Flashlights - Day 1
Day 1
In a dark forest, when you are lost, and the woods are filled with hoots, chirps, growls, and branch-cracking, an isolated beam from a strong flashlight can dramatically improve your mental outlook. But what if 124 beams from 124 strong flashlights popped up, all at the same time, from 124 different directions? Wouldn’t that be just trading one confused/frightened state for another?
Well, that’s how I feel right now. My name is Joe, and just like my name implies, I’m just a regular sort of guy. Late thirties, a bit overweight, every-other weekend Dad, okay job, small house, smaller car. Just a regular Joe.
When I was a kid, I had a brother who was obsessed by darkness. Man, that kid was weird. Yeah, I know, he’s my brother, but I can still say he was weird. He spent all day in the basement -- sleeping I guess. Until one day, BA’AM!, he wouldn’t wake. Mom and Dad got all upset. I guess I was upset too, but not as much as they were.
Well Johnny, my brother, goes to all these doctors. Okay, he didn’t exactly go, since he was asleep, he was taken to all these doctors and they finally put him in the hospital over in the city. He stays awake for like six months, and then BA’AM!, he wakes up.
Years later, Johnny got really hammered one night and told me about the darkness, well, not about the darkness exactly, but more about the waking up. He said it was like being deep in a forest, at night, and seeing a single flashlight way off in the distance. He moved to the dimness, and it came closer to him – closer until he popped out of where ever he was and he was okay.
I was never into that metaphysical stuff like Johnny. I like stuff I can touch and see. Johnny likes to think. Guess that’s why we were never close.
In fact, I hadn’t seen Johnny for, oh, probably over 10 years. Until last night – LATE last night. He comes knocking on my door. Did I say knocking? He was pounding – pounding really loud for 2 AM – pounding with all of his 130 pounds.
“Johnny?” I said. “For God’s sake Johnny. Its two in the morning.”
Okay, I did add a few highlighting-type words that aren’t the kinds of words you can actual share in a story like this. But Hell, it was two in the morning.
“Joe? Can I come in Joe?”
What was I going to say after ten years? So I let him in. And then it really got weird.
“Too many flashlights, Joe. Too many Gosh Darn flashlights.”
That’s how Johnny talked. In fact, “Gosh Darn” was pretty spicy for him.
“I don’t see any flashlights Johnny,” I said, pretending I was looking outside. I wasn’t going to go out at 2 AM looking for some kooks with flashlights.
“Too many, Joe,” and then he goes over to my couch, lays down and goes right to sleep.
“You better not sleep six months this time, Johnny.”
Johnny’s only answer was a snore.
In a dark forest, when you are lost, and the woods are filled with hoots, chirps, growls, and branch-cracking, an isolated beam from a strong flashlight can dramatically improve your mental outlook. But what if 124 beams from 124 strong flashlights popped up, all at the same time, from 124 different directions? Wouldn’t that be just trading one confused/frightened state for another?
Well, that’s how I feel right now. My name is Joe, and just like my name implies, I’m just a regular sort of guy. Late thirties, a bit overweight, every-other weekend Dad, okay job, small house, smaller car. Just a regular Joe.
When I was a kid, I had a brother who was obsessed by darkness. Man, that kid was weird. Yeah, I know, he’s my brother, but I can still say he was weird. He spent all day in the basement -- sleeping I guess. Until one day, BA’AM!, he wouldn’t wake. Mom and Dad got all upset. I guess I was upset too, but not as much as they were.
Well Johnny, my brother, goes to all these doctors. Okay, he didn’t exactly go, since he was asleep, he was taken to all these doctors and they finally put him in the hospital over in the city. He stays awake for like six months, and then BA’AM!, he wakes up.
Years later, Johnny got really hammered one night and told me about the darkness, well, not about the darkness exactly, but more about the waking up. He said it was like being deep in a forest, at night, and seeing a single flashlight way off in the distance. He moved to the dimness, and it came closer to him – closer until he popped out of where ever he was and he was okay.
I was never into that metaphysical stuff like Johnny. I like stuff I can touch and see. Johnny likes to think. Guess that’s why we were never close.
In fact, I hadn’t seen Johnny for, oh, probably over 10 years. Until last night – LATE last night. He comes knocking on my door. Did I say knocking? He was pounding – pounding really loud for 2 AM – pounding with all of his 130 pounds.
“Johnny?” I said. “For God’s sake Johnny. Its two in the morning.”
Okay, I did add a few highlighting-type words that aren’t the kinds of words you can actual share in a story like this. But Hell, it was two in the morning.
“Joe? Can I come in Joe?”
What was I going to say after ten years? So I let him in. And then it really got weird.
“Too many flashlights, Joe. Too many Gosh Darn flashlights.”
That’s how Johnny talked. In fact, “Gosh Darn” was pretty spicy for him.
“I don’t see any flashlights Johnny,” I said, pretending I was looking outside. I wasn’t going to go out at 2 AM looking for some kooks with flashlights.
“Too many, Joe,” and then he goes over to my couch, lays down and goes right to sleep.
“You better not sleep six months this time, Johnny.”
Johnny’s only answer was a snore.
posted by Jimmie C. | 11:58 AM
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