This was just something I decided to type up last night. I’m not sure why. But yeah, I wrote it. It’s a different style than I’m used to writing in, though I think it morphs more into me at the end. Or maybe it doesn’t. I don’t know. Hey, tell me what you think of it. Let’s interact.
***
It was just me and my friends at the beach that night. Even at night, there were too many people. So we climbed up a cliff on the south side. Just trying to get away from it all, you know? I’m kinda out of shape and I was scared I wouldn’t make it to the top, but I got up there. We found a tiny cave, barely lit by the moonlight. There was about three inches of sand on the cave floor and we all sat Indian-style in a circle, except for Dale who just stood outside the cave with his back turned to us, all dramatic with the wind slightly tousling his hair. Vanessa had one of those cooler backpacks and told us she’d be bringing beers. Turns out she grabbed the wrong bottles, so we all sat around guzzling Diet Cokes, giggling like idiots.
Someone mentioned it was so cool to get away from civilization. As if on cue, my foot caught on something as I was burying it in the sand. A grey plastic bag, left over from some previous excursion, perhaps by a group like our own. It was odd—we all stopped talking as I lifted it up, as if it offended us. I remember thinking, there never can be a place to get away from civilization. And it’s true. Trails were blazed before we were even thought of. Where can we go that’s never been reached before? Except the ocean.
We all started our conversations again, but I just kept being sad. I just… I want to mean more than just a passing thought. And somehow, in my still-developing, naïve, adolescent mind, reaching the previously unreached was the way to do that. I took that bag home and hung it on my wall. That sounds stupid. It looked stupid, too. It was all wrinkled and there were still sand particles in it. Kinda smelled. But I hung it on my wall, just to remind myself that some dreams were really too big. Depressing, no?
And now, years later, I was proven wrong. We’ve all remained friends since then, which is a miracle. And I got a text from Vanessa who told me Phil went and found an island that’s never been found before. And I couldn’t believe it for several reasons. Phil was the quietest of the group. You’d never peg him for an explorer. Also, hadn’t satellites canvassed the whole of the earth? You could just look up any place you want online, right? But apparently, no one’s found this place before.
I’m happy for him, sure. But I wish it was me. And now I’m stuck in this job where I get to wear a suit every freaking day. Oh, but Friday, I don’t have to wear a tie.
***
Hey, while you’re at it, why don’t you check out this post? My brother and I co-wrote it over on his blog, Humor the Madman. It is also odd, but enjoyable. Give his other posts a look-see too.
The Original Oxford Comma 