Chasing Your Thing

Tom is a guy, not a man, not a dude, never a Sir or Mister anything. No, Tom was just a guy a regular uninteresting or often uninterested guy, at least that is the way he felt most days. See, our guy Tom works at WESTEX, a large company that does a bunch of different things that make money. This, by the way, is how Tom typically answers the question "Oh and what do they do?" he has it down to a verbal template but in simple terms WESTEX produces thermal solutions to a bunch of industries, so if it gets hot or cold and should be the opposite they make something for it and that makes them a lot of money.

Tom has had the same job since 2006, he never thought he would still be doing the same thing two years later never mind eighteen. The pay is decent and Tom is single with no wife, children, or even a mortgage. Tom has a pretty laid back, at often times unimportant, life but its doing the job so he leaves it alone.

Today is Thursday and Tom is having lunch in the common area outside the WESTEX building. Its a nice spot, grassy with some raised flower beds spread around and benches to sit and have lunch as well as a few tables where employees are playing chess on their lunch. A few other people are chatting by the small Japanese Maple tree, its just a nice day out. Tom looks at his phone...."Shit shit shit shit!" he yells (Tom is quite articulate as you can tell) he takes off running toward the building entrance. "Shit! I thought this stupid meeting was Thursday"; thinks for a second and wait for it... "Shit it IS Thursday" and Tom really wanted to have his lunch. This happens six to eight times a month, someone very much above Tom sets a meeting during his usual lunch break. "Its almost always unnecessary and pointless" he mutters as he gets in the elevator. "Ding" and here we are at the twelfth floor where the large conference room is packed with the newest potential client on the list.

Tom walks in to so much chatter and various conversation it was like the minutes before a show at a theatre. "Ok folks let us get this meeting started" a voice sternly announces. That's Doug Bane, the regional Vice President and head honcho at this facility. Tom sits as the chatter stops and the bullshitting begins. He is a bit spaced out as he scans the room for life. " Hmm lets see what we have ....Fat guy over there........whoa! who is she?  ohh nevermind I remember her , man Doug's tie sucks I bet the newest mistress picked it out haha" he chuckles as he looks further " Wow Tony still trying to sell us on that hair piece that's just......" Tom stops his scan. His eyes just lock on this person. He feels this hot feeling like the room just went up 60 degrees. "That woman, that's Kim" he says to himself. Kim was a very special girl Tom dated, hell adored, when he was 22 years old.

Kim worked at the bank in town and Tom would go in from time to time to grab some funds from time to time. They would talk and became great friends. Kim had these things she wanted to do like interior design and knew a lot about finance and loan structure for being a teller she was much more. Often they would have coffee or just go on walks and talk. It was not a romantic endeavor but more a meeting of kindred spirits. Kim made Tom see that what he wanted was possible. He had always wanted to start a small company specializing in prototype parts for medical device companies. He knew a lot about machining and welding but somehow took a turn to being in an office at WESTEX. These walks and talks led to many feelings, feelings that became very intense and the two began dating.

As above so below as it says, things happen and life happens and as time went on Kim and Tom just lost touch, a miscommunication coupled with a few more and some stubbornness and here we are.

Tom cant take his eyes off of her, he remembers everything they used to talk about. In this flash he remembers her dreams that she shared and how she pushed him. Then he remembered how nobody has pushed him since. He then thinks about how different things could have been. He spends the next hour just looking at her and thinking about where he should be in life.

"So if that is the type of direction you want, then we are your company" Doug belts out to conclude is bullshit speech. Everyone gets up and make their way to the cafeteria where Tom decides to go talk to her. He is very nervous I mean its been 20 years, 'what if she doesn't care that its me?" he thinks this and a thousand other thoughts. Finally he decides to go up to her and just tell her he made a mistake letting them lose touch. Tom has many things to tell her and here is his chance. He walks up calmly, she does not seem to recognize him as he did her, but '' its been years I look different" he thinks. Finally he says " I cant believe you are here, I mean what are the odds? How have you been?" "Fine i suppose" she replies. " Look I've been looking at you and just remembering all the fun we had back then. I just really never realized how much you meant to me but here you are". He went on like this about second chances and never finding " the one" Tom talked about his parents and even some medical history that he could have omitted. "Oh my" she says, unfortunately...." You are married?" he butts it, " No I am single but I have no idea who the hell you are. I grew up in Oregon my name is Samantha and 20 years ago I was 13." I must look like this Kim but I am not her.

Tom apologized, he walked over to his desk. Tom grabbed his Pen his Pete Rose signed base ball and his jacket. He stopped in the copy room on his way out grabbed a piece of paper and wrote this which he stuck on Doug's door on his way out.

"Doug, I have wasted my life playing it safe and not chasing my thing, I quit if anyone is looking for me well I'm busy, off chasing my thing.

The End