Dreams

Baseball. My first love, passion and dream. Who didn't want to be Mickey Mantle? Disillusionment followed quickly, I could only hit one thing...the batter. Naturally, I was not aiming for him (them). What I did aim for, I was very consistent at, hitting the ball. I consistently missed it. I never weighed much then,but I never hit my weight. I loved the game, the game didn't even know my name. So, perhaps a bigger, better dream...airplanes. After all, it doesn't matter how fast you can run in a cockpit does it? Minor difficulty with the new dream, it came at the same time I discovered just how much school and I were incompatible. Certain math classes and so forth combined with a terrible cash flow ended that dream before I even had my eyes checked.

Reality is knocking on the door and I visit the recruiters. How did I end up in the Navy? I am an easy sell! Also they offered an earl out enlistment. If you joined prior to your 18th birthday you would either get out the day before your 21st birthday or the same period of time would be accrued as a year towards retirement. Easy sell. Dreams! I, that hates school, enlists and immediately am sent to...School. And then a second school, before I see a ship. Finally no school. Oops, you need to attend fire-fighting school before we go to sea. Go to sea? This tub is in drydock sitting on big blocks of wood. A full year and I am watching triple feature movies in gorgeous down town Norfolk. This isn't a dream! This is so much not a dream that I actually start taking different classes, drafting, GED college level. OK, I passed and time did too. Out!

Two days home and I meet my wife. Not a plan. Propinquity? New dream, simple, have a family and live happily ever after. Simple seldom works out either. But, there were moments, two daughters, some travel and a brand new camera for her. Which I ended up with later on. I don't really think that photography was a dream at any point, but it was always there from then on. So, for that time, what I have to show are two wonderful daughters (and grandchildren, naturally), a new skill (photography) and a slowly developing realization that I enjoy travel. Perhaps I am root-less, for I truly love seeing and experiencing all things possible. For pure joy nothing beats finding new friends in a new place. Sharing the common aspects of life and comparing the dissimilar makes each new visit special. Places count, but not as much as those you meet along the trek. Finding more people that matter, that is my dream. And they are everywhere I go, especially here.Too bad I didn't grasp it while I was in the Navy. After all, they were paying!

This is the by-product of too much something, I don't know what.  Two in the morning and I sit here hunting and pecking my way through this piece. Soon I will be out with Fabri, Tio'Tonio and all the others selling hats, among people. People from Japan, Russia, Germany...you name it. Of course those from my adopted home, Bella Roma, featured in the starring roles. I know what my dream is. My advice? Find yours too, as soon as you can!