender reveal, and when my wife opened the box, I saw a pink balloon. For half a second, I thought we had that girl, but very quickly, I saw a cluster of blue balloons surrounding a larger balloon with "ITS A BOY" scrawled in the middle. At that point, I was happy. I just wanted him to be healthy.  

The pregnancy for Max was not complicated at first. Lauren made her way around Madrid, Spain, without any issues for about 3 weeks from Christmas through the first 2 weeks in January. When Covid hit, well, that is when she and I could no longer go to doctor appointments together, so I missed out on a lot of witnessing his womb development. Something I was a part of with the other 3 boys. I wasn't totally cut out until the end. 

Max was a c-section baby. He was scheduled for the early morning hours. He was born without complications. I had the opportunity to cut his umbilical cord. That is always a treat.

Lauren wanted the name to be Max only. Cleaner that way. But his name needed to be more official. Especially when filling out any kind of official document. I did like the name Maximus. But, for some reason, mom did not like it. Even after seeing Gladiator! 

While in the hospital with the new baby, an aide from the county who registered the babies' names came into our room with official documents. She asked us if we had his name selected, and we both said yes. She left the paperwork with us and told us to fill it out. She would come back later to collect it. 

While filling out the form, I used the clean Max. After it was all said and done, I called the aid, and she came and took our paperwork. But it didn't sit well with me, and I wanted an official name that idea would weigh on my mind if I did not change the name. Lauren gave in to me and informed me to go with it. I called the lady back, and she gave me new documents to fill out, and Max was reborn into Maximilian. Even though his name is Maximilian, and his mom and dad are happy with that, the baby boy will always be called Max. After all, we were a family of five until along came Max, so why wouldn't we be glad about that?


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Blake (left) and Max having a great day. April 27, 2024. 




© Copyright 2012- 2024 Captain Imperfecto, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be republished, rewritten or redistributed without permission.  Please contact if you would like to re-publish in film, television or print. 

Saturday, April 13, 2024

Hooters to Go

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Nico and Christopher Jr. enjoying the Salt Life on the island. March 20, 2024

April 13, 2024

My wife and two of my four children returned from Madrid, Spain, at Miami International Airport after spending 6 weeks with her family. That was a long time to be away from me. One would think I partied it up while she was gone, but I did not. If it wasn't work-related, I stayed home most of the time. I was lucky to enjoy peace and quiet but missed them dearly.

The flight arrived around 8:30 PM. When they went through U.S. Customs, we got the luggage to the car, which was nearly 10. It was me, her, and our 4 children. Reunited once again, and it felt so good! But now, they were all hungry. Time to open up the wallet and spend the big bucks on food and drinks. This economy is not friendly to a family this size. I know Miami, but I do not know Miami well enough to find a nice restaurant in a good neighborhood with a safe environment. Besides, it was a Thursday night, and there was little open for as late as it was on a Thursday night. And with so many people in our party, the opinions on food vary. In the end, someone will be unhappy with the choice to eat.

I drove aimlessly in the night northwest on U.S. 27 through Miami Springs. With no luck, I hopped on the 826 and headed north. I was bound to find something. But as we passed each exit, I began to get anxious. I wasn't finding anything to my liking or anyone else's liking. The time was ticking. We were on the clock. Soon, nothing would be open, and no one was going to eat. It was time to make a decision. So, I headed north towards Broward County. A place I knew well. I was bound to find something. So I jumped on the 817 and headed into Pembroke Pines. We were pushing 11:30 P.M., and it was time to choose or lose. That is when I saw the owl. 

The sign was still lit in a parking lot full of cars, indicating the restaurant was open. I looked at my wife and told her, "Ready to see some boobs? Because we are stopping at Hooters." I could go for some chicken wings and a lively atmosphere.

I have four boys. Chicken wings and boobs may be too early in their life, but we have to eat.

Thankfully, the restaurant still accepted patrons, and the hostess could seat us. We followed the lady in the orange short shorts towards the back of the restaurant. Our 4 kids in tow passed all the adults as they drank beer and talked about grown-up things while sucking on their chicken bones. Soon, my wife and I will be discussing their flight and trip while both of us would stop intermittently to tell our kids to knock it off or we are going to leave and not eat. 

The other server ladies would stop and say hello to our 3 and 4-year-old boys. Bending down, squeezing their cheeks. Their tight white shirts held the same things that their mom breastfed them with when they were born. I'm unsure if it was an appropriate place to go with 2 toddlers and 2 teenage boys, but we gotta eat.

The boys messed with their iPads, and the 2 older ones played on their phones. I concentrated on my wife, and my eyes were laser-focused on her beautiful face so that my eyes did not wander about. There were women everywhere, but I hadn't seen my wife in nearly 2 months, and there was only one person whose Hooters I was ready to enjoy, but that is a story I can not tell. But I knew we would be home at around 1 A.M. after dinner, where I would have a second helping of Hooters-to-go. 


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Blake (sitting) and Max enjoying the beach on a beautiful day. April 13, 2024





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Thursday, March 21, 2024

My Arms are Wide Open

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Boys relaxing in the hotel room over Nicos Leap Year birthday celebration! March 2, 2024


March 21, 2024

I know the spot on my couch that fits me like a glove. All the grooves, indentations, and soft spots fit my body like a glove. Oh, Mr. reliable never fails me. I'm not a couch potato in the sense that I'll lie here with a bag of chips and munching away. However, that does sound alright! 

Like most people, I enjoy a quiet moment with myself after working long hours or completing some chores around the house. There's so much peace and tranquility in one's space. The safety of my environment while scrolling through my YouTube can place me in a vegetative mood. It's the only time I don't have a care in the world. I can just mindlessly watch others upload their lives to their YouTube videos without worrying about anything happening in my life. I love that there are no plots to follow. No character arc, no storyline, not even conflict. I can simply YouTube and chill. Life is as simple as the next YouTube swipe. 

But all that peace and serenity can be changed when having little kids. They seem to always know how to ruin my peace and tranquility. Little kids do not care how comfortable you are! Their pitter-patter of little feet running back and forth is set in motion to make you uncomfortable. Their pent-up energy explodes like a runaway freight train as they crash their little bodies into me. The boys want something from me at the most inopportune time. They think that they don't have my attention, but they do.  Finding rest can be challenging when even their little needs are a priority. Hot dang! They demand my attention. Those boys have a story to tell when they open their mouths. Blake and Max are full of conflicts and characters. At times, they can be my favorite show. I don't know; better than any YouTube at the time.

But these moments are the best moments I genuinely cherish. And nothing is better than when they run out of energy, crash into my wide open arms, and lay snuggled into either side of my body. 

"My spot!" One yells as he snuggles into my left side. "Don't move this my spot."

Don't worry. I open my arms wide open for you both. 

My boys are so small enough to fit in the pocket of my armpits as I embrace them. I have four boys, and these are gonna be my last two. Nico and Christopher did the same thing. I documented that years ago in another blog. They're doing their own things. It saddens me that my two older ones don't embrace me this way, other than the occasional walk-by hug. I am fortunate that I can still enjoy their embrace and the love they have for me. And I am thankful that when Max and Blake embrace me, I can feel the love that took me back 10 years ago. 

Like a king-size bed, my arms are always wide open and stretched long to embrace my boys; I will always be here, my children, in my loving arms. My boys fall into this comfortable spot on the couch where the grooves align my body. It's better than scrolling YouTube. And these arms are wide open for them as long as I am alive.


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The boys waiting for a meal at the Village Inn. March 1, 2024.




© Copyright 2012- 2024 Captain Imperfecto, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be republished, rewritten or redistributed without permission.  Please contact if you would like to re-publish in film, television or print. 

Sunday, December 31, 2023

No Closure, a true police story

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Nico, Captain, and Christopher. December 11, 2023 Miami Gardens, Florida. Hard Rock Stadium! 


December 31, 2023
 


The crowd hissed and chastised me for not intervening in their domestic problem. They called the police to help mediate and resolve their issue. Still, when they did not get what they ordered, the family threw a temper tantrum towards me. As a family man and fellow human being, I understand why they were upset. Here is this loving family trying to get their loving daughter, sister, cousin, niece, and friend into rehab, and since she won't go with them willingly, they want the police to seize her. But without a court order, she has free will to do business. I reiterated that to the group's spokesperson, who demanded I take her "immediately." 

"She does not want to go with you," I begrudgingly said. "I can't snatch her up. And if you grab her against her will, then it is battery and kidnapping. There is nothing more that I can do."

The family member lasered into me with his eyes. It gave me chills. A reminder of the feeling I would get when my father would get mad at me and only spoke to me with his eyes. The family member didn't understand my predicament or the laws of the State, or he simply did not care; the man wanted me to take action and take his cousin into custody. It is funny how he understood when I told him that he couldn't touch her because he would go to jail. So he wasn't ignorant of the law or had deaf ears to my explanation. Yet, he wanted me to do it under the color of law, which I refused because she still had rights. 

"Well, Baker Act her!" (an involuntary act of committing someone to a mental hospital)

"She does not meet the State requirement of a Baker Act," I said. "Have you gone to the courts and requested a judge sign Ex Parte Petition for Involuntary Assessment and Stabilization?"

"No, we did not. We just want an intervention. We want you to intervene," 

This is frustrating. I want to help this family out, but I can do nothing. No laws are being broken. She has free will! Besides, no human can find salvation in this open parking lot, a backdrop of a Subway sandwich restaurant and a discount shoe store. This is a free society where she can move about and do what she wants in privacy. This group of people stopped listening to anything. Their shouts of anger and disdain were hurled at me like knives due to my inaction. Their pleas were not falling on deaf ears, I hear them, but the girl has rights too.  

"Okay, I'll talk to her again," I told them while I turned and walked towards her.

She was a tiny thing. Five foot nothing, one – hundred pounds, if not less. She wore a college football hat, the brim shading her pretty face and light eyes from the sun bearing down on her weary soul. She was cute, to say the least. Her blue jeans were tight-fitting. Her top was tucked nicely, and she had a belt to match her shoes. But don't let that deceive you. She was tough, arms crossed, and was standing her ground in this Sunday afternoon parking lot of blacktop asphalt and freshly painted lines that marked parking spots. There was no activity in the plaza, but even if it was a busy day, she wouldn't move for anyone, not even a car.  

"Well, here we are again."

"Yup," she said with a smile.

You know, the support standing behind me looking out for your wellness is impressive. But it's overwhelming, and I see how you might want to avoid going with them. How about I ask them to leave, and I can ask the one person you trust to stay behind, and you can leave with them."

I triggered a thought process. She relaxed her guard a little. I was happy that she saw I was also looking to help her. Not lecture her.

"That sounds good, but I'm not ready to leave," she said.

"That FSU logo on your hat. Is that hat just for looks, or did you go there?"

"I graduated from there." 

"So you're an educated person who understands what you want and don't want," I said.

"I can tell you that I am not going with them. I just want to do my thing."

"I'm told you're running with the gangs down south. That they are using you for sex?"

"Who is using who? I am getting free drugs. So, I think of it the other way around."

"Well, that makes sense. But you do not feel used?"

"I'm a grown woman capable of making my own decisions. I fully understand who I am and what I want. That's not being used. I can stop when I want."

"That is what all addicts say. But you know, I have only been in your life for 20 minutes. I can offer you anything you need. I can understand why you probably won't go with me in the short time you have known me. The people who have known you the longest and know you the best are standing behind me. They can offer you love, support, rehab, anything. And you turn this down, why?"

"You don't judge me. You go about your day. If I turn down your help, you move on to the next call. They are always there. They do not understand that I am not ready. When I am ready, I will get out. But right now, I am in. They can't understand that, won't understand it, and refuse to understand it."

"Their support may not last, though. Then you will truly be on your own."

"When I am in a strange bed with a dude from the gang who just f#$ked me, and I get my fix, you don't think I am truly alone? Knowing that at any moment, I could be killed by a rival gang or overdose with no help. Believe me, no one understands what's at stake more than me. It's my life. That is reality. You, being a police officer and dealing with this daily, should relate."

"I can relate to understanding and wanting freedom to do what you want. I can't relate to shunning family. I can't understand your demons and willingness to be used as an object and not a human being. But I do not live your life or share your experiences. That said, you seem set in your way, and I can relate to that. I will let them know."

"So I can go now?"

"Hang out for one second before you go, please."

I turned from her. Deep down, I wanted her to go, but she wasn't. I did not want to face this family of about 20 and tell them that I failed to mediate the situation.  

"She's not going with you, me, or anyone."

The group began yelling at me, sneering, calling out names, and wailing.  

"I will just snatch her," the cousin said."

"Then you will go to jail. As I warned you before," I replied.

"Can I go now," I heard her ask out loud.

I turned back and shouted, "See ya!"

"Drugs! She has drugs in her purse! Search her purse!" someone in the crowd yelled out in a last-ditch effort. 

"She won't allow me to search her purse, but I will ask.

Can I search your purse?" I shouted.

"Nope," she said and walked away.

I often think of her and wonder if she ever got out. I hope she did, but in police work, the only time you get closure from a situation like that is on an overdose call, and you find them dead or near death.  

That was over ten years ago. To this day, I am still determining if she ever decided to get out. There is no closure for me or the family.


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HAPPY NEW YEAR 2024

As we enter a new year remember, that family and love is all you have in the end.  I love you all. May the new year bring good health and fortune. 


Max and Blake chilling window side enjoying the cool crisp air of the season. December 31, 2023







© Copyright 2012- 2024 Captain Imperfecto, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be republished, rewritten or redistributed without permission.  Please contact if you would like to re-publish in film, television or print.