The Best Things in Life

The cliche that the "best things in life are free" is false. Sure, love would qualify as being one of the best things in life and it's certainly free, but there are better things than love that have a price tag. Food is a perfect example. It would be difficult to wake up knowing that nobody loves me, but a nice steak and cheese sandwich could ease the pain just a little while providing me with enough sustenance to get to the next day. Love is great, but without food it would be real tough to function after a few days. I can point to many other essentials that supercede love in the context of "the best things in life." The aforementioned adage just doesn't hold true in my opinion.

Bubblees often lack the best things in life, even the "things" that are free--like love. It's why they venture off into the Bubble. Many Bubblees have to search for love. More often than not, there is no mommy AND daddy. For instance, less than ten players I've worked with in four years have a relationship with their biological father. There is nothing traditional about the upbringing of a Bubblee. The average person is accustomed to having a parent. Bubblees, on the other hand, usually have a "guardian"--like a grandmother, aunt, or cousin.

Lebraun's father lives in the Deep South, and his mother (sadly) is a roaming crackhead. While his father provides some level of emotional support, he's hundreds of miles away. Lebraun has struggled to develop a relationship with his mother because of her drug habit. In terms of the best things in life--like parents--he's clearly not doing well in that department. Fortunately for Lebraun, his aunt and uncle have provided him with food and shelter (this would qualify as one of the best things in life that isn't free) despite the fact that he's unemployed.

A day after finding out that his mother sold the chain he gave her for Christmas to buy crack, Lebraun texted to let me know he couldn't make practice.

Lebraun: ay coach i won't be at practice today
Me: why not? is everything okay
Lebraun: nah not really
Me: what's going on?
Lebraun: we about to lose the crib.
Me: what?
Lebraun: you know how i live with my aunt and uncle?
Me: yeh
Lebraun: well the bank is takin the crib from the landlord so we gotta move.
Me: where are y'all gonna go?
Lebraun: I have no clue.

I'm pretty sure Lebraun would disagree entirely with the notion that the best things in life are free.