Tuesday

Sometimes late at night, after I've turned out my light, I lay with my hands behind my head and stare at my ceiling.

I've always been fascinated with outer space. Something about it just excites me. I love staring out constellations, even though I can only find Orion. Ive always thought about buying a whole bunch of those glow in the dark star kits, you know the ones where you can stick a piece of tape to the back and put on your ceiling? I imagine myself spending the summer in my room organizing hundresds of stars and planets on my ceiling, like a modern day Michelangelo of the stars. I'd work days organizing just one section of the night sky on my ceiling, and when I was finally done I'd turn out my light, and lay in my bed and just stare in wonder at the night sky, one that I had created.

Sometimes I can hear the sound of the train that passes by fairfield from my house. It toots its horn letting all know that it is passing through, and if all is quiet, the noise is distant but distinct to my ears. I can picture it. I can picture it so easily because I've sat at the railroad tracks as the train passed by, watching from my car. I read the box cars as they pass by and try to decipher the graffitti as it rushes by.

One time, a few years ago I was watching t.v. I had stumbled across a movie on some channel with Nicholas Cage in it. I can't remember the name but the scene that I remember best is one where Nicholas Cage and his friend are waiting at night time. They stand by a railroad track and a train rushes by. They both count to three and jump on to one of the many ladders hanging of the side of the boxcars and ride the train. They laugh as the wind blows in their faces. It was absolutely incredible and a little bit ridiculous.

I've always thought about doing that. Not necessarily riding the train for laughs, but jumping on that train that runs by fairfield. I'd ride in a boxcar to where ever the train heads to. I'd meet so many interesting people, and after a few years hitch hiking around the country and having great adventures I'd find somewhere nice, maybe in Canada or around the great lakes where I can expeirience a real autumn and winter. There I'd write the next great American novel. It'd all be about my travels and the oddball things that happened. The book would be an instant classic and I would never have to worry about money for the rest of my life. My wife and I would grow old and I'd spend my days writing books that would never be as good as my first, but I'd be happy.

And that ladies and gentlemen is how I wish my life would turn out, even though it is semi ridiculous.