Short Story

I would like to be able to say I am an actor but no, I am just a regular ole mailman. I have been waiting for someone, anyone to recognize me and send me work. I hate being a mailman; it’s like living in a box your whole life although I am getting way ahead of myself.
I am Jared, a regular, plain, sit-on-the-couch type of guy. I wait by the phone when I get home each day for my agent to call with work but the only person who ever calls me is my mom on Tuesday afternoons. Which is sad for a 40-year-old man.
I have one friend, Aegean, who is extraordinarily spiritual and finds himself deeply connected to his Native American roots. Though, I mostly tune everything out after that. Not that I am not supportive of my dear friend but I just don’t have much interest in the topic. We hang around his tribal cemetery on the weekends and go to festivals on his tribes’ reservation. It is really nice to at least have company even if I do end up wearing a costume for the traditional dances. I think it is just a good excuse to see people dance around oddly and to dress up.
I am usually reflecting about my life. I never feel like I have done anything to show for my life. If I died right now no one would know my name other than the people I can count on my crooked fingers. Yet, I also have not made any attempts to change that, so I suppose it is my own fault. I tend to avoid the topic all together.
My life is full of disappointments. I never had many friends, I have never gotten married, I never got my dream-acting job, and I’ve certainly never felt alive. The only thing I am good at is being a chameleon, a person who you never think twice about. I think I would be a good undercover detective. I could be super cool if I tried although then I wouldn’t get to watch the next episode of Lost. Which would not be one of the perks to being a detective.

I wake up to find the sun shining through the curtains, my flowers growing up in a spiral fashion, and my body a bit stiff from sleeping like a log. I stretch myself to the four corners of my queen-sized bed and breathe in a deep breath. I roll out of bed and fall on the floor with a thump. This is practically the only way for me to wake up because the water relaxes me, the alarm clock reminds me of the multiple times I dance to the beat of the drums on the reservation and wear ridiculous costumes, and having my mother yell at me to wake up is not going to happen. I am way to old for that.
So stiffly standing up I hobble to the bathroom and swiftly take a shower. The water is cold and I make no attempt to warm it up as by the time it started warming up I would have to be out the door and in my take-out shaped business vehicle. So I put a dab of shampoo and conditioner in my hair and spread in through my short curly brown hair then rinse it thoroughly just like the label on the back tells me to do. I jump out of the shower and dry off while brushing my teeth a combing my hair. Racing through my room I snatch my work outfit and my big bulky brown shoes with a stinky smell to them and through them on my self. Skipping a step I speed down the stairs grabbing a box of chips and a Pepsi to get moving. This is a familiar routine and I often do it in my sleep. I wish I had a different job.
Putting the Take-Out Car into reverse I drive into the street and then switch naturally to drive. I stop by the mail station and drive through my assigned neighborhood and open and close mailboxes, putting stacks of mail in each with the occasional one that I skip because they have no mail to receive. It is automatic at this point, which makes it easy money.
After a long day at work I drive to Aegean’s tribal building and park. I step out of the Take-Out Car and I feel relieved at being able to move out of the uncomfortable box. It feels good to be out as the sun starts to set. The sky illuminates with radiance as the sky fills with varying hues of yellow, orange, red, pink, purple, and blue. The clouds reflect the staggering sight and the cloud’s lining glisten and glow with delicate tinges. Transitioning from day to night, the most beautiful time of day, blue hour.
I linger in the parking lot till the sky starts to dull. I push open the glass front doors and the high ceiling is marvelous. I appreciate architecture even if I can’t create it. I love to bring a cotton blanket and lay on the floor gazing up at the arched ceilings with paintings depicting Natives eating, dancing, and being content as well as peaceful. I could gawk at the dome for an elongated age.
Chief Daughten finds me and greets me with an astute smile. I feel at ease with the elders. They have a profound look in their eyes and I know they understand my soul. They never criticize me or try to mortify me, they just nod their head as if they know exactly I am thinking and then smile their knowing smile.
“Greetings,” the Chief tells me as he approaches me. In a relaxed way I reply, “Hello Chief Daughten, do you know where Aegean is?” All of the tribe lives together like a big family, interconnected like a web. Pondering this he explains “I think he went to the fields to pick some fruit, you may join him there or wait here.” I say good-bye and head out the doors and take off my shoes so that they don’t get muddy. Stepping out, bare footed, I jog to the fields in search of Aegean. I look through rows of bushes and trees to find him sitting on the ground happily munching on what can only be blueberries, his favorite.
I join Aegean on the ground and start I start picking blueberries myself, his dark skin reflecting the moonlight and night sweeping over the sky like a blanket. He stands up and guides me to a tree and he climbs it, helping me find footholds. We find a branch and look up at the luminous moon. This is our sacred spot together. I remember many summers when we sat up here. It makes me feel like a child again, and I embrace it.
“Isn’t it so peaceful, it brings the whole world together,” Aegean is always in awe of nature, and sometimes he makes me feel the same way about the world. “Nature is what we all have in common,” I quote from a saying I’ve heard from Aegean before. He hints a smile of praise. It’s the best reward I could have asked for.
“Why haven’t I done anything worth while in my life,” I wonder aloud, not expecting an answer. We sit in quiet, listening to the hum of life all around us, for a long time. “What is worth while?” He says ponderingly. “I don’t know…” I admit. I have been so focused on getting an answer I haven’t really thought about the question. I wish I knew.
While I was thinking Aegean pounced out of the tree and looked up at me expectantly. I look down. There is a good ten feet below my dangling feet. Finally I suck it up and jump knowing it can’t be much worse than rolling out of bed. Although, I am sadly wrong. It hurts when you don’t know how to land well and are getting old. I’ll have to ask for some pointers from Aegean later.
After I’ve gotten up Aegean starts running to the tribal fire pit. I sprint with him, feeling like I am cutting through the wind like scissors. We walk up to the fire where people are sitting in meditative pose. Aegean walks up to his father and pulls him to the side talking in hushed voices they discuss something that I can’t hear and don’t try. His father comes to me and tells me to sit and try to sing along. Letting my thoughts loose I do as he says. Not feeling anything until my head seems to spin through time. Spinning around and around. Not daring to open my eyes before I stop spinning.

Slowly I open my eyes to day. Had I slept all night? Then realizing that everything looks different. Older. I don’t see any lampposts and my car isn’t in the parking lot. There isn’t even a parking lot. Trying not to get hysterical. I go to the main building. I see someone who resembles Chief Daughten. I rush up to him and hug him. Happy to see a friendly face I say “Hello Chief Daughten!” His face contorts in puzzlement. Slowly he explains “Daughten’s my great grandson’s son.” My face falls.
As if in final recognition he takes me to Aegean and my special branch. Settling he asks me what I feel about my life. Admittedly I tell him “I want to do something that is important.” He smiles slightly “Just by living and loving you already have, and he who waits finds that time is not, so live your life and good will come to you.” I am about to tell him thank-you when my head starts spinning and I find my self back in my seat, back near the tribal fire.
Everyone around the circle smiles at me as if they know what happened. This time I smile back, knowing I have gotten my answer. In silence Aegean and I stroll together and I think only about right now, this moment. I feel at peace for the first time.