There were signs

There were signs. Other people might have seen them earlier and accepted their truth. Kyle, however, believed he might be the exception. Learning to enjoy olives doesn’t mean anything, does it? It’s just a tasty little snack, right? 

And the farmer's markets… Kyle truly did not understand why the other kids weren’t there every Sunday morning. ‘Best coffee in town’, he would brag ‘and I bet types of potato than you have ever even heard of!’ 

He kept trying to listen to the music his friends were into, and to be fair, some of it was really good, but some of it… just didn’t hit the spot. Even still some of it he just didn’t get.

Then came the day his life changed forever. Kyle finally convinced the gang to join him at the markets. He was excited, to say the least. He was up all night picking out the perfect outfit, it was really going to blow the gang away. He did one last check-over in front of the mirror before heading out. He was wearing three-quarter-length cargo shorts, his favourite ‘Nirvana smiley’ shirt, and a tattered flannel shirt over the top. On his feet, he wore skate shoes with bright orange laces, naturally undone. He stopped. One thing was wrong… the socks. His friends had all been wearing white crew socks, pulled up as high as they could. He was sure it was some sort of joke and they were just trying to trick him into going into public and committing the worst possible fashion crime. He kicked his shoes off and replaced his ankle socks. 

Kyle arrived at the markets, cruising down the street on his skateboard. The time was 8 am… The agreed time… The time the gang promised to meet. But alas, no sign of Steve, Becky, Brad, Alex, or Chris. Kyle expected this, he suspected their watch batteries were dying because they always seemed to run late. Importantly, he was at the farmer's markets, it was impossible to stay grumpy at such a magical place. He would get a coffee, sit back, and enjoy the atmosphere, surely they would all arrive soon. 

The hours passed, as they do, and 11 o’clock arrived. Kyle had, in his solitude, consumed three regular soy lattes, two bagels, and one jam-filled doughnut. Some of the aforementioned jam now resided neatly down the front of Kyle’s attire. The joy of his location had all but worn off and Kyle had decided at last, that it was time to go home.

This is the moment Kyle’s life changed forever. This is the moment Kyle’s self-awareness, paused cruelly for a decade, was perhaps mercifully revived. 

Kyle was skating down the street, still blissfully unaware, feeling the wind flow with ease through his mullet when his reverie was broken. Through his periphery, he noticed none other than Steve, Becky, Brad, Alex and Chris seated at their favourite bubble tea establishment.

Kyle tumbled off his skateboard, brushed himself off, and strode up to the boba cafe. He stood just outside the shop, gazing through the large glass windows. He just couldn’t understand what he was seeing. There was his crew... The gang… all his friends, enjoying bubble tea, not two blocks away from where they were meant to meet him. And worst of all, they didn’t even invite him to this new hangout. Kyle mustered his courage and stepped into the cafe.

Alex looked up, noticing him walk in, ‘Heya Kyle, how was your market thing?’

Kyle was incredulous. ‘How was the market thing? It was awful. I sat for THREE hours… waiting… but no one showed up! Where were you guys?’

Steve, not aware of the direction of Kyle’s frustration said ‘Aw, that’s a real drag bro, what happened to all your older friends, you know, your millennial buddies?’

The cogs began to turn in Kyle’s, and the inkling of a hint of awareness began to present itself.

‘But… you guys are my friends. I invited you guys-’

Becky interjected ‘You’re being a bit cringe, Kyle. We are sorry we didn’t make it, we just thought you were meeting other people.’

Kyle, completely oblivious to what cringe meant in this context, and that he was in fact acting incredibly so replied ‘Me.. cringe? At least I show up when I’m invited to something, I mean, seriously guys!

Brad, not even looking up from his phone added ‘You need a vibe check, my dude, you are like in your 40s, you can’t really expect us to have all the same interests’

Kyle was about to object, declaring that he was only 35 when finally self-awareness struck. It came in the form of a lingering thought in the back of his head. My knees hurt. 

And he remembered what it was like to be a young adult about to turn 20.

 He remembered the adventures, the fun, but also the pain. The pain of heartbreak. The uncertainty about what the future held. The time spent juggling study with a job that barely covered rent. 

He remembered the societal expectations, the judgment, and the petty disputes. 

He remembered all the things that felt like the end of his life, and how in the end, none of that drama really mattered. 

He also remembered never having thought about how sore his joints were. 

And suddenly, he realised there was no reason for him to cling to that chapter. He didn’t need to worry about all that. Sure, if he didn’t do enough squats his knees hurt, and if he did too many, they were even worse. But he also didn’t have to go to nightclubs. He could instead maybe take a real holiday. He could enjoy brunch at the markets. Maybe even apply himself, actually get that promotion, and one day buy the house he always wanted. It wasn’t going to be easy. There would still be drama, and in another 10 years that drama would probably be just as irrelevant, but it was all new. It was time… and Kyle was excited. 

Kyle was growing older, and it was okay.

Kyle noticed he must have been standing still, a million miles away, for at least a minute. The group looked perplexed, staring at him as he returned to the present.

As Kyle came to, Chris, asked ‘Are you okay, buddy? Do you want a drink?’.

Kyle shook his head. He thought about the scene he had made in front of a bunch of 19-year-old kids. ‘I uh… I think I need a haircut’

And with that Kyle turned around and stepped into the rest of his life.