He was scared, but then he figured everyone would be scared. Wasn't so. Some acted like they'd been there fo'ever. They were smiley, friendly, letya go in first when a door was opened, shared their cookies at lunch, patted ya on the shoulder when it looked like you needed a pat on the shoulder.
The little boy built a contraption. It was like a sieve... what he saw (went into his eyeballs), down a tube....there was one elbow in the tube where that, if he saw anything that was kinda distasteful, he'd whoosh it out that elbow. The stuff that was yummy, he allowed it to continue down the tube to finally rest upon this place he called his heart.
As he grew, of course he needed a bigger belt, longer jeans, more room for his toes - and of course he loved his sister, but, when they rode in the back seat with mom and dad, she needed to scooch over some due to his/her, each, getting bigger.
Thankfully, as his need for longer, cleaner, less holy Chuck Taylors arose - his heart was able to grow and add to the collection of yummy stuff that he really enjoyed by now. Sure, there was that other ucky stuff that he pushed out the elbow - but thanks to some really nifty friends, it was seemingly less and less every year.
School's out for the summer. Should really be a song, it'd make mega bucks. Speaking of mega... the little boy thought ohhhhhhhh myyyyyyyyyy Godddddd this is so yummy. He'd never worked a day in his life - but he'd witnessed his grandma and grandpa when they retired - how they got to hang out with their friends, do whatever they want, whenever they want, or not - and that's how his summers were!
He was lucky in that his heart, along with his friend's hearts - grew to keep pace with all the good stuff they collected. In a few years, he questioned "where did this dang hair come from?"and "how come I sound a little different", but he, they, trudged on.
Some buddies moved. He'd never forget 'em. Some new ones moved in. He collected them with his eyeballs and gladly, gently pushed them down to his heart.
College happened one day and he awakened to ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh myyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy gooooooooooooooooooooooodnesssssssss "I thought summers were cool... where we were kinda-sorta retired like granny and grandpa... this college stuff is THE BOMB...school ain't 8am to 4pm... you go for like only three classes on MWF, two on TuThur, then, you have time to spend with all these new friends from different towns and some even from different states. Grow heart, please grow! And it did. He never fathomed he'd be lucky enough to collect friends to add into his heart that weren't from his local elementary school or junior high or high school. Groovy was a thing back then, and the realization there are really cool folks from allover was just that, groovy man. He knew he'd never forget his new buddies.
Then, he met that one. Shiver me timbers. I think Janis said something to the effect of "take a place in my heart" kinda sorta, but I forget song lyrics. Anyways, he rearranged stuff in his heart so there'd be mega room for this newfound love. A kid happened. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh myyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy frigginnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn goodnnnnnnnnessssssssssssssss. Is this the real life, is it just fantasy, no escape from reality, a bouncin' ball of happiness caught in that landslide to his heart.
He noted as his hair receded, his tummy kinda stuck out a little, preceded, as he walked, I guess you'd call it. He wrote it off as wonder. Wonder in that the big ole belly he now had was really all this yummy stuff he'd whooshed into his heart, and it was just sagging down a little. S'more and more friends, loved ones. How could he not be happy? The bigger the belly, the bigger the appetite, he kinda liked food, what better?
Occasionally, he'd run into one at the Piggly Wiggly that long ago he'd welcomed down that tunnel into his heart. It was as if it was 1960-sumpin allover again. They'd laugh, hug, learn about all the new folks in their hearts. Once a month, he so loved it when his old college buds gathered. Some had more hair, most less though actually... some had a bigger tummy like him.. most had smaller though actually... whatever.. it was just like they walked back into the world of shag carpet, paisley print. It was kinda like they could subconsciously hear Grand Funk Railroad in the background a screamin' "We'll come into your town, we'll help you party down,...we're all the ones you whooshed down that tube into your heart"... or sumpin like that.
Wow, lost one. Tears. And another, more and more tears. Made ya feel like upchuckin', but ya held it in for fear another would escape from the heart into never-ever-see-em again land.
The years piled on, lovingly. He had to work, but, he figured, what the hell, why don't I add all this nifty folks into my heart. He did. He was glad he did. Theys like family now.
Friends came, new ones, from every imaginable corner. Hi, I'm Gene, your new neighbor. I'm Turp, the new pitcher on your slow pitch team. I'm Steve, I'll help you coach our son's T-Ball team.
Some of his friends, well, they, like him, got divorced. It's all good. OK, mebbe not a hunnerd percent all good, but perty darn good. Love was still there, they'd never completely leave that tunnel you funneled 'em into.
Tears. S'more lost. This time, relatives. Much, much, loved ones. The mirror told him this had taken a toll on his eyeballs, more lines under and over 'em... but the full length mirror told him "worry some, but it's all good, there's hella in that heart there and even the ones that you don't see again, they're there - reminders are everywhere."
Just when he'd thought he'd seen it all (as far as places these folks came from to welcome, push down that tunnel into his heart).. they'd come from grade school.. junior high.. HS.. college.. softball.. the neighborhood.. work.. friends of friends.. casual acquaintances.... he decided one day to logon to this new invention of Al Gore's.
Holy smokes. Shiver me some fire makin' timbers.. That person is cool. I don't know 'em, I've never seen 'em.. don't care, I'm pushing them down the tube into my heart. I gots room. Besides, if it makes my tummy grow a tad, so be it, it'll just afford another heapin' helpin' of lasagna. He was finding this internet thing to be kinda a get rich scheme, without the money involvement. He was makin' friends faster'n Etsy could sell eyelash extensions or t-shirts with all kinda animals on 'em. Weeeee dogggggies his friend Jed might say.
Every blog.. every book.. every love letter eventually comes to a close. That "The End" part.
Thankfully, the good Lord willing, I woke up, fell outta bed, dragged a comb across what hair is left.. peeked thru the curtain, HEY, there's the sun. I got another!
Oh sure, it ain't a never ending story.. (if ain't ain't a word, then that ain't a double negative is is?)..but it's a mighty fine one (story) where he counts his lucky stars daily... and his friends.. and loved ones.. some, he ain't never even seen.. some, a few perty ones I might add, he'd smooched.. and there were brothers he'd hugged too, that handshake only they know.. blood family, the best.
Gravity. It's all about gravity. That tunnel to the heart. That great accumulation of loved ones in your heart that makes your heart sag, belly stick out. Suits me, I'll just buy a new, longer belt. Mebbe run to the Thrift Store to grab me some $2 jeans in size (ha ha, you think I'd tell) to wear just until I lose all these pounds. (Ha, again).
Take another little place in my heart now baby... or sumpin like that, right Janis?
Baseball... er, I mean life.. has been berry berry good to me. (Well, actually baseball too!) That scared little boy that went to school that day has learned so much from folks.. he could give give give until we get a 47, 48, 49, fitty President, and he'd never be able to pay back all the kind folks he's gained down that tube into his heart.
Hi! Welcome!
Another one! Who'da thunk the golf course is where one would find new yummy folks for the tummy, er, heart....
I'm thinking, all that additional space in the heart that makes it sag down to where my belly done sticks out more.......... could maybe stand an extra piece of pecan pie.
Take another little place in my heart now baby, or sumpin like that.
Love, Victurd
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