DEAR ABBY: I’m a 44-year-old man, and as I reflect on my life, there’s no way to describe it except as a failure. As a teenager, I didn’t apply myself in school for a number of reasons, partly due to being the target of bullying. (I have Asperger’s and have always been socially awkward.)
In my 20s, I made poor financial choices and then resorted to fraud to make ends meet. As a result, I served time in prison and have a felony record. Right now, I work in a warehouse. The pay is decent, but the work is menial and repetitive, and I know I’m capable of much more.
As a child, I dreamed of running for office someday, but that obviously can’t happen now. I did study criminal justice for a year after high school in hopes of being a policeman because I wanted to help others. With my age and rap sheet, that’s also a no. I’ve wanted to go back to school, but I have no idea what I’d study or what career path to choose. I’ve never married, and I live alone, while my closest friends all have families.
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