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Once upon a time, there was a young man who worked in the same town he was birthed in. Most days, he woke up, he went to work, he paid his bills, he bought his groceries, he cooked his supper, and he went to bed. Some days like the weekends, he would chat with some of his friends, but other times, they just wouldn't be available. Time went on. But he had a dream! He was going to move to Miami one of these days and see the sights! Maybe spend time on some of those beaches you keep seeing in numerous pictures and postcards. He'd get some friends together and make a big road trip of it.
But that day never really came. Even in ten years. He stayed in his home town. Then ten years turned into twenty years. Turned into thirty years. Fifty years. He was reaching middle age, and he had nothing to show for it. All of his romantic partners had left him for more promising candidates. His money continually spent on utterly unnecessary frivolities. Even some of his friends drifted away. But all was not lost! He would get into local politics and perhaps start running for mayor. Maybe he could at least change things for the better. But then, as he ran for office, he was continually outclassed by those who had more experience than him. Or at least, more mindshare.
And then... Before he knew it, those sixty years became eighty. The health problems that were once a minor nuisance before began to plague him, so much so that he lost his job and had to get on Disability just to make some ends meet. He then remembered his old Miami dream, but try as he might, he knew he was just too frail now to make the trip. And also, at this point, all of his old friends had either left town or passed away. His family had all passed as well. Time began to stretch out before him. Days seemed to feel like weeks. Nobody even knew he existed anymore except the medical staff that watched over him.
In a year, he found he couldn't get out of bed. In six more months, he could barely breathe. Where had his life gone? What had he done? Where were those he used to love... ? He had no income besides his Disability check. No family anymore to call his own. None of his dreams ever worked out. All his old friends gone. He didn't even have a house of his own.
Then the last day of his life came. It was just one of those things you knew deep within you when the curtains of life begin to drop and the lights begin to slowly fade. The only thing he could do now was to just die. But... Perhaps he could write some things down before he passed too. There was a notebook and a pen sitting on one of the bedside tables next to him. Maybe he could at least write something down for that cute nurse he saw almost daily. He reached out but... His arm barely moved. Perhaps he knew deep inside that this whole exercise would be fruitless, but he lied to himself and he willed his arm to move again and again. Wait... He was making progress! As the hours passed by, he had more and more control over his arms. It was slow indeed and the effort was costing him precious life, but he was doing it.
But suddenly, that cute nurse came in. "-Really can't remember where I put my class notes- Oh! Here they are!" She didn't even notice his arm had moved five inches from where they usually laid as she snatched the notebook and pen up before heading out of the room and habitually turned off the light in the room. Then nothing. Exactly what his life was and now would be forevermore...
But that day never really came. Even in ten years. He stayed in his home town. Then ten years turned into twenty years. Turned into thirty years. Fifty years. He was reaching middle age, and he had nothing to show for it. All of his romantic partners had left him for more promising candidates. His money continually spent on utterly unnecessary frivolities. Even some of his friends drifted away. But all was not lost! He would get into local politics and perhaps start running for mayor. Maybe he could at least change things for the better. But then, as he ran for office, he was continually outclassed by those who had more experience than him. Or at least, more mindshare.
And then... Before he knew it, those sixty years became eighty. The health problems that were once a minor nuisance before began to plague him, so much so that he lost his job and had to get on Disability just to make some ends meet. He then remembered his old Miami dream, but try as he might, he knew he was just too frail now to make the trip. And also, at this point, all of his old friends had either left town or passed away. His family had all passed as well. Time began to stretch out before him. Days seemed to feel like weeks. Nobody even knew he existed anymore except the medical staff that watched over him.
In a year, he found he couldn't get out of bed. In six more months, he could barely breathe. Where had his life gone? What had he done? Where were those he used to love... ? He had no income besides his Disability check. No family anymore to call his own. None of his dreams ever worked out. All his old friends gone. He didn't even have a house of his own.
Then the last day of his life came. It was just one of those things you knew deep within you when the curtains of life begin to drop and the lights begin to slowly fade. The only thing he could do now was to just die. But... Perhaps he could write some things down before he passed too. There was a notebook and a pen sitting on one of the bedside tables next to him. Maybe he could at least write something down for that cute nurse he saw almost daily. He reached out but... His arm barely moved. Perhaps he knew deep inside that this whole exercise would be fruitless, but he lied to himself and he willed his arm to move again and again. Wait... He was making progress! As the hours passed by, he had more and more control over his arms. It was slow indeed and the effort was costing him precious life, but he was doing it.
But suddenly, that cute nurse came in. "-Really can't remember where I put my class notes- Oh! Here they are!" She didn't even notice his arm had moved five inches from where they usually laid as she snatched the notebook and pen up before heading out of the room and habitually turned off the light in the room. Then nothing. Exactly what his life was and now would be forevermore...
