10. Hal and Jenny spent that night together making gentle love on the sofa, then cuddling in silence afterward as they watched the Cavaliers lose to the Heat.
9. Hal took his son fishing for the day. He taught him all the different kinds of bait and what each one was good for. Young Douglas paid too much attention; within the first hour he hooked some monstrous beast that pulled him face-first into the lake. It was difficult for Hal to convince him to let go of the rod. That sometimes nature just gets the better of you.
8. Hal went drinking with his buddies. Fredo, who could never handle his alcohol, had no more success than usual that night. The group left the bar early and walked their friend home, periodically stopping so Fredo could throw up in an alleyway. Once they reached Fredo's house, the group stayed up late in his living room playing cards and reminiscing until one by one they passed out for the count.
7. Without telling anyone, Hal left the house at sunrise and drove through the old cemetery, parking at the edge of the road that separated the stones from the trees. He walked, stopping and kneeling when he came to a grave that he knew. Then he went into the woods behind the cemetery where he hiked the trails of his childhood, stopping frequently to rest, to sniff the dead leaves, to rub dirt on his hands.
6. Jenny was cooking when he got home. He sniffed the air. Roast beef and onions. Walking into the kitchen, he saw her peeling and mashing potatoes in the largest pot they owned. Her shoulders and butt jerked with her efforts. From behind her, he wrapped his arms around her waist and started kissing her neck.
"Where have you been?!" she asked him. He started nibbling on her neck now. She laughed.
That night the small family ate their dinner like kings. They ate and they laughed, and finally they cried.
5. The next day, Hal went to see his parents. He told them how well his family was doing, using an optimistic tone of voice to try to cover up how bad he looked. His parents cried and told him how proud they were. A tear rolled down his own face. They hugged.
4. He got back home in the early afternoon while Douglas was at school. Hal and Jenny made love furiously, shoving themselves together, moving from room to room until they'd exhausted the whole house and each other. They made love until they were sore, and then they continued.
3. That evening Hal played catch with his son. Then they sat on the porch swing together drinking grape soda and watching the sun set. Hal spent the time teaching young Douglas everything he could remember ever having learned about life.
2. Hal kneeled down in a room by himself and prayed.
1. That night, Hal had a dream. He was having a pool party, only it was at the house of Jordan Miles, his best friend growing up. And it was weird because Hal was 40 in the dream, but Jordan was still 14. And Jenny was there playing hostess instead of Jordan's mom. Douglas and Jordan were playing together, taking turns going down the waterslide.
Hal walked around the pool. He dreamed he saw his high school love interest in the corner of the shallow end alternately making eyes at him and giggling with her friends. Nearby his work buddies were playing volleyball against his drinking buddies, who were losing. His godmother jumped off the diving board, and while watching her Hal bumped accidently into his R.A. from college.
"You're having quite the party," said the R.A.
Hal had dreamed up quite a party. Everyone was there, everyone he'd ever known and loved was there in his best friend's pool. And they were all the same age he'd left them at in his memories. And Hal dreamed that no matter how many people were there, the place never seemed overcrowded. He dreamed this. He didn't wake up.
9. Hal took his son fishing for the day. He taught him all the different kinds of bait and what each one was good for. Young Douglas paid too much attention; within the first hour he hooked some monstrous beast that pulled him face-first into the lake. It was difficult for Hal to convince him to let go of the rod. That sometimes nature just gets the better of you.
8. Hal went drinking with his buddies. Fredo, who could never handle his alcohol, had no more success than usual that night. The group left the bar early and walked their friend home, periodically stopping so Fredo could throw up in an alleyway. Once they reached Fredo's house, the group stayed up late in his living room playing cards and reminiscing until one by one they passed out for the count.
7. Without telling anyone, Hal left the house at sunrise and drove through the old cemetery, parking at the edge of the road that separated the stones from the trees. He walked, stopping and kneeling when he came to a grave that he knew. Then he went into the woods behind the cemetery where he hiked the trails of his childhood, stopping frequently to rest, to sniff the dead leaves, to rub dirt on his hands.
6. Jenny was cooking when he got home. He sniffed the air. Roast beef and onions. Walking into the kitchen, he saw her peeling and mashing potatoes in the largest pot they owned. Her shoulders and butt jerked with her efforts. From behind her, he wrapped his arms around her waist and started kissing her neck.
"Where have you been?!" she asked him. He started nibbling on her neck now. She laughed.
That night the small family ate their dinner like kings. They ate and they laughed, and finally they cried.
5. The next day, Hal went to see his parents. He told them how well his family was doing, using an optimistic tone of voice to try to cover up how bad he looked. His parents cried and told him how proud they were. A tear rolled down his own face. They hugged.
4. He got back home in the early afternoon while Douglas was at school. Hal and Jenny made love furiously, shoving themselves together, moving from room to room until they'd exhausted the whole house and each other. They made love until they were sore, and then they continued.
3. That evening Hal played catch with his son. Then they sat on the porch swing together drinking grape soda and watching the sun set. Hal spent the time teaching young Douglas everything he could remember ever having learned about life.
2. Hal kneeled down in a room by himself and prayed.
1. That night, Hal had a dream. He was having a pool party, only it was at the house of Jordan Miles, his best friend growing up. And it was weird because Hal was 40 in the dream, but Jordan was still 14. And Jenny was there playing hostess instead of Jordan's mom. Douglas and Jordan were playing together, taking turns going down the waterslide.
Hal walked around the pool. He dreamed he saw his high school love interest in the corner of the shallow end alternately making eyes at him and giggling with her friends. Nearby his work buddies were playing volleyball against his drinking buddies, who were losing. His godmother jumped off the diving board, and while watching her Hal bumped accidently into his R.A. from college.
"You're having quite the party," said the R.A.
Hal had dreamed up quite a party. Everyone was there, everyone he'd ever known and loved was there in his best friend's pool. And they were all the same age he'd left them at in his memories. And Hal dreamed that no matter how many people were there, the place never seemed overcrowded. He dreamed this. He didn't wake up.
I like this. :)
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