Dobbs 1

Celia Dobbs

Creative writing

Mrs. Mounts

The Life of Ryder Harrison

Story 1 - Ryder was born with two parents in his life. From the outside it

looked like a good marriage. But when Ryder was very young, he noticed how his dad

treated others, including his family. Ryder's father was a very aggressive man. He

would lay a hand on his wife, but could come very close. Ryder saw how his dad's

anger got the best of him at times. Ryders mother, Caroline, always wished her

husband the best no matter how hard things got. She meant it when she said “through

good and bad”. But his father, John, didn't fully understand this concept. Everyone

tired to help John but he never got better, just had good days.

Caroline tried her best to not let Ryder see how his dad was. She wanted his life

to just be happy and full of love. But she couldn't hide everything… John would show

anger while he was with Ryder. Once in a while his anger would spill out of his mouth

causing Ryder to become discouraged. And as he got older, he said he'd never grow
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up to be like his father. Ryder saw how it affected his whole household. It had a

damper on his childhood, and not one thing could ever get those memories back.

When Ryder was seven years old, his dad watched his first football game. Now

when you are seven you're not perfect, and you aren't as strong no matter what.

Ryders team had just won their game, but to John, his son wasn't good enough. As he

was talking Ryder home that night, he said to him “ Hey son, how do you think you

played?” and Ryder responded with “ Not to bad, for it only being the second game.”

This was the wrong answer. John blew up on him, and said that if he wanted to live

under his roof and eat his food, then he won't disrespect his father in that game, and

talking back like that. To Ryder, he didn't talk back, just answered a honest question.

But to John it was disrespectful. Ryder began to shed a tear. His dad pulled the car

over in a fast, scary jerk. He grabbed Ryder by his neck and screamed “Dont you let

that tear drop! I raised you to be a man, not a young lady!”. At that moment Ryder

tried with every bone in his body not to let out a cry. But he just couldn't help it. John

was going ninety miles per hour on the way home.

Caroline wasn't there, she was gone for the weekend for work. When John

opened the door he threw Ryder across the living room, as if he was just some guy in

a bar fight. He yelled his name and told him this isn't how you act at seven. And the

with all his might Ryder shouted “This isn't how you act when you are my father, and

only role model!!” The room went silent. John thought about his little boys words for
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a momenty. You could see that hurt him, but maybe it was a wake up call. No. He got

furious. Ryder ran up the stairs to his bed room, and locked the door. His dad yelled

“Don't you leave that room boy, or you'll have something waiting down here for ya.”.

So he stayed.

Ryder cried all night thinking about what it'd be like to have a father who cared

and was everything like the movies. But he was stuck with a hurtful father, and loving

mother. Ryder just wanted to talk to his mom. He wanted her to do something, but he

knows it's how his life will always be. Ryder thinks about his dads childhood. Was it

the same? He doesn't know, he never met his Grandparents. But if it was then maybe

that's all John knows. Maybe that's how his dad treated him so that's how he will treat

Ryder.

Ryder hears a soft sob, and the liquor cabinet open. He runs to his door to hear

a little more. “Please help me. I don't know why i've become this way but my boy

can't be treated like this. I want him to know I love him, but how could he ever

forgive me?”. Ryder thinks a moment. He opens his door and says in a low, quiet

voice, “Dad?”. “WHat boy?” “I love you too.” states Ryder. Then he went back and

shut his door. All the while John is thinking what is the best thing in this situation. So

he makes his last, and final decision.

Caroline arrives home the next morning. She walks to check on Ryder, he's

sound asleep. Then off to her room to greet her husband. She opens the door to
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nothing. Her closet is now nothing but her own clothes, and her own shoes. She didn't

see this one coming. She sobbed all morning until Ryder woke up. She had to tell him

what had happened. “Good morning baby! I missed you!”. “I missed you more

momma.” She sat him down at the table and told him that daddy did what he thought

was the best thing for everyone. He knew it would hurt, but didn't know that the

family cared. This made Ryder very upset. He thought it was okay from last night.

Why would his dad just leave? He didn't give anyone a reason, or a heads up. This

was unfair.

Ryder was once sorry for his dad, but he loved him with all his heart. But even

at a young age, he knew what it meant to feel let down. This was the time he really

told himself to never be like his father. To never quit on his own family and leave his

whole life behind, no matter the circumstances. Ryder now thinks of his dad as a

coward. One who runs away from his problems and doesn't fight for what he loves in

life. His dad was someone he looked up to when he wasn't angry. He was a very

caring person, he just had some things. We all do. But this was something more. This

was unforgivable in Ryders young eyes. So from this day on forward, Ryder won't

speak to his father for twenty years. He won't acknowledge him, and it will be Johns

fault.

Story 2 - It was Ryders seventeenth birthday. Now ten years after his father left

him and his mother. He thinks about him sometimes, but not anything good. Today
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was just a normal day, until Ryder saw the new girl. Her name was Cayli Clark. Her

hair hung down to mid back, brown and straight. Ryder couldn't keep his eyes off of

her. She was his lab partner in chemistry, so he decided to ask her her number. She

gave in a small piece of paper and wrote “Use wisley :)”.

After school he called her. “Hello, is this Cayli?”, “Yes, is this Ryder haha.”.

They talked for and hour and he asked if she wanted to get coffee. They hit it off that

day, and just seemed so happy together. Ryder and Cayli will now share something

between each other that they would have never guessed.

After four mouth of being friends, he finally asked her to be his girlfriend. She

said yes, of course. One night after a football game, which Ryder and his team had

lost, Cayli tried to make him feel better. She told him that he played as god as he

could have, but that team was just very good. Ryder was so angry and what she was

saying made it worse. They were in the car and he started to raise his voice and said “

You have no idea how much we practice to be ready for this. You don't know so stop

trying to help because its not working!” Cayli was taken back and sat quietly. AFter

he dropped her off she called him. “Ryder I get you are upset but there is no need to

take it out on me! I was only trying to help!” “Well it doesn't work like that so just

stop Cay!” She hung up and didn't speak to him the rest of the night.

Ryder felt bad because that is what his dad would have done. This is what he is

trying to stay away from. But why couldn't he help it? So he went to talk to his mom
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about it and ask her for some help. Caroline told her son that just because of one

problem in life, don't go take it somewhere else than where it happened. He just

needed to leave it on the field. Ryder agreed and wondered how he could make it up

to Cayli. SO the next day at school he brought a dozen roses for her with and “Im

Sorry” card. She gave him a smile and said that it was okay, and Ryder told he they

could take more after school.

She came home with him that day, and he decided to tell her about his dad.

Once she found out, she understand why he got so angry. But she told Ryder that she

will help him get through this because she loves him. And Ryder gave her a big hug

and said “I love you too”. So now that Cayli knows about his anger problems, she is

going to help him when he's angry and get to know what helps and what doesn't.

Ryder got into some drama with a boy from another school, who was saying

that Ryder can't do anything right, and no wonder his dad left. This set Ryder off to

another level he has yet to experience. Cayli was with him when he was getting the

messages. She asked if everything was okay and boom, he blew up again.

“No, nothing is okay! This is unfair and in not dealing with this again! You

need to stop getting into my business, and just leave me alone!!”. Cayli made him stop

the car and told him to calm down. She said she's not dealing with this again, and

thought he was doing good. He just sat there with hatred in his eyes but no words.

Cayli said “Take me home then”. So that what he did.

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He didn't even try to say sorry this time because of all his anger. He had too

much pride this time because it wasn't just a game. His mom went up to talk to him.

“Honey is everything okay?” “No mom, it's not, I really messed up. I don't know how

to fix things now.”. Caroline explained that his anger can be put down by just thinking

about what he really wants in life, and not the little things that won't matter in the

future. She explained that if he really doesn't want to lose Cayli, then he needs to tell

her that. He needs to tell her that he will try and work on different things to help his

anger. Also to tell her that she's means so much that he's willing to fight for there

relationship. So that's what he did. Cayli felt the same way and was happy with the

change.

Story 3 - Ryder has grown to be twenty-seven years old. It is present day and

he now currently resides in Denver, Colorado. He married his high school sweetheart,

Cayli, and throughout the rollercoaster of emotional years, Cayli was able to stay with

Ryder and help him conquer his aggressive behavior. After they wed, Cayli gave birth

to two beautiful little boys nine months later.

Ryder still tries every single day not to become the horrible man his Father

once was. But today, Ryder became suddenly irritated when his two boys refused to

clean up their room even though it looked like a tornado had gone through their

bedroom. After he yelled at the boys, Cayli came in and told him that he needed to

calm down before things got out of control. He couldn't handle his anger alone. Cayli
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now has to walk him through what he thinks is a big problem but is a minor error in a

young child’s life. They work on this as a couple and it helps Ryder but it can

sometimes be a strain on her and her emotions so when it becomes too much for her,

she discusses how it makes her feel with Ryder.

Ryder’s Mother, Caroline, is so ecstatic to see the boy she had raised, finally

grew up to be a fine young man. Even though his Father was not around to help him

through the problems he has faced as well, Ryder had always promised that when he

grew up, he would make his absolute best effort to work on his issues and be the best

man he can be for his family. He wanted to be the opposite of his Father and what he

showed him while Ryder was growing up. That is exactly what he did, sure there were

accidents and mistakes here and there, but that never stopped Ryder from fulfilling his

promise and being the man his family needed.

When Ryder makes a mistake, he feels awful for what he had done, just like

when he got upset with Cayli and the boys witnessed the event. Ryder was irrationally

upset with Cayli because on the first day of his new job, Cayli was suppose to make

him a lunch but she accidentally forgot to put it by the door but she was too focused

on making the boys lunch and getting them ready for school. There was no need for

Ryder to get as frustrated as he did with this, but when he did, and he saw the boys

watching, his heart broke just a little inside. It made him realize that this argument
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was totally invalid and he was hurting his family and showing the kids how they

should not be when they grow up.

The whole family was so amazed with how far Ryder has come in his journey

on becoming a better man. Ryder couldn’t be anymore happy that he got the girl of his

dreams to stick by his side through thick and thin. And then he was blessed with two

incredibly intelligent little boys.

Caroline, his mother, was a big support in Ryder’s journey throughout his life.

He couldn’t of asked for a better Mother. When his Father left, she was there. With

anything. She was the strongest woman he had ever met. Even though it was rough for

Ryder when his Father left, he actually became thankful for his Dad walking out

because if that had never happened, he fears he would have became just like him.

Ryder would have wanted it any other way. But one thing that he wished for

was his mom to still be in his life. But he won't ever forget everything she said to him,

and taught him how to do all on her own. She was the best mother, and grandmother,

even if it was for just a bit. The Mother and son bond they had, was so strong not one

thing could ever come in between them.

All in all, Ryder became the man his father wasn't. He overcame all anger

issues he has had, and he was so lucky to have such an amazing mother, and now

wife. They are the two women in his life that he will always be so, so grateful for no

matter what comes up in there lives together from here on out.

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