Just after midnight, easing the door shut behind him so as to not awaken his parents, Roland slipped out of the house and into his own life. At last!
Today was his birthday. Today changed everything. Yesterday he was a minor, a child under the control of his mother and father. Especially his father. His forever preaching moralist of a father. A Christian Fundamentalist pastor who never failed to shower him with unwanted advice. “Roland, can’t you see how selfish you’re being?” or “Your senseless pursuit of pleasure is only going to lead you to a bad end!” Blaa blaa blaa. And his mother wasn’t much better. Completely dominated by her husband, she rarely spoke and when she did, it was usually to apologize for some imagined offence. A sorry mouse of a woman. Well. No more of that! Today he was an adult under no responsibility but his own. Freedom! From this time forward he was going to do whatever he wanted. And what he wanted was pleasure. Sex and drugs and whatever kind of music he damn-well wanted to listen to. No more rules. No more denying himself just because someone else said it was wrong.
Money was no problem now. The vast trust fund left to him by his long-dead grandparents was now in his wallet in the form of a debit card. Roland was going to party!
And party he did. For years.
From New York to Miami; from Houston to Hollywood. He indulged himself in every way he could imagine. Fine food, fast cars and faster women. He quickly rose to the level of connoisseur when it came to exotic drugs. He began to travel around the world. Australia, Asia and India. To Egypt and to France. To any part of the globe where his hedonistic desires led him.
Eventually he became jaded however. The time came when felt like he had tried everything there was. Years of adventure. Endless parties. So many women that he could no longer remember them all. Bit by bit, the color drained out of his life and he found himself to be sad more often than he was happy.
And it was then that he met her. Lucy. Special, special Lucy. They met in Cannes during the summer and the two of them became inseparable. Love! All along it was love that Roland was looking for. Not just to take and experience. But to share and to care for someone in the deepest way. Lucy was good for him in so many ways. She was a quiet woman, raised in a good, Christian home. Morally upright, she could not tolerate his dissolute habits. For her, he quit drinking and smoking. For her he exercised regularly and began to watch his diet. He was loyal to her and she was loyal to him. He was healthy and happy. They married and just one year later little Carlie was born. He finally had everything he ever wanted.
More years passed. With age and experience, Roland began to see that his father had been right about a lot of things. He had been selfish in the past but now he wanted to do right by his family. He started a small business using the money he had left. He took some classes. He joined a church.
Lucy rejoiced to see him return to his old-fashion roots. She had a similar background and did not take offense when Roland declared himself the head and leader of their little family. “But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.”, he was fond of quoting. She silently accepted this. After all, it was in the Bible. Plus Roland was always happiest when he got what he wanted.
More time passed and Roland decided that he wanted to serve God. He yearned to do the righteous work of the Lord. He took more classes. He became a Baptist minister. It was something he truly desired.
The work kept him away from his family but he secretly felt that to be a relief. He still loved Lucy of course, but she had become a bit drab over the years. Boring even. More servant than lover. And Carlie! Carlie had been a kind, studious child but she had developed a wild and independent streak as a teenager. He had caught her drinking lately and had smelt marijuana on her breath. And he could not abide that boyfriend of hers. Tad with his sneers and cigarettes. He feared for her soul but just couldn’t get through to her. Worry consumed him sometimes. His life had become somewhat empty. Somewhat miserable. This was not what he wanted.
One evening Roland returned home to find Carlie sprawled drunkenly on the porch swing. “Hi Dads!” she giggled.
Roland shook his head. “How old are you Carlie?”
“You know how old I am.”
“Your not old enough to drink alcohol and I will not tolerate this in my house!”
“Good thing I’m not in the house then, huh?”
Roland fumed. He started to reply but Carlie cut him off.
“Don’t worry Dad. On Wednesday I turn eighteen and then I’m outta here,” she slurred. “Me and Tad already got a place lined up. So you can just fuck off!”
Roland spotted movement of the curtain on the door window. He knew Lucy was there, crying silently. His anger melting into despair,
he pleaded, “Carlie, can’t you see how selfish you’re being? Your senseless pursuit of pleasure is only going to lead you to a bad end.”
“Blaa blaa blaa,” she retorted.
Then she just laughed.
