Unbreakable -- Michael Jackson

Ok.... Im by no means a fan of Michael Jackson... but he said this and said it so well....

"No matter how good your intentions are, there´s alway some jerk, some mean spirited person who tries to bring you down. And all you wanted to do was to bring some love and some joy. And they´re so quick to hate and to judge and be cruel and mean. I just shows that man-kind can be very ugly and cruel, it really does. It brings out the ugly side. "

Michael Jackson in Martin Bashir outtakes  

Probably the most asked question I get from people....especially after they find out how much money I put out of pocket to do this all while being blamed for every bad thing any teen does anywhere in this county is...

"Why do you do it?"

A damn good question I have been asking myself at least weekly for about 6 years now....

Most of the time, I really dont have a great answer.... this blog post is to show you folks the few good answers I do get from time to time (usually I get one JUST as I am about to give it all up.... so I keep going.)

So... let me show you WHY I do this... why I refuse to quit because of petty lies, stereotypes and mistrust.

Chris was standing at the door of the original Ultimate Basement the day we finally opened our doors to the public. He, his younger brother and a young family friend were our very first customers ever.

Since moving the UB to Spindale NC two years ago.... we did not see much of each other anymore.

Except for the last two years, I pretty much watched him grow up. This year, he graduated high school and I am proud to say I was there to watch him do "the walk". I was also very honored when he saw me there and told me how much it meant to him that I was there to see him graduate.

It was not long after that when I was sitting at work, loathing my life, my situation, the knowledge that if I would just "kill" the UB, my money issues would not be as heavy on me as they are (by a decent bit). All I have to do is stop doing what I LOVE doing, so I can afford to keep my home... my poor lifestyle. My boss had just pissed me off beyond measure and I was ready to just chuck it all...hell....I deserve better than this crap.

I swear to you, my bored friend reading my rantings.... that it was that very second, as soon as my boss had left my office after writing me up for not answering an email that was never sent to me.... that I glanced at Facebook and saw I was tagged in a post from Chris...

It read:

"Why its on my mind I want to say a few words about someone who really did help make me, me. Someone that helped get me through rough times. Someone that always helped me stay focused on my dream and never once told me I couldn't make it. He is actually the reason i am who i am, the one that got me started on the the things I love and will never give up on. This person is David Weisgerber. I was overjoyed to see you at my graduation David. You watched me grow up and then watched us walk the stage. You have been such a huge influence in my life and one of my hero's because you always had the intention of helping people. I could never repay you for everything you did for Jesse and I. If not for you I probably wouldn't play guitar, I wouldn't be in a band and my life would be entirely different because I wouldn't of made the friends I have made and believe me my friends are my family and they mean the world to me and I wouldn't have any of that If I didn't have the basement. I don't know if you see it or not but you have made a huge impact in my life and I hope you do the same for many others. I could never thank you enough but I will always try. your an amazing person man thank you for coming to my graduation and making me who I am today. You deserve more recognition for all the great things you do."

He then added:

"You really are amazing man. you may not see it but if you never opened the basement 6 or 7 years ago a mile away from me i would be an entirely different person and my life would suck and i wouldnt have any goals and I probably would be depressed all the time because I would be bored and I wouldnt have any friends and Id never do anything with my life lol but you gave me an ambition that ill never stop striving for and I could never repay you for that."

Now.... how the hell do you quit on that????