{"id":205,"date":"2017-08-24T23:23:07","date_gmt":"2017-08-24T23:23:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mistertipster.org\/?p=205"},"modified":"2017-08-24T23:23:07","modified_gmt":"2017-08-24T23:23:07","slug":"how-can-i-say-no-without-losing-my-friends","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mistertipster.org\/?p=205","title":{"rendered":"How can I say &#8220;NO&#8221; without losing my friends?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"205\" class=\"elementor elementor-205 elementor-bc-flex-widget\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-a54d14d elementor-section-stretched elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"a54d14d\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;stretch_section&quot;:&quot;section-stretched&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b2b4519\" data-id=\"b2b4519\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-df5cd74 elementor-widget elementor-widget-shortcode\" data-id=\"df5cd74\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"shortcode.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-shortcode\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-syt6xko elementor-section-stretched elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-min-height elementor-reverse-mobile elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-items-middle\" data-id=\"syt6xko\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;stretch_section&quot;:&quot;section-stretched&quot;,&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-rswevtc\" data-id=\"rswevtc\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-812c027 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"812c027\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;autoplay&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;youtube_url&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/youtu.be\\\/TtxEarmxk28&quot;,&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;youtube&quot;,&quot;controls&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-wrapper elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-video\"><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-lwtmpxv\" data-id=\"lwtmpxv\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5vs48rj elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"5vs48rj\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mistertipster.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/elementor\/thumbs\/ThatsMe_20170824B-po0dlneg7zj3qsj4o0tm1779o435p5i40pr6zsdts0.png\" title=\"ThatsMe_20170824B\" alt=\"ThatsMe_20170824B\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7kt9gzk elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-stretched elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7kt9gzk\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;stretch_section&quot;:&quot;section-stretched&quot;,&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-wider\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-jpjzcss\" data-id=\"jpjzcss\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-pmkloq4 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"pmkloq4\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-0c3cx61\" data-id=\"0c3cx61\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3ilxe6r elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3ilxe6r\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">How can I say \u2018NO\u2019 without losing my friends?<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-x2vl4jx elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"x2vl4jx\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-tmescto\" data-id=\"tmescto\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-w3gypgw elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"w3gypgw\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">SHARE THIS PAGE WITH YOUR FRIENDS<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cgocka8 elementor-share-buttons--align-center elementor-share-buttons--view-icon-text elementor-share-buttons--skin-gradient elementor-share-buttons--shape-square elementor-grid-0 elementor-share-buttons--color-official elementor-widget elementor-widget-share-buttons\" data-id=\"cgocka8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"share-buttons.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-share-btn elementor-share-btn_facebook\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Share on facebook\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"fab fa-facebook\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-share-btn elementor-share-btn_twitter\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Share on twitter\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"fab fa-twitter\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-share-btn elementor-share-btn_whatsapp\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Share on whatsapp\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"fab fa-whatsapp\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-share-btn elementor-share-btn_email\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Share on email\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"fas fa-envelope\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-k097cf8 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"k097cf8\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-qjirumk\" data-id=\"qjirumk\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3vh87tm elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3vh87tm\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">TIPS for Resisting Peer Pressure:<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-wm29z0e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"wm29z0e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul><li id=\"u3277-12\">Know what lines you will not cross before you\u2019re asked to cross them.<\/li><li id=\"u3277-16\">Hang around kids who are not likely to ask you to compromise on your convictions. Everybody wants to be popular and accepted, but if the group you\u2019re interested in being a part of asks you to do something wrong, being a part of that group is not in your best interest. Why be stupid just to be accepted by stupid kids?<\/li><li id=\"u3277-29\">Have a sincere refusal line ready at all times. Here are a few examples:<br \/><ul id=\"u3277-28\" class=\"list1\"><li id=\"u3277-19\">\u201cNo, I\u2019m not really into that.\u201d<\/li><li id=\"u3277-21\">\u201cNo, I don\u2019t want to risk getting caught.\u201d<\/li><li id=\"u3277-23\">\u201cNo, it\u2019s not going to do anything good for me.\u201d<\/li><li id=\"u3277-27\">\u201cI want to be your friend, but I don\u2019t want to do that.\u201d<\/li><\/ul><\/li><li id=\"u3277-33\">Suggest an alternative. If someone is trying to lure you into an unwise choice, use the appropriate refusal and then suggest doing something else instead. For example, if someone says, \u201cHey, let\u2019s go smoke pot behind the gym,\u201d you might respond with, \u201cNo, I really don\u2019t want to get into that. Let\u2019s go play some video games at my house instead.\u201d<\/li><li id=\"u3277-37\">Be prepared to end a friendship. Really. If you continue to be pressured to make poor choices, you need to be prepared to walk away. It will be hard and it may be lonely for a while, but new friends who have more respect for your personal boundaries will come your way.<\/li><li id=\"u3277-45\">Learn more great tips at <a class=\"nonblock\" href=\"http:\/\/thecoolspot.gov\/\">http:\/\/thecoolspot.gov\/<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-t6bumve elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"t6bumve\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-jpawvyx\" data-id=\"jpawvyx\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dkpy88l elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"dkpy88l\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">STORY<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-bsqp3ao elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"bsqp3ao\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-dk4t6eg\" data-id=\"dk4t6eg\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-kego0yz elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"kego0yz\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Speeding toward regret<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-nxozt6t elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"nxozt6t\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Ryssa had a bad feeling about her friend\u2019s decision<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-wndwlf4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"wndwlf4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">As told to Linda A. Goodlin<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-nfvkfs3 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"nfvkfs3\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-0ph2kyc\" data-id=\"0ph2kyc\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4wi5cpm elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"4wi5cpm\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mistertipster.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/story-speedingtowardregret.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-123\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mistertipster.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/story-speedingtowardregret.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.mistertipster.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/story-speedingtowardregret-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mistertipster.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/story-speedingtowardregret-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-mc2c9w0 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"mc2c9w0\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-fs9t9w1\" data-id=\"fs9t9w1\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-vd4x379 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"vd4x379\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p id=\"u3317-3\">Will, you know your parents wouldn\u2019t want you to go riding around with the guys,\u201d I told my special friend.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-4\">\u201cOh, come on, Ryssa! It\u2019s only a few miles from town to our farm, and they\u2019ll never know. Why don\u2019t you come with us? You can sit on my lap!\u201d Will grinned at me with that big, dumb grin he always uses when he wants me to laugh. Still, something didn\u2019t feel right about this whole thing.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-8\">Will and I had become very close over the summer. We\u2019d gone to lots of farm shows and county fairs together. Our parents had been great about driving us to see each other on weekends.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-10\">Will lives on a dairy farm in Dawson, Pennsylvania, and I live about eight miles away in Reagan Town.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-12\">Well, it isn\u2019t really a town. Technically it\u2019s a village, with 20 or so houses and farms. It\u2019s called Reagan Town because of the old settler who founded the village more than 100 years ago.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-14\">Everyone knows everyone in our area. If someone saw Will riding around town, his parents would hear about it. It seems as though everyone is friends with our grandparents, and they all take it upon themselves to \u201clook out\u201d for the young people of our community.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-16\">\u201cSorry, but I don\u2019t want to get grounded,\u201d I finally told Will. \u201cIf I get caught riding in a truck with you guys, my parents will go ballistic.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-18\">Come on, Will, don\u2019t go with them,\u201d I begged.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-20\">\u201cWell, I\u2019m not afraid of getting caught. I\u2019ll call you later. Don\u2019t be mad, OK?\u201d Will urged. With a smile and a wink Will turned and ran toward Eric\u2019s big Ford F-150 pickup truck with the jacked-up frame and studded tires.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-22\">I waved goodbye, still feeling uneasy.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-24\">Katrina, my younger sister, was going to meet me at the ice-cream store after soccer practice. We both had after-school activities, and Mom had given me extra money to buy a snack.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-26\">We ordered our favorite treats and went back to the picnic table to eat. I had almost finished eating my ice cream when Dad pulled into the parking lot.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-28\">As we were getting our seat belts buckled, Dad turned around to look over his shoulder at us. \u201cGirls, there\u2019s a bad accident on the Scottdale Dawson Road. I couldn\u2019t get through that area, so we\u2019ll go home on one of the other routes.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-30\">\u201cDad, did you see the wreck?\u201d I asked nervously.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-32\">\u201cNo, the emergency workers wouldn\u2019t let any cars go past. They sent us on a detour. I figured someone didn\u2019t make the turn near the old cemetery. The road has several tight curves there, and I\u2019ve often seen tire marks from when people were going too fast to make the turn and then went off the road.\u201d<\/p><p id=\"u3317-34\">I suddenly felt sick to my stomach, and I just knew something was wrong.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-36\">\u201cDad, can we please go past the old cemetery on the way home?\u201d I pleaded.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-38\">\u201cNo, Ryssa, we can\u2019t get in the way of the fire and rescue folk doing their job. We\u2019ll hear about the accident soon enough. For now, it\u2019s best we stay away.\u201d<\/p><p id=\"u3317-40\">I didn\u2019t say anything else, but I was so upset that I couldn\u2019t hide the fear on my face.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-42\">\u201cRyssa, what\u2019s wrong? You look like you\u2019re going to pass out,\u201d Katrina whispered to me.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-44\">\u201cI\u2019m afraid Will and his friend might\u2019ve been in that accident. He went with Eric in his truck after school,\u201d I whispered so that Dad wouldn\u2019t hear me.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-46\">\u201cDid you try his cell phone?\u201d Katrina asked.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-48\">\u201cNo, his battery died this afternoon.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-50\">He said he\u2019d call me tonight after dinner.\u201d<\/p><p id=\"u3317-52\">I prayed silently the rest of the way home. I didn\u2019t know if Will and Eric had been in the accident, but I still had that sick feeling inside.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-54\">No sooner were we in the door than the phone rang. Mom answered.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-56\">Her voice was low, and she was listening intently. When she hung up the phone, tears came into her eyes. She looked at me.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-58\">\u201cRyssa, sit down here with me for a minute,\u201d she said.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-60\">\u201cWhat\u2019s happened? Is it Will?\u201d<\/p><p id=\"u3317-62\">\u201cYes, honey, it\u2019s about Will. He was in the accident and was taken by air ambulance to the children\u2019s hospital in Pittsburgh. He was the only person in the truck who was hurt. Eric was going too fast and rolled the truck over on the corner near the old cemetery.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-64\">Will had his right arm outside of the window, and the truck rolled on top of his hand. He has cuts and abrasions, and he hit his head, but the emergency workers said his hand was badly damaged.\u201d Mom started to cry.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-66\">\u201cDid Will\u2019s parents leave to drive into the city yet?\u201d Dad asked.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-68\">\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Mom replied.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-70\">\u201cThe phone call was from my friend Melissa. Her husband is the fire chief, and he said that Will was asking for someone to please call Ryssa and let her know what\u2019s going on.\u201d<\/p><p id=\"u3317-72\">I couldn\u2019t stop shaking. If only I\u2019d stopped Will from going in that truck.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-74\">I began to sob.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-76\">\u201cRyssa, if Will was talking to the workers on the scene, I\u2019m sure he\u2019ll be all right.\u201d<\/p><p id=\"u3317-78\">\u201cYou don\u2019t understand, Daddy! It\u2019s my fault! I shouldn\u2019t have let him go with Eric. He asked me to go along, but I said that I wasn\u2019t allowed to do that. I should\u2019ve made him stay with me and Katrina,\u201d I cried.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-80\">\u201cRyssa, Will\u2019s a big boy. He\u2019s responsible for his own actions. Unfortunately this is a very hard lesson for him to learn,\u201d Mom said.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-82\">\u201cDaddy, will you drive me to Pittsburgh tonight?\u201d I asked.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-84\">\u201cNo, Rysssa. If Will needs surgery on his hand, you probably won\u2019t be able to visit with him anyway. Only his family will be allowed into the hospital room. Let\u2019s wait until we hear from Will\u2019s parents; then I\u2019ll take you to see him.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-86\">I knew Dad was right, but it wasn\u2019t easy waiting. I couldn\u2019t eat dinner, and I didn\u2019t feel like doing my homework. I just wanted to know that Will was OK.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-88\">After dinner Katrina and I did the dishes for Mom. When we were done, I went to my room. I threw myself down on my bed facefirst and cried until I got the hiccups. I wasn\u2019t even aware of anyone standing in my room until I heard Mom sniffle.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-90\">\u201cRyssa, I know you\u2019re worried.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-92\">Let\u2019s pray together for Will,\u201d Mom said as she knelt beside my bed. I got down on the floor with Mom, and we held hands and prayed. I never had so many feelings at the same time: guilt, sadness, and fear.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-94\">We\u2019d just finished praying, and Mom was holding me in her arms while I cried on her shoulder, when Dad came into my room, \u201cRyssa, there\u2019s a phone call for you,\u201d he said.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-96\">\u201cI don\u2019t feel like talking to anyone right now, Daddy,\u201d I said.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-98\">\u201cOK, I\u2019ll tell Will to call back tomorrow!\u201d<\/p><p id=\"u3317-100\">\u201cIt\u2019s Will?\u201d I squealed. \u201cIs he OK?\u201d<\/p><p id=\"u3317-102\">\u201cWell, come talk to him and find out,\u201d Dad said with a smile.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-104\">Will sounded weak and afraid, but at least he could talk to me. \u201cI\u2019m going to have surgery tomorrow morning. They\u2019re going to set the bones in my right hand,\u201d explained Will. \u201cThankfully, the X-rays showed the accident didn\u2019t damage my skull at all.\u201d<\/p><p id=\"u3317-106\">\u201cHow do you feel?\u201d I asked.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-108\">\u201cSore, but I\u2019m alive.\u201d Will paused, then said, \u201cRyssa, I\u2019m sorry that I didn\u2019t listen to you.\u201d Will had to have several surgeries to save his fingers and put all of the bones and tendons back together. He also had physical therapy to try to regain his strength.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-110\">The doctors said he might not ever regain full strength in his hand.<\/p><p id=\"u3317-112\">We all learned something from this sad experience. Eric learned that it\u2019s dangerous to drive fast on winding country roads. Will thinks twice about putting his arm out of a moving vehicle. I learned that when something doesn\u2019t feel right, I should pay attention to that feeling. Maybe it\u2019s a girl thing, but then again, maybe it\u2019s a God thing.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-2splwan elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2splwan\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-h7z0qis\" data-id=\"h7z0qis\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fzspune elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"fzspune\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">SHARE THIS PAGE WITH YOUR FRIENDS<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-xtemxoj elementor-share-buttons--align-center elementor-share-buttons--view-icon-text elementor-share-buttons--skin-gradient elementor-share-buttons--shape-square elementor-grid-0 elementor-share-buttons--color-official elementor-widget elementor-widget-share-buttons\" data-id=\"xtemxoj\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"share-buttons.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-share-btn elementor-share-btn_facebook\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Share on facebook\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span 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aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-grid-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-share-btn elementor-share-btn_email\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Share on email\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-share-btn__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"fas fa-envelope\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-qhtgy7b\" data-id=\"qhtgy7b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How to keep your friends and your standards.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":123,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_canvas","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-205","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-topics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mistertipster.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/205","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mistertipster.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mistertipster.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mistertipster.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mistertipster.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=205"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.mistertipster.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/205\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mistertipster.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/123"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mistertipster.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=205"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mistertipster.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=205"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mistertipster.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=205"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}