“I worked for
an airline
once. Younger
than you. Tix for $20.
Anywhere
in the world. I
went to
Paris.
With three other stewardesses.
Man,
you should’ve seen
me
then. I saw
Paris.
Sure.
I saw it from
the airport to the hotel.
I saw it on
the way back
too.
The rest of the
time I saw
Gail
Lily
and Katie.
I saw the places they’d never
even seen.
What do you think
about that?”
I think you
made the right
decision.
Paris has been Paris
for 700 years.
And it’ll
probably stay
that way until
the end.
But you saw
Gail
Lily
and Katie.
Maybe 100 other
men could say
that.
And I’m sure
none of them
will age
as well
as
Paris.
“I went
to Florida once,
too.”
Not
even Gail
Lily
and Katie
could make
Florida
worth while.
“I brought my wife.
I saw every
inch of
Florida, but I barely
saw
the hotel.”
See? I said.
You
let yourself become
one of those
and you got a 2nd
place story.
Florida
will still be
Florida
in 700 years
and it’ll
still be
nothing
to write home about.
What happened to
the passion? The stride?
God put his hand
right to his
head and saluted you.
Gail
Lily
and Katie,
for no damn
reason at all.
And you
traded it
all in
for
Florida?
Another one
sold his present
because
they told him
his life could have
a purpose.
And now
he’s driving
a car
with no
working windows
and two full ashtrays.
Waiting for the day
he can save enough
to see
Paris
again.