Next week he was turning 40. He lay there trying to ease the pain, wondering how he got here. His present life sure did not reflect any of the visions he had imagined 10 years earlier. He remembered turning 30 in 1995 and being relieved. That is when people make all their money, in their 30’s, right? The 20’s were for finding yourself and partying. The 30’s were for settling down and making a boatload of cash.
The memory of his 30th birthday was still fresh in his mind. The optimism and sheer excitement that the next decade held. The timing was perfect. Business was great and the market was booming. How could anything go wrong? He remembered thinking that he might even retire at the age of 45. Surely he would have made enough money by then to live the rest of his life in comfort.
“Lights out!”
A sudden crash back to reality. Another day in hell over and now he had to look forward to another night of regret. If he had just called a cab that night instead of getting behind the wheel, maybe he might have lived that life he envisioned in 1995. Instead, not only does he get to spend his nights in a small room with a guy they call G-Dog, but someone’s wife and daughter doesn’t get to have any more days and nights. A regret he will always have, in or out of prison.
Above is my entry for this week's Flash Fiction Challenge: diminishedfifth.
The rules were as follows:
1. Maximum length: 250 words.
2. The theme is: memory.
3. The year is: 1995.
4. Within the story, you must use this text: ease the pain.
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