THE MEMORY OF A LIFETIME

I stared at myself In the mirror, it was a few hours before the clock would tick and the happy New Years would erupt from the mouths of the people around me. Who were those people even? I didn't know. I was to drunk off my ass to tell what was even happening around me. And the reason, you ask: I cared to much. I didn't want people to see me, the way I saw myself. My solution to this dilemma was how can people see me when, I can barely see them. If you want to know why I feel this way, well here's the story. I woke up last year, the first day of January first and I told myself that I was going to loose all the weight I had put on for the last 4-5, 9 years. It doesnt matter. What matters is I had a goal. And I stuck to it for 11 months. You probably thought I was going to say 3 months, but I didn't just do 3 months. I did 3 months PLUS the other 8. Anyways, what happened in month 12--MUNCHY MUNCHY, CRUNCHY CRUNCY-thats what. And why? Well the usual, work and the stresses of life ladidadia. And before I knew it, my parents slammed the door in my face shaking there heads in disapproval on Christmas Day. When New Year hit, I only had my shame to carry me to the steps of the party doors. And here I am, the 20 pounds back on me and nothing but a reflection of jiggle to stare back at. I tried to suck it in, but it just wasn't working. I sighed and let my shoulders sag next to me, a hand tapped my shoulder I looked up to stare at the face of a blonde women. I couldnt see her face but it looked like a skeletons. I would've screamed, but I reminded myself how intoxicated I was and shrugged my shoulders. She probably just looked normal. She leaned into my ears and dragged out her words with each whisper. "I knowwwwwww" she said "it must be so sad". I pouted my mouth and batted my eyes, even though I knew exactly what she meant I still posed the question: What do you mean? Well, she gestured to my body "to look like that, it's just sad". I sagged my shoulders "yeah" I agreed "It is sad". She turned my face closer to hers and pressed her forehead against mine. It almost felt like a mystical motion. Once again she whispered "I can help you with that". Ok, not gonna lie at first, I was freaked out. Definitely, a old skeleton women telling me she could help me out with my goal in just, what how much time was left? One, two hours. "45 minutes til new year" the blonde lady whispered into my ear. "WHAT?!" I shouted I looked at her and got on my knees, "please help me" I said. She nodded her head and whipped her hands in a circle, we appeared in a small shop. I looked around and there was a small table in the center, the old woman pointed to the table and hissed "Sit". I obeyed. After I sat, I heard the door close and for a while it was silent. The ticking of the clock was the only noise that took over the room for a while. I eventually got used to the ticking noise, I started to sway my head back and forth. Just when I was getting into the groove of things, the lady returned through the door. She snapped her fingers twice and a magical sparkle, straight out of a movie, flashed in front of me. A treadmill appeared, she pointed to it. Walk on the treadmill for ten minutes, and you will have a achieved your goal. I looked to her, ten minutes pshht. Easy. I looked at my watch to see what time it was: 11:50.. 10 minutes means that I would miss shouting Happy New Years. I wouldn't be able to watch the ball drop, a yearly tradition Ive had since I was five. I wasn't sure if I wanted to miss out on something like that. Besides, this years was going to mark 20 years of watching the ball drop. Listen, I know It sounds weird but small moments like that just mean a lot to me. The aura of the room forced my jiggly legs to stand up, even though my heart was in a different place. I placed my feet on the treadmill and looked at the start button. "10 minutes, thats all" the blonde women whispered. I looked back at the blonde women and gulped, I shook my head. I looked at my watch again, then shook my head once more. "I-I'm sorry, I just I can't miss this, its my twentieth year". The Blonde Women nodded, she snapped her fingers and the treadmill was gone. "Its ok, I understand, if there is anything I've learned from life its that what you experience matters more. Life happens. and its the happenings of life that matter the most. I think thats something that I forgot". She smiled and was gone. Not only was she gone, everything that encapsulated and emanated her vibe was gone. The room, EVERYTHING. I looked up and saw myself standing in the center of Times Square. There were millions of people crowded in the center, but it didn't matter. Maybe it was a hallucination, but I dont think it was. I breathed in the fresh air, and watched the ball drop. As it hit the floor, the air around me seemed sweeter. I woke up the next day to my alarm blaring and a confetti falling from the sky. I got up, and yeah it was hard but hey its a new day full of new experiences. Also, what the hell was the party last night I chuckled to myself. There was a knock at my door. I straightened out the pillows on the bed and headed to the door. I opened it and saw the blonde lady fro m last night. She waved her hand "oh, hi. Sorry to bother you at such an early hour, but I was writing a book and was wondering" She moved backward as and forwards. Heel toe. Heel toe. "Well" she repeated "I was wondering if you could tell me about life". I shrugged my shoulders, I had nothing better to do. I nodded my head "sure" I replied. I held up my finger to her face "Just one moment" I rushed to my fridge and grabbed a pencil, I started to write on a slip of paper: LIVE LIFE. I crumpled the paper and tossed it in the trash. As long as I wrote I remembered. I rushed back to the door and saw the Blonde lady standing at the entry way."Come in, come in". I waved my fingers, gesturing for her to come, and she did.