Just please don't fall asleep.
Let's see... It started with a bad day at work three years ago in July. I was still the wide-eyed new kid and had just gotten sent to Supply department to fulfill my obligation. At least they didn't send me to the mess decks. Instead they sent me to the paint locker. We just gotten a new leading petty officer who was still getting used to being a first class, let a lone leading the division. On top of that most of the division comprised of rejects and or short termers from different departments. They couldn't care less.
This particular day, I had to sit out in a paint locker with terrible ventilation in ninety degree plus weather and one hundred percent humidity. I was already starting to get a headache when it was revealed that some one had not taken an inventory like they were supposed to, so the division had to take everything out of the locker and inventory every thing. Down to the lowliest tube of silicone. The next seven hours was endless complaints and bickering among us. Pointing fingers, accusing, etc. I had gotten out five hours late that day and it was already pitch black out.
I then sat on the mess decks with the new laptop and tablet that I bought in April. I was still getting used to drawing without looking at my hands. But it was easier. So I started to draw something out my usual stuff. An ugly, battle scarred captain. Broken teeth, broken nose, bright eyes, a bitter disposition, a terrifying smile, it was the best digital drawing so far. I still keep it to this day.
But I continued to draw him, giving him color, thicker eyebrows so he didn't look like a pedophile. But I kept thinking of a name. I had a first name, 'Roger', but the last name eluded me. I racked my brain for uncommon last names that suited him. I remembered hearing a name years ago that seemed to fit. I don't remember when, where or why. I just thought it sounded neat. It was decided that the character's name was going to be 'Roger Bukowsky.'
I didn't give it a second thought and continued to tinker with the character, giving him flesh one muscle at a time. It soon evolved in to an entire cast of whack jobs, freak shows, and bizarre characters, but Roger was always the lead, evolving in to what could be described as an ornery, way too old version of the 'Ancient Mariner.' Angry at God, drinks in hopes of finally getting drunk again only to fail, womanizer, doesn't care about the world. Cursed. Brutally honest. Storyteller.
It had been relatively recently I started getting questions asking if there was a relation between him and Charles Bukowski. Over and over again, his books were being suggested to me. So I looked up his biography online and thought him to be a more than interesting subject. Uncomfortably familiar. A couple of weeks ago, I went to the bookstore and picked up 'Tales of Ordinary Madness' and started reading. It had to be the best thing I've done for myself in years. Here in this book was my character's thought and psychology laid out in print by a man who died when I was learning how to read. This was the launching pad that I needed. Now I'm hooked. Now I can write my story.
I hope I didn't bore.