So, I had been back from Florida, and came through that really bad relationship, and car accident. I remember saying I am done with guys' !! I even had made friends with one of 'his' (my ex's) girlfriends!! She is in fact the one who filled me in on his where abouts while I was being hospitalized, and in the following months, she told me she received roses,from him on her birthday.. 4 days before mine, in March.. I did not even hear from him.. I remember in the Spring at like 11 pm he called me asking me to meet him in Leesburg, VA about a 25 -30 minutes form my house.. I jumped up and said Id be there.. I had no money, and no gas.. I remember using a gas can with 2-3 gallons in it.. for the lawn mower, and as I was putting it my little car,I bought with some of the accident money.. my dad drove up... he was like like, Patty what are you up to?.. I told him I was going to meet tony.. he just shrugged his shoulders.. I think he thought after all I had been through , he would never be mentioned again.. So, I drove off.. into the night down a very long lonely hi-way in the late 70's.. Now.. I don't think there is a mile of land not built on... I finally get there, and waited hours, i tried to call his house, and no answer.. I was so sad.. I drove back home.. and cried..  all night.. I was still so stuck on him.. I finally, heard from him and asked him where he was.. he said he fell asleep...!!! How naive of me.. Well, I did not see him for a few months, I think we hooked up one nite, and talked and played around, and that was it for a year or 2.. I began waitressing at the local Pizza joint..I was working with Lynn, Tony's old girlfriend..after a few months she asked me to move in. She was getting an apt. around the corner.. Well, I agreed. She was a bit of a  'hyprocondract'.so she knew all the phone numbers form the EMS to the emergency room at the local hospital.. I will explain why I put that in ..So, with all the construction men, coming in for lunch.. I met this tall brown eyed ,laid back,strong as an ox guy.. We flirted for a couple of weeks, I had seen he had this loud mouthed hot tempered girlfriend.. she would be yelling real loud,when she came in to the pizzeria.. and sit next to him.. I figured I would wait that one out.. finally a day came, he was alone..with his boss.. and asked me out.. We went to the local convenient store, and bought beer. I had my stash.So, we would drive around.. and I found out he was home less.. so, we would go to my dads house, where I would let him shower, eat.. and get cleaned up. I remember, being asked to work with him, and I quit my waitressing job, to begin a career, in Landscaping.... I was making pretty good money.. and believe me , I earned it..but I loved being outside..  this company.. STM Landscape and designs.. was totally the Company to be with in 1979-, 1980,1981,1982 we had every apt complex in Reston .and Herndon, and most of the Hotels, and Big businesses.. We did it...all. We lived and partied hard.. I found us a Lil shack in the back end of town, I mean literally, it was an old chicken coupe, and my landlord looked like Uncle Fester from the Addams family..lol.. I mean the dark circles and the big fur collar,on his coat.. I laughed.. ,but the rent was just right.. $225.00 a month.. Well, I left my Fathers beautiful 4 bedroom 4 bath, Cathedral ceiling, and all the privacy I could want.. for an old Shack.. Which I found out one night, my boss was going through the hallway.. and I tickled him from behind in his ribs and he jumped and fell into the wall laughing.. and busted the wall up!! And there were chicken feather flying everywhere.. we looked inside laughing our buts off, and the chickens wire was all inside the wall.. Also, when you see the picture of the house I took for a photography class, you can see where he built onto it.. , Wow.. he is a rich man..he had several other properties.. too.So, the year of me trying to make a house a home.. I gave it all I could.. with all my prized positions, and my boyfriends few things.. I had the usual battles.. I wanted a clean house..It caused so many arguments.. I through  a lighter at the slob one night at dinner and the kitchen table was on me the next thing I knew.. what a mess.. for a bout 2 years.. I was so high one nite, and I met up with my friend Lynn.. and she was in her apt. and said she could use  another person, well.. it was November, I packed up my belongings, and me and my pick-up truck set on 10 miles down the road.. I remember it began to snow.. and it was cold.. we had a wood stove.for heat.. and some electric heaters.. I remember saying I left my dad's beautiful home,with Central heating and A/c for this?.. I had to go,, This could not be my life..So, I packed up and moved into  this apt. I was going out to the K-mart after I unpacked my room, when I see in  my headlights, my boyfriend standing at the corner of my Apt. complex..in the Snow!! He was holding something.. So, I stopped to pick him up. I said get in the truck.. are you alright? He was not..he was furious, and sad.. He could not believe I just up and left.. I said it'll be okay.. I just need to be on my own.. I asked what was in the box, he said a pool stick.. he was going to shoot pool.. I said "oh yeah?' Let me see.. It was a gun !! I was like what are you doing with that.. he said nothing I was just going to have it for protection...... Well. I took him home the house, and I it was real empty, and I told him again, and again it will be fine.. I even tucked him in.. kissed him goodbye and headed to k-mart.. I then headed home too.. Well, around 5 am I get a phone call.. saying faintly, it was my boyfriend, saying his brother-in-law shot him , and to call an ambulance!!! I was like what, why?.. and the phone went dead!! I was like Jo, can you call an ambulance, and I will meet you over at the house.. well like I said earlier..she knew the numbers.. for some reason I don't think 911 was an option then.. So, I got to the house in a flash, and his car was running.. and the windshield was all shot out. and the door to the car was opened, I looked in and seen the 22 rifle laying on the floor , and what a bloody mess it was.. so I ran up to the front door, and more blood, and the keys were still in the door knob, and,and the door was opened, and ran inside, and there was no electric.. I went looking for him. I went into the kitchen and the phone was on the floor and in the moonlight I see blood all over the handle of the phone, and down the wall.. and as I get to the bedroom, I hear him moaning.. I was like what happened?? !! He said Tracy,(his sisters husband) a PCP, and drug user..who never really liked either of us.. Well.. I was looking for some wound when the policeman came in and turned him over and shined the flash light on the 2.. bullet holes.. 2 entry wounds, and one exit wound.. not good.. through his intestines..what a sight to see.. well.. they took him out on a gurney, and we rode to the hospital..It was hours, and hours before I seen his mother.. mind you she did not like me either to say the least.. She is a Jehovah witness, and was fighting him receiving blood.. Well, I had been living with him and I said the heck with that .. I signed a form and said to do what you gotta do.. and I remember her pacing with with me in the same hallway , telling me I did not love him.. I though you rude woman.. you don't love him, here you are denying him the care that will make or break  his survival.you don't love him..I was point blank mad!! Well, the Doctor came out to talk to us, and said he is doing fine, still critical he lost some of his intestines, and a bullets was found in his lower back.. I finally got to go in an see him.. he was white as a ghost, and lost so much blood.. he must have weighed 125 pounds!! From a well built 225lbs. to 125.. I was so shocked.. Well, he going to have a bag tied to his side for around 3 months.. So, I talked to him, and he secretly told me he felt bad, and that he had inflicted this himself.. Although the police were in route to Tracey's house.. By the time they talked to him he was cleared anyway.. he had an established alibi. Plus, the the windshield was shot out, not in.. Our neighbors came forth and said the heard 2 shots in the back woods.. around 11pm that night.. the gas station at the Dulles airport turnaround, also put a call in at 10pm saying that there was someone in his car description that got gas and did not pay.., then a bartender.. who served him like 122.00 dollars worth of whiskey noticed he walked out on his bill.. So the pieces where coming together to solve this tragic story.. It was a cry for help!!.. So, I spent the next probably 5 months helping him get back to health, and before I knew it.. he was his anawry self.. In fact he was living at his sisters apt.. downtown Herndon, where years earlier, this black guy jumped out on my front wheel of my bike, and asked me my name, I said Kathy, and he said yeah, yeah your the girl who ratted my cousin Kieth Scott out..! I was new to area.. I said NO-Way.. I did not.. I don't even know him. and with that he punched me so hard in my eye!!! I just freaked ,and through my 10 speed so hi up in the air.. cursing this state... ( my bulldog of a sister, saw my black eye, and went out to hunt that guy down, in a 'bbbaaaad' section of town.. I only had to pass the opening of this complex to get into town.. so, I thought I would be safe.. well, an Attorney saw the whole thing from his desk,window, and ran to my aid.. Well, years later here I am going in there to visit my boyfriend.. who eventually found a girlfriend in the complex.. I went off to party, but months later we got back together.. , then.. I went to Los Angeles.. then I came back again.. and then he found a girlfriend, and burned down the house I was living in...that my friends is next..