Ben Owen

You know, we'd been through this a few times, and then every time it happened, somebody would die. Somebody would get murdered. There'd be another overdose, and we'd relapse. And this time I was done. I was getting the fuck out of Memphis. I couldn't stay. And so I went to Georgia, and... I'm a control freak. I always have to manage everything, manipulate really everything at this point.

You know, I had to be in control of, well, you've heard my story, everything. And my attempts to exert control over things I shouldn't have any control over has historically fucked my life up in epic proportions. That part of my brain, I think, broke that day. I didn't know what was about to happen. I had absolutely no control over anything. I had... the clothes on my back, and that was it.

You know, I had to be in control of, well, you've heard my story, everything. And my attempts to exert control over things I shouldn't have any control over has historically fucked my life up in epic proportions. That part of my brain, I think, broke that day. I didn't know what was about to happen. I had absolutely no control over anything. I had... the clothes on my back, and that was it.

You know, I had to be in control of, well, you've heard my story, everything. And my attempts to exert control over things I shouldn't have any control over has historically fucked my life up in epic proportions. That part of my brain, I think, broke that day. I didn't know what was about to happen. I had absolutely no control over anything. I had... the clothes on my back, and that was it.

And I was okay with it. For the first time in my life, I had no idea what was going to happen tomorrow, and I didn't care. And the feeling of freedom that I had is something I cannot put into words. I was okay in that moment. I was okay not knowing what's coming. And that is the peace I have wanted since I was 13 years old.

And I was okay with it. For the first time in my life, I had no idea what was going to happen tomorrow, and I didn't care. And the feeling of freedom that I had is something I cannot put into words. I was okay in that moment. I was okay not knowing what's coming. And that is the peace I have wanted since I was 13 years old.

And I was okay with it. For the first time in my life, I had no idea what was going to happen tomorrow, and I didn't care. And the feeling of freedom that I had is something I cannot put into words. I was okay in that moment. I was okay not knowing what's coming. And that is the peace I have wanted since I was 13 years old.

to not be in control and to be okay with it and i finally found that that day um it was on the tail end of all that misery you just heard 18 arrests i don't even know how many friends dead and gone um you know i've been stabbed i've been shot at uh lost everything but i finally reached a point where i just don't care anymore i'm okay I'm okay. And a week later, she hit the same point.

to not be in control and to be okay with it and i finally found that that day um it was on the tail end of all that misery you just heard 18 arrests i don't even know how many friends dead and gone um you know i've been stabbed i've been shot at uh lost everything but i finally reached a point where i just don't care anymore i'm okay I'm okay. And a week later, she hit the same point.

to not be in control and to be okay with it and i finally found that that day um it was on the tail end of all that misery you just heard 18 arrests i don't even know how many friends dead and gone um you know i've been stabbed i've been shot at uh lost everything but i finally reached a point where i just don't care anymore i'm okay I'm okay. And a week later, she hit the same point.

I got on a Greyhound bus back to Memphis, got that $700 truck and James, and started the drive back to Atlanta. And I remember I took a picture in the rearview mirror of that truck of Memphis in the rearview. And I went and made some, you know, stupid emo dramatic post on Facebook, like, I'm leaving this city in the rearview for good.

I got on a Greyhound bus back to Memphis, got that $700 truck and James, and started the drive back to Atlanta. And I remember I took a picture in the rearview mirror of that truck of Memphis in the rearview. And I went and made some, you know, stupid emo dramatic post on Facebook, like, I'm leaving this city in the rearview for good.

I got on a Greyhound bus back to Memphis, got that $700 truck and James, and started the drive back to Atlanta. And I remember I took a picture in the rearview mirror of that truck of Memphis in the rearview. And I went and made some, you know, stupid emo dramatic post on Facebook, like, I'm leaving this city in the rearview for good.

and uh and we laughed about it you know and like not even 20 minutes later i looked at her i was like dude we got to go back she said what are you talking about like i don't know i don't know something's our work's not done in memphis and that was like just clear as day not like an audible voice but clear as day a message god was sending me is my work was not done in memphis

and uh and we laughed about it you know and like not even 20 minutes later i looked at her i was like dude we got to go back she said what are you talking about like i don't know i don't know something's our work's not done in memphis and that was like just clear as day not like an audible voice but clear as day a message god was sending me is my work was not done in memphis

and uh and we laughed about it you know and like not even 20 minutes later i looked at her i was like dude we got to go back she said what are you talking about like i don't know i don't know something's our work's not done in memphis and that was like just clear as day not like an audible voice but clear as day a message god was sending me is my work was not done in memphis

And we laughed because what work did I have in Memphis? It was just death and destruction for the last five years, man. But that was kind of foreshadowing of what was to come. You know, I go to my parents. I get a job at this data company. Just a bullshit job. I haven't worked for anybody other than myself in 10 years. Yeah.

And we laughed because what work did I have in Memphis? It was just death and destruction for the last five years, man. But that was kind of foreshadowing of what was to come. You know, I go to my parents. I get a job at this data company. Just a bullshit job. I haven't worked for anybody other than myself in 10 years. Yeah.

And we laughed because what work did I have in Memphis? It was just death and destruction for the last five years, man. But that was kind of foreshadowing of what was to come. You know, I go to my parents. I get a job at this data company. Just a bullshit job. I haven't worked for anybody other than myself in 10 years. Yeah.

But I was looking at the bigger picture and, you know, even though we lost everything on paper, I still retained a lot of data and a lot of expertise in the marketing area, digital marketing in particular. I still had a lot of email lists. I still had a lot of IP. And so I'm looking at, like, what am I sitting on right now? What do I have in front of me? What can I rebuild with?