Chase Your Dream

I’m very sorry honey,” Johnson heard. He turned around to see his grandma standing there. She wore a black dress with one of those fancy hats. “It’s uh okay. Don’t worry Mrs.Lace.”

His grandma looked stung with those words. Of course, he thought, that’s what you get when you betray people. 

“Son, I understand it must be hard for you to lose your parents in such a horrid accident. That’s why I’m here.”

“Why would you even care? You never even bothered what happened to your daughter. You never supported her dream, you left her when she was 11 years old. Alone and lost. How did you even have the guts to come back? ”

Before she could say anything back, he left. He clearly remembered how he had got the phone call about the accident, and how he had raced to see if his parents were okay. Dad had left already, gone forever. He went to see his mom, who still had some time left. 

“I’m sorry Johny, but I won’t live long enough to see your daughter. Tell Amanda I gave her my love, okay?”

He was crying, but he still managed a nod. 

“Dear, you have never met your grandma. But I suppose when I die, she’ll come to visit. I don’t want to ask much from you, but will you do one thing for me?

“Yes ma, anything you say.”

“Pr-prove your grandma wrong. Chase your dream. Our dr-dream.” With those words, she left him too. He burst into tears, crying as he had never before. At their funeral, he waited, but his grandma didn’t come. Instead, she came a month later saying she thought the funeral was on the very same day. How could someone be so dumb as to forget her own daughter’s funeral? So what if she was old? And then she comes to him and apologizes. He frowned at the thought.

He went into his house to see his small daughter Acacia and his wife, Amanda. She had been strong, she had managed everything beautifully. But he, he had failed. Now, he thought, now I will prove that so-called grandma of mine wrong. “She crushed my mother’s hopes, she crushed my mother’s everything. But now I will crush her,” he said to his wife. She smiled and nodded. “And we will support you on every step of the way.” John considered himself very lucky indeed. To have had such a beautiful childhood and such a perfect wife and daughter. 

“Hello Acacia dear,” His daughter then giggled such a beautiful giggle that his heart melted. He knew he wouldn’t turn out like his grandma. He then walked to his parent’s room. The beautiful crimson walls, the pistachio colored curtains, and the flower bed cover.

The two armchairs in which his mother would cradle him as a kid. The house which she had made stand all by herself and dad. The family picture and next to it, and her diary. He knew his mother had always restricted him and his dad to touch her diary. It was so old, so very old, she had it since she was a little kid. And so it was also very fat, filled with different colored pages. His mother was gone now, she wouldn’t mind even if she knew. She couldn’t even ground him now. He took a deep breath and opened the diary. He flipped a few pages to read the diary entry he wanted. There. He found it. And now to read it.

Dear Diary,                                11 November 1981

I am standing in the middle of the street. But why, you may ask. It’s so cold. Well, mum kicked me out of the house. Oh, why? Because I wanted to chase my dream. I wanted to go into the Olympics, just like dad had. But she says it’s not very ladylike to do such things. I should have one goal, that is to create a family. Sure I would do that, but I want a self-created future and not rely on some man. I have a small bag next to me with a few necessities. Mum told me before kicking me out that “You MUST depend on a man all your life. If you don’t want to, then go get lost, and create your future.” Thus I was kicked out. I want to be an Olympic long jumper. Maybe someday my dream will come true.

Yours Truly

Jennifer

Johnson sighed. He had overheard this story in minor details once, but now he knew it all. He knew during this time she had badly hurt her leg and was told she couldn’t possibly become an Olympic long jumper. She couldn’t pay enough money to fix her legs and did a part-time job in a bakery. Where she met dad. She had never forced him to become something she couldn’t, but he knew he always wanted to. It was his greatest dream, his greatest wish. And he will succeed. All his years of training will come into use at this year’s Olympics. He didn’t dare read any more diary entries, because he thought he was invading his mom’s privacy. SO he kept the diary back and went outside. He would train harder than ever and make his wife, daughter, mum, and dad proud. He would prove that wretched woman wrong. He would make the Lace’s proud.

A few weeks rolled by, and John felt prepared. He knew he could do this. Even his wife had said so. But she couldn’t come to see him, the young baby won’t be able to make it. He hated leaving his family, but he had to go. After kissing them goodbye, he turned on the car engine and left. As the sun got ready to leave, John decided to stop at a hotel and continue his journey tomorrow. He entered the hotel and went to the receptionist. “Hello there, uh, can I have a room for tonight?” 

“Sure sir, may I know your name please?”

And so the conversation went on for quite some time till he got his room. He opened the door of the room but he thought he saw someone familiar for a second. He quickly shut the door and stood outside when he was her. Quanium Quinn. One of the main judges. He stared at her, completely spellbound, and then she looked at him and said “Hello there. Are you okay? Do you need any help?” He found his voice and replied as confidently as he could. “Uh ya I-I am fine. Sorry, but are you one of the judges of the Olympic Lon-” 

“Yes,” she interrupted, still smiling. Creepy, he thought. And what happened next, was the reason he had said the worst swear that came into his mind, out loud. He saw his grandma next to the creepy woman. “Mrs. Lace, I see a contestant of the Olympics!” His grandma’s smiled faded as soon as she saw him. And so came out the swear from her mouth too. But Johnson wanted to make a good impression on the judge, so he said politely “Hello Mrs.Lace” She forced a smile back to him and they shook hands. “We have a big day the day after tomorrow Mrs.Lace, we have some serious judging to do!”John could have sworn his heart stopped beating for a second. “Yo-your’re both judges?” He stammered. “Why, yes!” she replied, laughing. “Please excuse us, Johnson. What might your surname be?” He looked hard at this woman, who didn’t know the statement she had made would make the greatest impact on his life. “Lace. And a very good night Miss Quinn and you too, grandma Lace.” And he stormed back to his room, missing the shocked glance from Quanium Quinn. “Why, I never knew! This will be a fun season.” Were the last things he heard, as the two women entered their room. What John was finding very hard to understand was that how could the woman, who had told her daughter to rely on a man and not do a job, be doing so herself? He had so many questions and no answers. But then his wife called, and he didn’t have time to think over this matter again. 

                    ***************************************

The day was here. He was standing, waiting for his name to be called. He had passed the qualification rounds. Each finalist takes three jumps, and then the top eight jumpers receive three more attempts. He was the top third one, his journey so far had been hard. The longest single jump during the final wins. “Johnson Lace,” he heard his name. He was the last one left. He stepped in and saw the smirking face of his grandma. He had to ace this. He took his first jump, but it was very pathetic, that he started to feel ashamed of himself. When he took his second jump, he landed awkwardly. He yelled in agony, and various people came running to him. “A twisted ankle.” The medic said. 

A twisted ankle. A stupid twisted ankle would be the reason he couldn’t make his mom proud, his family proud. And then, he got encouragement from his grandma, which she of course didn’t give on purpose. She heard him say,” A stupids mom’s stupid son.” And that was it. He said he would take his last jump. The medic was shocked at this, but when he saw the sparkle in John’s eye, he let him. This was it, John said to himself. The moment of truth. He stared ahead. And he jumped.

A very painful jump, but he did it. He made it. His grandma looked like she might die. The creepy woman, Mrs.Quinn looked half surprised and half happy. He waited a few moments. And then the announcer said,” Johnson Lace is the winner of-” He couldn’t hear the rest. All he could hear was a bunch of shouts from the crowd. He had done it. At his house, his wife was crying and his daughter was laughing happily. He felt such a huge amount of joy, he thought his heart would burst. After he collected his trophy and flower bouquet(which he planned on giving to his wife) he saw his grandma. He remembered the incident at the hotel. He had to clear a few things. When she came to congratulate him in the changing room a few hours later, he said one word. “Why?” She stared at him. Then she said,” I never wanted a daughter. She wanted the success that I craved. She had good talent, even better than me. So if she was there, my competition would have been harder. So I banished her. But of course the tragic accident and her leg... Who knew? But when I didn’t succeed in what I wanted to be, who you are right now, I finally became a judge.” John snarled. The puzzle fit perfectly. But one final piece was yet to be put in. “You did it. You hurt her leg, but she made it still. But then, of course, you were still jealous to see that I was turning out good too. You wanted to crush me, so you killed her and dad!” 

She smiled,” You are one smart boy. Thought about being a detective? But alas you have no proof.” What they both hadn’t realized was that their interesting conversation had been recorded by the medic. “Bingo! You can think over that again.” The medic said meekly. “What the-?” his grandma tried to say, as white as a sheet.

                                **************************

“Daddy see! I won this trophy!” Acacia said, dancing around, to her father. He smiled and patted her head gently. “I will put this one next to my Olympics trophies,” he said and put his daughter’s trophy neatly next to it. “Dad why is the article of great-grandma going to jail for a lifetime still with you?” She asked pointing towards the article. 

“My dear, this will always remind me of my mother in peace.” 

"Dad do you have any advice for me?"

"Yes, Chase your dream. Don't stop. Just keep chasing till you succeed."