Passing the Buck

Ah, yes, passing the buck. If we’re honest with ourselves, we’ve all passed the buck once or twice at least. The question is, when does passing the buck become a severe problem? I’m not talking about the head of payroll making a mistake on a lower level employee’s paycheck in the matter of a dollar and maybe a few cents. I’m also not talking about being charged a dollar extra at your favorite franchise where “Everything’s $1.00!”

To be honest with you, I’m moderately well-known as an author with a penchant for the disgusting. In my book GROUND, which has been described as a modern day “Soylent Green,” my story of cannibalism in a Texas prison at times gravitates toward gut-wrenching and gross. That said, I feel I must tell you this: I am in love with that book. It has everything I could ever want in a narrative.

On the other side of the coin, I find it necessary to tell you that there is another love interest of mine, and that is that people need to take responsibility for their children. All too often, they’re left unattended at grocery stores, in shopping malls, and even in vehicles in extreme hot and cold weather.

Often, these children die and the parents more or less shrug their shoulders. Some of them lie their way into probation, while others get jail time for child abuse and neglect. This is one kind of disgusting that I can barely stomach. Allow me to give you an example.

There are three people that have fallen into this category that I know personally. We’ll call them Zach, Krista and Curtis. Zach and Krista had barely known each other before they created a girl who was born out of lust. With Zach’s working schedule, though, Krista became very lonely and began to see Zach’s best friend Nathan. It is widely believed that Nathan fathered what would become her second child, whose name we’ll call Eric.

Foolishly, Zach did not get a paternity test as he claimed he didn’t know Krista was cheating on him. Zach and Krista had gotten married at Zach’s father’s house, who is an ordained minister. Sadly, the marriage fizzled out as both Zach and Krista were constantly arguing over petty things and soon were divorced.

Not long after, Krista met another man by the name of Curtis. At first glance, he was a respectful man who did a lot of things right. The pair would have two children, but Krista and Curtis were too deeply involved with themselves to care about anyone else. One of the older child’s diapers would hang down, needing desperately to be changed, while the smaller one was barely fed.

Folks, I know it and you know it. There are no heroes in this story. Except, maybe, the woman who took in these four children. Being over 50 years of age, however, with little help, it makes it very difficult when you could swear that these children were raised by wolves.

Recently, the two smallest children belonging to Curtis and Krista were given to the State. Curtis became enraged, wanting to know why she couldn’t care for them.

Some people just need to stand up and be a parent. Quit being blind and selfish, you know? There’s a level of responsibility that remains in front of you. All that needs to be done is stepping up to the plate and saying, “I was the reason for this. I am going to take control.”