Goodbye Sockmydink....
I dedicate my 3000th post to this young man, who sadly, is no longer with us. I've spent the last couple months mentoring him and providing guidance where he needed it. However, this last week was just too much for the little guy.
It started when his dad got fired from the nearby steel mill. Apparently some dipsy bottom level workers did something stupid while his dad was looking the other direction and caused a major malfunction. One of the tanks' lids was released, and noxious vapors started to escape the tank. Although his dad was able to contain the incident and nobody was injured, it resulted in his father being fired and then given a blackmark on his record. Meaning that he would never find a job as a chemical engineer again.
Unable to make the house payments because of his lack of a job, and feeling that it was entirely his fault, his father committed suicide. He stuck a .357 in his mouth and blew his brains all over the bathroom shower stall.
Sockmydink became the man of the house at the age of 15. His mom grew hysterical because of the loss of her husband and took up crack. Realizing what she had done, he called the local hospital and had her placed in a detox program. From there, he visited her everyday. She believed he needed therapy for his depression and often suggested it to him when he was visiting. Problem is, is sockmydink didn't believe that psychiatry or therapy works. He refused and his depression problem went untreated.
Shortly afterwards his girlfriend of 2 years dumped him for apparently no reason other than "it's going nowhere." Sockmydink later found her making out with his best friend at a local neighborhood park. After confronting them, he discovered that she had been cheating on him for the past several weeks.
I had been coaching through all of this the entire time, but when he found out his girlfriend who he was madly in love with was cheating on him with his BEST friend... It was too much. The little guy snapped. Below is the abrupt conversation we had while I was on paltalk last night.
By the time my post commander contacted the local Minneapolis authorities, it was likely too late. I went back to my barracks room hoping and praying that this young man would make it through all right.
Forty five minutes later, I got a call to my room.
"Specialist _____, report to Colonel _____'s office." When I arrived I went straight to attention and saluted just like a good soldier would, but the Colonel saw the concern in my eyes. "At ease son. We just got word that your friend was pronounced dead 15 minutes ago. You did the right thing by calling me and having me contact the local authorities. You did all you could do. If you want, I'll call the chaplin for you, but other than that, there's not much we can do until we get back to the states." I denied the offer for the chaplin. "Very well, dismissed."
I didn't know what to do. There was nothing I COULD do. So I went back to my barracks room and told my room mates what had happened. Consolation from your brothers is always better than that of a religious officer who is out of the loop and doesn't even carry a weapon besides a couple of books and metal trinkets.
I know that he was a pretty obscure user on here, just one 15 year old of many, but it's important to remember that life is precious. Even if you didn't know him very well or even disliked him. We are nothing but grains of sand in time and our lives may be blown away at any moment.
Rest in peace SockMyDink 1993-2008
Below is the final minute of my conversation with him. We'll miss you little guy!
