My reading. I’ve mentioned this here before, I know. But, I’ve become a reader. I always have two or more books going. I make them very different books. But, I never read two fiction novels at the same time. I am sure my brain would have trouble with that. But I sure do enjoy falling into the world of fiction.
Last night, I finished reading my fiction novel. The entire time I was reading it, I didn’t much care for the thing. But I was committed. I felt that it might have some redeeming qualities at the end. Besides that, I selected this book because of its high rankings, and the testimonials of praise. So. I pressed on.
As I read the last page and closed the cover, I said to myself, “Wow. I really, really did NOT like that book.”
There was no special sauce on a sesame seed bun at the end. No prize in the bottom of the box. No magic faerie with glitter dust in the garden. Nope. Nadda. None. Zilch.
And there it was.
That is the thing, though. I like a prize. I like a good ending. A magic wand and a brand new puppy on the doorstep. I surely do.
But. We don’t always get the decoder ring.
Sometimes, the prize arm on the conveyer belt at the Cracker Jack Factory, misses a box. And we happen to get the empty one.
Never mind that we just ingested the entire box of carmely-sugary-nutty-popcorn-goodness. Unless you were like me, as a kid. I used to dump the entire box onto the kitchen table, and go directly for the prize.
The Way of the Prize. It is sort of like the Jedi Force. It is a lifestyle. A Commitment. An Oath. The Way of the Prize.
I think part of it might come from being the youngest in the family. Like this. It was a hard thing for me to accept that birthdays are just another day. That the rest of the world doesn’t stand still on the day you were born. Birthdays, are simply one of 365. Like all the others.
No mini-Gumby at the bottom of the box.
No Sparkling Lights.
No Ethel Merman singing “Everything’s Coming Up Roses.”
Nope. Nope. Nope.
Shane dies at the end, as he is riding toward the sunset.
Bambi’s Mom dies.
So does Old Yeller.
The Reality of Life.
That book I just finished was a total drag.
But. Hey. Hey, hey. What am I doing?
It is my underlying objective to bring you some bit of joy and happiness with my very own writing. Here. Every day. That is my greatest hope and intention. To shine a little light where there is none. To spread the love and goodwill.
So yes. On to that, now.
Have a nice damn day.
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“Sanity and happiness are an impossible combination.”
― Mark Twain
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“Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.”
― Ernest Hemingway, The Garden of Eden
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“It’s like Tolstoy said. Happiness is an allegory, unhappiness a story.”
― Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore
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