Chasing dreams (Part 1)

He was 27, back then. He used to work at mines, shouldering cold, hard coal and trudging his way back to the truck in the snow. When it was summer he would work by the docks, cleaning up the deck as part of a crew. In autumn and spring, he had the happiest job out of the rest. He got to work as a bartender near his home, where he could stay with his kids and his wife for at least half a day each day.

And so he worked and worked and worked, till the stubble on his chin turned grey and bushy, till his eyebrows lost their grip and fell, till the wrinkles on his weathered, rough face made it appear as if his skin had shrivelled up. He was forty-two when he looked in the mirror one day, and scrutinised his face. In his eyes he saw a gloomy visage staring back at him. He was befuddled with what he saw. He had enough money to get by and a little more, and had a family that always was copious of laughter. Yet it seemed succint that something was lacking. He reminisced the years that had flew by, and it finally hit him in the face. He had yet to pursue any of the dreams that his friends did when they were young, and the thought that he had lost his opportunity to do so rousted a vehement urge to chase his dreams he used to have. Before he knew it his face became a deluge of saltwater of regret.

He dragged his feet out to the porch, where the sun was happily beaming upon the grass, and he slouched on his good old armchair. As he watched his son and his wife, Caleb and Trixie, out playing in the sun, he couldn't help but smile. Caleb seemed so happy, the innocently happy smile never failed to cheer people up, but this time he didn't return the favor. Trixie turned around and locked gazes with his. A gorgeous smile spread itself comfortably upon her face without stint. Those sky blue eyes seemd to scintillate, even amidst the sunlight. She was beautiful. Only then did he wonder what it was that lacked inside his life.

That night he mooned over the things he wanted to do, those sugary dreams that were inculcated in his mind through the different movies and people he loved. He dithered about what he should do, too resuscitate those meaningless dreams or to stay with the life he had.

He was torn twixt the two, what he loved and what he wanted to do.