What you would do to keep your job

I don't think any job is worth risking my life. That being said, and I don't think this is a d_b,, if you were asked to cover a hurricane or a hostage situation up close and personal, would you do it?

 

Hostage situation: No way.
Hurricane: Perhaps.

 

I'd offer up a Klondike Bar...

 

I'd likely do anything for a Klondike bar. But I'd cover a hurricane or a hostage situation. To be honest, I like risks, and I'd be OK sacrificing my life for something that has the possibility to be special. I'd definitely volunteer before anyone with a family.

And, seriously, my life is important to me, but I don't treasure it right now, if that makes sense. I'd put a lot of things in front of it -- friends, family and, right now, work. At this moment, I'd sacrifice almost anything for the product, including my health and safety. Part of that is because I'm not bound by a family. But, and I've been thinking about this since high school, when I die, I want it to benefit someone. If I had the capability, I'd be really bummed if I died and it didn't positively affect someone's life. I'm not sure covering a news or sporting event would get that job done, so to speak, but I'd take it over dying in my sleep. Who knows, it might influence a few people.

 

Ya know, I thought about being a fireman once. But after realizing, I COULD DIE, i quickly changed my mind.
Now that I'm older and wiser, I'll definitely stick to sporting events.

 

Even when I was a writer I never felt like that was it for me. I loved life way to much to give it up for a story for a paper that, if the worst happens, would mourn me for about 30 seconds and then wring their hands on how not to fill my spot to save money. I work to live, not the other way around and I have not lived anywhere near the kind of live that I want to live to give it up for a job.

 

I'd cover anything.

 

Damn.

 

I used to think that way. That was until I was covering a high school game on Thanksgiving in Camden, N.J. and two motorcycle gangs decided to get it on. Changed my mind pretty quickly. My life is far more important than a byline. I'm not taking a bullet for the team or management.

 

True that, Drip.

 

I had to go into harrowing places in Jamaica, places that made third-world look like middle-class, places I thought I'd never get out alive, and once a rastafarian came after me with a machete. Had to cover some gritty shit in Roswell, too. If I take a bullet I take a bullet. Such is life. Maybe I'd have a camera and photograph my own death when the bullet tears through, and explodes, my heart.

I can say that because I have no girlfriend, wife, kids or anything else beside myself to worry about.

 

Yeah, but you do have you. You have to look after yourself.