Arriving in Las Vegas, Nevada after my stay in the frigid, Arctic wastelands of the northeast US was a relief. What should’ve been a three-day trip becoming a two-day, cross-country blitz was even more amazing. All credit for safely traveling, past purchasing the vehicle, goes to the woman who accompanied me cross-country. Aside from lovingly housing me while in her state & happily welcoming me into her collective of friends… this was my first chance to truly leave since arriving, and though I hated admitting it, I couldn’t wait. Even with as half-heartedly judgmental & secretive as they were… her friends were all kind to me in instances where no other options were “convenient.” For that, I appreciate and respect them all. Hell, I even liked one or two of ’em. Considering I came into their state outwardly rooting against their Football team, declaring that their bitter rivals were my heroes… I had fun with everyone.

When the time to migrate west came, we packed our purchased car full & hit road. She drove the whole way there, through Green Bay most importantly (…so that I’d see Lambeau Field from a distance so much closer than California). When we left, Google Maps was telling us (considering weather) that a drive to Las Vegas… 2000 miles, cross-country, would take 32 hours or so. My phone anticipated three days travel time… we made it in two. It gave us a day to setup our move-in, shop for things, get comfy in our new city… and “just adjust” together. By all means, this was going to be #4’s first time inhabiting metropolitan civilization. Before I’d inadvertently swept in to “rescue her,” her life-outlook options were pretty minimal… they probably considered a pleasant room at a local Retirement Community, overlooking the state’s dump or something. By all means, when I arrived, she wasn’t affording much more. And for that, I will steadfastly stay grateful to her, for as long as I live.

Our westbound trip included one overnight-stay at a motel in Colorado, during which I barely slept. Another leg of my adventure was about to start!! I’d actually done work for this guy before!!! And NOW, I was going to be ON-SIGHT working in the city of Las Vegas for him… a type of move I’d never made before then. I was kid-in-a-candy-store excited!!!!!!

New home’s location was well-centered, I was local to friends I’d gone to elementary school with… and I had a new job opportunity, one unlike I’d ever had. Our car was running, and wife had video games to cheer her up during her days while I worked. I never saw a single thing wrong with the equation. And I’m here to tell ya, it would’ve stayed that way…… had it not been for my first “neurological incident” at work. Before any such thing, I’d just finished spending little more than a year out east, after leaving California.

I’d arrived in out that way in mid-2013. While eastward, I’d actually taken another job with a different company… but daily, it felt like the temperature of the commute alone would kill me. My Nevada opportunity had me set to head west in 2015, about two years after I landed in frigidity. During my time working in Vegas, “Woman #4” & I occupied time in a myriad of ways. Some nights, we’d go out and wander casinos. I’d do my best to entertain & feed her, while photographing surroundings & staying mindful of work, and of course… showing the “other-half” around. Sometimes, we’d see movies together. On occasion, we’d go out to see them… but my schedule & her “motivations” didn’t have “us” leaving home together much. If at all, we mainly watched movies at home. Most of what we did was at or from home. While there, we did manage to see one concert (Incubus), and it was outstanding. I loved it. It was most memorable for me because #4 actually left the house that night. I was startled beyond words.

As with any relocation, the most entertaining of adjustments comes to acclimation. Now, try this crap when you’re moving from Alaska to HELL. Leaving an area like hers, bound for Las Vegas… were you from her area, it would be ideal to gather everyone collectively & piss them all off at once. Ya know, one last time before you take off. If they ever “pony-up” to come visit Nevada & actually brave the western front… they won’t find cool air out here. They’ll find smog, traffic, too many people & a lot of indifference. They’ll regret coming. They’ll want to leave without telling you. They won’t be arriving with conflict in mind.

Ironic that I mention conflict, right?

Throughout my time in Vegas, #4’s involvement was minimal in many things, but conflict was never one of them. As soon as her opportunity to disagree presented itself, she ran with it like a gambler. Prior, she’d warned me about her own instabilities, which she believed her prescribed “mood medication” affected somehow. I’d never seen “life” affect someone like her, like it seemed to in her own mind, around when she disappeared. This woman literally did nothing but play video games, consume THC & eat our food. I know, I know…… she must’ve been in Hell.

A day came in Vegas where my health once again cost me my job… this time, once I’d been with the company nearly two years, after a cross-country relocation to take their job… but this time with a severance check. It enabled me to somewhat-fairly seek options beyond a company that’d just seen my unhealthiest, & then rejected me. As quickly as possible, I became licensed in Insurance Sales in a last-ditch effort to maximize salvation efforts. While enduring, friends occasionally offered supportive company. Wife & I finally began to seem as though we were less at conflict.

That was for a damn good reason. By all means, her reason to fight was gone… yet right then, I was none the wiser to her underlying “Plan-B.”

Keep in mind, I hadn’t even wrecked my second car since arriving in Vegas yet. After having lost the job I’d relocated cross-country for via my health, I went at Life Insurance full-blown. A day came where I showed up, back at home after work, and she wasn’t there. Neither were her things or the animals. By then, me and this woman had gotten married & had been as such for just more than a year. “Till death do us part,” right?!?!

No, sir. No, ma’am. Not only was I about to be under the weather, unemployed & fundamentally ALONE in a “remote city.” I was about to go through relocation after trip after visit, spanning the continent at some points………… YET AGAIN. If you’d told me all of this was forthcoming halfway into 2017, I’d have called you crazy. Yet, once again, there I was…… alone.

David Hojak was about to be in for one Hell of a ride…… and he was none the wiser to it, as he started that same day.

“Some words when spoken…can’t be taken back…”

~Eddie Vedder