When It's Time to Move On

Door 1 - Chapter 7 - His Story

"Do you remember me?" Harris asked.

"I'm sorry, dear boy, but I can't say I do," the stranger replied.

Harris's heart sank; this meant he would have to accept he was in fact reliving this for some reason.

"I'm the one who's been asking you to pass the volleyball everyday around evening. You've been sitting there for hours at a time."

"I know which place you're talking about. I imagine it's not too hard to spot me there."

"You do kind of stand out," said Harris, referring to the man's shabby appearance.

"Yes, but I wasn't always like this," said the stranger, surveying his clothes. "I hope you don't take me for a deranged person. But the world hasn't been good to me. It doesn't take long for your fortunes to turn. One second you're fluttery as a bird, the next you're on the ground with your wings clipped. Bracing yourself only comes when you haven't prepared for it. I sure wasn't."

"What is it that happened with you?" Harris asked.

"The old me would have clobbered you for even attempting to ask me that," the man replied. "And believe it or not, I really do miss that man."

"All right," said Harris, taken aback, "I'm sorry if I offended you."

"Not at all, my boy," said the man apologetically. "I was merely recalling how I once was. No one liked him, in fact. But I miss him all the same; at least he had a spine."

"I'm sorry for what happened to you, sir," Harris said. The broken-down demeanor of the stranger was pitiable.

"Please, call me Bob."

"Okay, Bob, I know it sucks to have the wrong hand dealt to you. God knows I've had it bad."

"Is that why you're here?"

"I don't know," said Harris truthfully. "It seemed unbelievable to even be walking at one time, let alone chasing you around in this mist."

"You were chasing me?"

"Yes, you've been at the beach for hours at a time. I saw you leave tonight and thought I'd see whether you were all right."

"How come you never asked me before if you've been watching me all these days?"

"I did but you never replied," Harris told him. "You had me thinking you were some sort of crackhead."

"Really, son, I have no memory of it, don't know what to tell you."

Harris could tell the man was telling the truth but there had to be some other reason for Bob's lack of response.

"So why do you spend hours just looking across the sea?"

"Where do I start?" Bob sighed, beginning his story. "I've always been a loose cannon but was always able to find a way out of sticky situations. Remember this, never be complacent, you're never completely responsible for your success. There's always someone else who plays a hand in it.

"Studies, education, these didn't matter to me. I hated being in one place too long. So there I was, a lad who couldn't even graduate high school. So I enlisted in the service," Bob shook his head. "Thought I'd show everyone by becoming a respected army officer, only I didn't realize the army didn't take any nonsense. Still, I did learn a few tricks before my dishonorable discharge. Then as luck would have it, I got run down by a truck."

"That's supposed to be good luck?"

"It is when you have a lawyer around. A quick lawsuit later, I was in money. Only I couldn't hold on to it for long, I don't gamble in casinos but I'm still a gambler. Met an old acquaintance who was able to coax the money out of me, hit me in the right places. Well, he got what he wanted but I didn't, business went under and I was broke again, then I met Sheila." Harris saw a twinkle in Bob's eye.