reflections.

A blonde teenager, wanting to earn some extra money for the summer, decided to hire herself out as a "handy-woman"

She started canvassing a nearby well-to-do neighborhood. She went to the front door of the first house, and asked the owner if he had any odd jobs for her to do.

"Well, I guess I could use somebody to paint my porch," he said, "How much will you charge me?"

Delighted, the girl quickly responded, "How about $50?"

The man agreed and told her that the paint brushes and everything she would need was in the garage.

The man's wife, hearing the conversation said to her husband, "Does she realize that our porch goes ALL the way around the house?"

He responded, "That's a bit cynical, isn't it?"

The wife replied, "You're right. I guess I'm starting to believe all those dumb blonde jokes we've been getting by email lately."

Later that day, the blonde teenager came to the door to collect her money.

"You're finished already?" the startled husband asked.

"Yes, and I even had paint left over, so I gave it two coats."

Impressed, the man reached into his pocket for the $50.00 and handed it to her along with a $10.00 tip.

“And, by the way," the teenager added, "it's not a Porch, it's a Lexus."

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"This is my ex. This right here is more valuable than gold.

This is a man who doesn't pay a dime through the state because when my son needs new clothes, I just call him.

This is a man who buys a bundle of kids' movies on Vudu so even I can enjoy them with my son in my own home.

A man who drops off the $45 box of pull-ups at my front door so I don't have to load my son up and go to the store.

One who takes his son in on 10 minute notice, far more often than he should, because I have too much to get done or just need a nap.

This is a man who listens to me cry because I'm stressed out.

This is a man who tells his son not to forget mommy's boyfriend when he lists his favorite people off the top of his head.

A man who rushes over because we got locked out of the house, or spends his evening fixing something for us.

This is a man who labeled the presents he bought his son from 'mommy' because mommy couldn't get him as many.

A man who still watches my sister's kids so our son can be with his cousins.

One who accompanies me to meet strangers from Craigslist to ensure we are safe.

This is the diaper-bag-wearing, chocolate-milk-making, selfless, protective, generous, accomplished FATHER to my son.

The amount of obstacles we've had to overcome to get to this point are tremendous. This was not easy; this was a choice. Stop giving excuses and come together for your children. I'm the most stubborn person I know and forgiveness came easy to us for the sake of our son. And because of that, I see my son every single day. We always welcome each other's presence.

In case I haven't told you lately, I'm grateful for you. Most importantly, for the motivated individual you are and how you provide Pierson with a phenomenal role model despite the foundation you once had. I love the amount of love my son will always have from you.

--------------------------------

"The other day while eating with my man, Donald (blue shirt) he gets up and "walks to the bathroom" but instead, I watch him stop at a booth where this man is sitting alone.

There's nothing on the table and while listening I hear Donald say 'you hungry buddy?'

His eyes light up, he looks up at Donald and says 'you have no idea.' Donald smiles and says 'C'mon, I got you.'

They walk up and Donald orders whatever the man wants. All the while they have NO IDEA while their in

conversation talking like old friends everyone is staring, in awe, even some kids, making them all think.

When Donald gets back to me he doesn't say one word, he just began talking to me about other things. He didn't need anything back, he just wanted to help."

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Outside boots the chemist some time ago here in Boscombe was a young homeless lad about 19 years of age. I stopped to talk with him and find out why a young man like this was homeless. Apparently his mental health meant his parents couldn't cope with him any more and they had thrown him out - CAN YOU IMAGINE ????? Throwing out your own child and all because he is a handful, which ultimately is the parents responsibility - and he found himself homeless and his parents didn't want to know.

I was NOT about to offer him a warm bed in the hotel ( and to those who have dirty minds who assume that like themselves all I was after was his tush - when sex was the farthest thought from my mind and those who immediately assume otherwise are sick twisted assholes assuming others to be as vile and as using as they are ) and a meal - as this was mid February and freezing cold outside - as I know the dangers that can unfold from that - but I did give him £10 and joke with him that my friends tell me I should not give money to the homeless as all they do is spend it on booze and drugs, and I had to joke with the lad that - ' THAT WAS EXACTLY WHAT I WAS GOING TO SPEND IT ON, SO WHAT'S THE PROBLEM.' - and he laughed.

I told him to pop round to Hamilton Hall as I had a few spare quilts he could use and he was delighted.

I had empty rooms. I have a campervan sitting empty. I even have a garage he could have camped in. I could have taken him in and checked on his mental and physical health as it would have been vastly improved just having somewhere safe, warm and where he is fed and looked after BUT - that is not my job and sadly from enough experience, it always ends badly.

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In the early morning hours of September 5, 1986, a Pan Am flight carrying 365 passengers from Pakistan to Germany was hijacked by four Palestinian terrorists

As the hijackers boarded the plane and demanded passage to Cyprus, the flight crew was forced to act quickly. The senior air hostess, 22-year-old Neerja Bhanot, swiftly punched in the code for "hijacking" over the intercom, which allowed the pilots to escape from the cockpit unscathed and kept the plane on the ground.

Over the next 17 hours, Bhanot bravely put her life on the line to save others again and again. When the terrorists demanded the passports of American passengers, presumably to single them out for execution, Bhanot hid their documents, flushing them down the toilet or hiding them under seat cushions. And when the ordeal came to a head and the hijackers began shooting indiscriminately into the aisles, Bhanot flung open the emergency door, allowing hundreds of passengers to jump to safety. She stayed behind to shield three children from gunfire — and was killed in the process.

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