A Night in the Life

I packed up the car with a few items and backed out of the driveway, turning quickly onto the road that would take me to the interstate. I stopped at the Rode Runner Truck Palace to get some French Vanilla Cappuccino and top off the tank.

Once on the interstate, I set the GPS south for Florida... anywhere in Florida would be fine with me I though to myself.

I could not believe how long it took me to get to the Florida coast after I crossed over the Georgia boarder.

Endless land passed by me as I cruised down the lonely highway, past “look-alike” houses, 2 car garages and manicured lawns parched by the sun and in need of water. The road ahead looked like it could and did go on forever and ever and ever. I stared through the windshield and thought of nothing except nothing and the thought of nothing remained inside me for a while.

I stopped at the first coastal city I came to and headed downtown to find a real estate office. The brokerage firm was owned by two females; one of which was the agent and the other was the renovator.

At first, I tried to guess which was which thinking that the buxom blond with manicured fingernails and “killer” hair would not want to get dirty... and, was amazed when I was wrong. Her dark haired associate who talked in a slow Southern drawl was the agent and took me by the hand to the car. Her hand was warm and soft and gentle and I wondered about the rest of her... but, only for a moment when I realized I was sandwiched in between the 2 on them in the front seat of a truck.

The 3 of us drove around all morning and visited several houses and after lunch I finally found the one that caught my attention both inside and out, on the beach side of the road, but needed major renovations.

We walked around the rooms as I listened to the blonde tell me how she would open up these two rooms so that the kitchen, living room, and dinning room would all be in one large space.

I liked that idea but not so much when I heard that new plumbing and wiring would be required along with the new appliances I added in.

A storage room and garage would be added as well as a large deck that incorated an elevated area for a hottub.

It was also decided (actually, I was teasingly influenced) to add a large, custom design bay window for the front in order to provide a good view of the beach and the waves approaching the shoreline.

These two sexy and seductively charming ladies convinced me it was a good investment and only slightly exceeded my budget.

What to do...

What to do...

What to do...

The ocean was mesmerizing as it glistened and glowed and shimmered on its way to the shore... over and over and over again... relentless in its actions... relentless in its pursuits. I wondered how many people had walked these sands where I was standing... walked them alone... or with someone... hand-in-hand... as I would have done or could have done...

I was remembering the story of the starfish... but why?

A young man is walking along the ocean and sees a beach on which thousands and thousands

of starfish have washed ashore. Further along he sees an old man, walking slowly and

stooping often, picking up one starfish after another and tossing each one gently into the

ocean.

“Why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?,” he asks.

“Because the sun is up and the tide is going out and if I don’t throw them further in they will

die.”

“But, old man, don’t you realize there are miles a nd miles of beach and starfish all along it!

You can’t possibly save them all, you can’t even save one tenth of them. In fact, even if you

work all day, your efforts won’t make any difference at all.”

The old man listened calmly and then bent down to pick up another starfish and threw it

into the sea. “It made a difference to that one.”

Why did I think of that story... how silly of me... but, was I that old man and was this the beach but I do not see any starfish today. I just don't understand. Why me? I wondered why it was starfish and not some other kind of creature. What was the reason for starfish I thought to myself.

“So, what do you want to do, “ I heard behind me!?

I made an offer and asked the 2 ladies if they would like to join me for dinner...

* * * * * * * * * *

My eyes opened and I looked at the pale wall in front of me as I laid on my side.

I laid in the bed for what seemed like several minutes without thinking.

I slowly moved my tired body to a sitting position on the bed, scratching my head as it turned to see my wife still sleeping on the other side of our Sleep Number bed.

Again, no thoughts...

It was the same every night, I thought.

Every friggin night...

The same dream...

same location...

same females...

Why?

I staggered into the kitchen to make a cup of coffee and looked around at the granite counter top and could not find the Bunn Single Cup...

I just stood there in a daze...

Then, I realized I had taken it downstairs to my office so that I did not “dirty up” the kitchen with my over-anxious but sloppy coffee making, stirring cappuccino mix into the hot coffee.

But, the office while heated was still closed as the vents had been closed off to conserve energy and money.

Back upstairs, I sat my McCafe cup on the stand by the couch, sat down, and instinctively pulled my laptop off the table over into my lap, opened it up... fired it up... and sat there wondering... what to type?

Strangely, there was nothing on my mind this morning...

I blew softly, gently across the opening of the cup to cool it off and after taking my first large mouthful, realized I had added too much Cappuccino mix.

- TO BE CONTINUED -