In 1971 I left Cleveland, Ohio for Los Angeles, California. I departed to seek my fortune, escape snow and leave behind a terribly dysfunctional family life.

Initially I stayed with my older half brother, Len, whom I really barely knew as he was absent throughout most of my childhood. Staying with him was awkward at first, but he was a kind and generous person who tolerated my young adult quirks and had some understanding of the environment I had fled.

One event that has stuck in my mind from that transitional period is my visit to a counselor at the local Jewish Community Center. My art school portfolio in hand, I sought advice on getting work and building a life for myself in L.A.

The advice I received was…

I was very shaken by this negativity, but thanked the counselor for his time (I always tried to be polite). What I really felt was…Fuck you, asshole!

In the fifty years since that time, I’ve experienced a number of successes and failures, but have never regretted ignoring that thoughtless and mean-spirited advice. 

If you have any questions or comments, please email me at themythfits@gmail.com