TRAIN CHASING
By Peter Dargatz
The
loud blast of the train’s horn in the distance broke the silence and reminded
him of the times he had with his father.
They
used to sprint down their street to catch a glimpse of the train hurling down
the nearby rails. They would count the cars and enjoy the sights and sounds of
the train cars.
They
played catch in their yard, pretending to be major leaguers.
They
took nature walks, listening to the croaks of bullfrogs and the songs of birds.
They
spend as much time together as they could. They shared everything, but things
changed, as they inevitably do.
Time
with his father lost its allure. It became a chore.
Rather
than chasing trains together, the son tried to chase his father away.
The
son ignored his father. Hanging out with your father just wasn’t cool. He was
chasing him away.
The
son lied to his father. Telling the truth might make his father ask questions.
He was chasing him away.
The
son disrespected his father. He built himself up by tearing his father down. He
was chasing him away.
But
through all the rejection, all the defiance, all the hurt, his father stayed.
Now,
as his father lay in a hospital bed, with death knocking on the door, the son
has regrets.
As
he neared his father’s bed with tears down his cheeks, he whispered an apology
and made a promise. A promise to live
his life full of love. A promise to live like his father.
His
father opened his eyes, smiled, and whispered words that changed the son
forever.
“Listen
closely, son. You hear that train. Chase it. Chase after your dreams. Chase
after your adventures. Remember to enjoy the chase.”
The
son kept those words in his heart and is reminded of them every time he takes
his own son down to the tracks to chase the next train.
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