After I got out of the army, I had a girlfriend (a terrible one, it turns out) who would always get angry with me because I’d just do what I wanted. She said, “It’s not fair, someone tells you that you can’t do something, and you just do it! You don’t care! And you get away with it!”

I told her that she’d understand if she’d lived the kind of life I had.

Generally, I follow society’s strictures. I’m polite to a fault. I’m kind. I’m nice. I wear my mask when I go to the grocery store. But I live without fear and won’t apologize to anyone for it. I didn’t to her — I told her that she could care a little less about what everyone else thought and do what she wanted as it was holding her back.

When you grow up like I did, seen and experienced the things I’ve been through, living on a leash is not a real option. I’m unleashed now and never going back. Believe it.