All About Steve

by

“I learned to shuffle cards in jail.” 

Steve has had setbacks in his life.

“I wasn’t into hard drugs; I smoked a lot of weed when I was younger, got mixed up into selling it, spent 6 months in prison in the early 90s for selling drugs to an undercover cop.  Lost a good job over that, about went bankrupt.”

Wow.

“I got out and had to start from square one, had to work a job and start entry level. Before I went to prison, I had pretty good job in Van Wert in a factory…that didn’t happen when I got out…7 months later…now what am I gonna do?”

Steve worked at a convenience store for 6 months.  “Went from 15 bucks an hour at the factory  to 5 at the store. I had to get back from where I was, get away from the drugs, cut ties. At first I still had contact with the same people…it took a couple years…went back to smoking pot again, started going down that road again…
“Now I haven’t used anything for 12 years.” 

Steve’s involvement with drugs began when he met some people saying, “We can make some money,” so he agreed to sell…he did that for a year or 2 in the early 90s.  “I was the man in town for weed at that time,” he says.  “I used to go to Kentucky and pick up big bags of weed.”

“I got charged with a DUI in ‘99. I probably should watch the alcohol…” he continues.  The charge was eventually dropped.  Steve still likes to have a few beers, but he has given up drugs for good.  Once he got his life back on track, he started working as a company driver, and is now self-employed, leasing equipment.
“I got fed up with that lifestyle, people coming all hours of the day when I was selling, wondering if they could crash at my place.” 
He continues, “Prison sucked. I was in county jail for 2 months waiting on my court date.  Met a friend, a crack addict drying out, who hanged himself.  I was in lockdown, solitary confinement for five days;  I violated a law by being in someone else’s cell.”  That’s when he learned to shuffle cards.  “I made a few friends, don’t talk to any of them, have run into a few of them,” he says.  “Many had been in and out a few times, one guy who’s probably serving a life term.”

“In hindsight,” says Steve, “it’s not worth it.  I lost 7 months of my life.  I was never afraid of ending up back in,” he says, because he never wanted to do anything to cause that ever again.
“Now I’m more afraid of getting a DUI or being accused of something,” he says, of his fear of returning to prison.  Once he was out, he says, “I felt better, my mind was clearer, maybe read a passage or two of the Bible, I pray.”

“Getting on Facebook has changed my life, make a lot more connections that way, it’s hard for me to be intimate and open up to people.  I’m not really that interesting, I don’t have anyone,” Steve admits.  “I would like to get married and have a kid – I don’t know if I’ll have someone to carry on my name – I’d like to improve my personal life, struggling with dating. I’m a regular Joe, never gonna play in the NBA, never gonna be an actor,” he says.  “I want someone who is funny, not overbearing…looks are important.”
“In a nutshell, professionally, it’s been a rollercoaster for me…I think I’m on the right path, that shouldn’t be a problem. But you never know with the economy…personally I should get out more;  I’m not gonna meet a good girl at a bar.”

I have met Steve and know him fairly well, and he doesn’t give himself enough credit.  He is smart, hilarious, and I think should have no problem meeting the right girl who will help him carry on his name.

He has turned his life around, all on his own.