The Path of Jacob Roberts :: essays research papers

The Path of Jacob Roberts It was a beautiful day, as far as beauty goes in Juneau, and it was a rare event for a mid March afternoon. Jacob Roberts lived in a small house on the Back Loop Road, surrounded by trees. It was a blue house with a two car garage and a wooden patio that jetted out from the north face, which made the house seem content in the atmosphere of tall pine and towering spruce. The property line encompassed nine-tenths of an acre, which included the front yard and a two minute walk into the woods. The trees in the yard were positioned to only permit the entrance of sunlight for about three hours a day. As a result, the structure was tinged with lime green mold and moss on every inch. The backyard was a thick forest that punished weary travelers with a constant shadow. Even on the brightest of days, in the forest, it looked like dusk. Running parallel to the north face of the house was an old road turned path used to cut through the trees and pop out near the Episcopal Church. From the church one could reach the road via a long winding gravel parking lot, and then head south for about a mile and a half to reach Floyd Dryden Middle School. This was the path of Jacob Roberts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   He was a quiet boy, but not by choice. He was quiet as the consequence of an abusive, alcoholic father who preferred the drink over the love of his family. Jacob was smart. Smart in many ways. Not only did he have an extensive knowledge of physics, chemistry, math and even politics, but he was well versed in more practical intelligence as well. This expertise involved how to take a punch, how to run without looking back, and how to slam shut a bedroom door and hold it against a lumbering drunk whose purpose was to destroy. The trick was to stay low and brace yourself. These things became more useful as time went by.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Jacob loved his father, he loved him very much, but as strong as his love was, he wished his dad would fall off the face of the Earth. Jacob understood that alcohol was a destructive substance and this, he told himself, is why his father should perish.