“I didn’t leave him by himself.” I wave him off. “But it’s a lot, all at once. And you know this place keeps me sane.” He nods, slowly taking a long pull of his beer. “You’re the only person who loves this place more than I do. But I’m serious, man. If you need time away, your job will be here when you get back. You know you never need to worry about that.” “I don’t need time away. I need to stay level, and keep my bucket filled, so I can be the best version of myself when I step out of this place and head home to my son.”
