The Lost Years

The Lost Years

He was driving his car

Back home from work

Like every day

For those past years

Something to his right caught his eye

He turned to look and his heart started pumping

He parked the car to watch the sunset

And his eyes filled with tears

He could not remember

When he last saw such a sight

When he last took the time

To admire a beautiful scene

His head started pounding

For thirty years he had been working

Climbing the ladder and proving himself

But now he asks: what does it mean?

Sure he has a successful life

He reached his goals and surpassed them

He has a loving wife and great kids

He has everything anyone would wish for

But who is he now?

Where is the young man he once was?

Where is the passion, the enthusiasm?

Where are the things he loved to do before?

He got caught up in the loop

Food, house, life essentials

Kids, school, college

The list goes ever on and on

He got back to his car

Driving home like every day

His eyes gave way to his tears

For those lost years now gone

116 shots

There she stands

On the baseline

The racket in her right hand

The ball in her left

Looking down the pitch

To her opponent on the other side

This is it

This is that last point

She wins this point

She wins this match

She wins this championship

She becomes the world’s no. 1

She throws up the ball

And serves for glory

But her opponent is not easy

She is not someone to mess with

She has been no.1

For the past five years

10 years Older

10 years more experience

And the rally goes on and on

The ball goes back and forth

12 shots

They put the racket in her hands

When she was just four years old

She could not even run straight

When she did

She would bump into things

No control over her body

Why they put the racket in her hands

She would never know

She would never understand

What they saw in her

She grew up to love the game

Everyday becoming better and better

And started dreaming of winning

Started dreaming of becoming no.1

And her coaches would encourage her

And fuel the dream more and more

20 shots

The rally goes on and on

She has worked for this for so long

13 years she has been dreaming about it

Another 4 years she has been fighting

To win that spot

The world’s no.1

27 shots

The rally goes on and on

Her opponent is not giving up

She wants this too

She wants to prove she still has it

Six years in a row

That is her goal

And she is letting it go

34 shots

The rally goes on and on

The crowd starts to get restless

The point is dragging on

Yet it is not boring

It is obvious how both players want the title

It is obvious how both want the trophy

It is obvious how both want the glory

It is obvious how both want to be no.1

41 shots

The rally goes on and on

Her opponent really wants this

She is applying every tactic

Performing every trick

She is playing with all her might

And all her cunning

She wants to win this

One way or another

49 shots

The rally goes on and on

But she is not falling

For any of those tricks

She grew up watching her opponent

Studying her

Learning from her

She was her idol all this time

And now they are head to head

Playing for this glorious title

Fighting for the spot of no.1

56 shots

The rally goes on and on

The crowd becomes excited

This point is awesome

They are breaking every record

They are fighting

Not just playing

The crowd feels they are playing

For something more than just a point

Something more than just a match

Or a championship

Something more than just a trophy

They are fighting for their dreams

63 shots

The rally goes on and on

Her opponent cannot believe it

How can she break every tactic?

She has no experience

She is not as strong

Nor as smart

How can she do all this?

Just playing with heart?

Or is there something more?

A real desire to win?

A dream like her own?

But she will not break down either

This is her dream too

70 shots

The rally goes on and on

All this time

And she is not on the defensive

She is matching her opponent

Stroke for stroke

She knows this must frustrate her opponent

Just keep playing with heart

She must win this

79 shots

The rally goes on and on

The crowd cannot believe what they are watching

Suddenly she is on the attack

Taking all her opponent’s tricks

All her tactics

And devises one of her own

Combining several shots

Impossible shots

Her opponent with all her experience

Can only defend

No one believes what is happening

Not the players themselves

91 shots

The rally goes on and on

She glimpses a small opening

A small ray of hope

To achieve her dream

And she pushes

With all her heart

With all her might

She is going for her dream

She can taste it

104 shots

The rally goes on and on

Her opponent suddenly breaks

Could not take all the pressure

All the effort

And she goes in for the kill

And she gets it

The crowd is ecstatic

What a match

What a point

They will both become legends

They are legends

Though they were both fighting for their dreams

They reached something much more

They reach immortality

Which is a dream

Everyone is afraid of

Because it is impossible

But they did it

With this wonderful fight

The longest rally

116 shots

The Sad Laughter ep.4

One day the café was empty
Outside it was raining and cold
In his corner he was contemplating
Wishing that time he had been bold

Her friends did not want to go
Are you serious? In such weather?
But she had to go because she knew

Seeing him, she would feel better

When he heard the door he knew

Without even turning his head

That she just entered the café

Because his loneliness had fled

She headed for her table

Not knowing if he noticed her or not

She ordered her favorite drink
Black coffee, steaming hot

He put the book down in frustration
He had to do something
She saw him stand and turn towards her
And her heart started pumping

He crossed the place to where she sat
Their eyes upon each other locked
He stood there across the table
And everything else was just blocked

Each looking into the other’s eyes
Their pure souls connecting
How stupid my fear was?
Each was now reflecting

The moment between them stretched
Neither feeling anything without
The his face broke into a smile
He took a breath and opened his mouth

(to be continued)
(Wait for it :-) )

The Sad Laughter ep.3

One time their eyes met

It was the best coincidence

And it fired up their feelings

Thought it was just for an instance

She was going to the bathroom

He was coming out

They found themselves face to face

And none of them could feel the crowd

It was an exquisite feeling

In this moment suspended in time

Like a red hot chili pepper

Or an ice cold twist of lime

Though it was just a moment

To them it felt like ages

What each of them felt

Can fill out pages and pages

Now that she was close

He was sure he is in love

Right there stands an angel

Who came down from heaven above

Looking into his eyes she knew

He was the one for her

No more pain, no more loneliness

Nothing will ever again bother

Then the moment passed

Each went their own way

No one knew what to do

Or what word they should say

And so it goes as usual

Each sitting at their table

She is wishing he would do something

He is feeling he is not capable

(to be continued)

The Sad Laughter ep.5

His face breaks into a smile

And he opens his mouth

But it is pure music she hears

Not words coming out

He says: Hi

I notice you came today alone

I would like to talk if you don’t mind

If you do, I’ll understand and be gone

She smiles back

Feeling her face relaxing

Like a burden being lifted

Emotions no longer mixing

Feeling so relieved

Light as a feather

She says: Hi. Do sit down

And they start off with the weather

His smile seeming different

So full of relief

How smooth it is going

He cannot believe

That chat goes on

Going deeper ever more

They both are wondering

Why they were scared before

The do not feel time passing

All they feel is each other

Coffee cup after coffee cup

Wishing this would last forever

Now they are both sure

That each found the one

And they sit there together

Feeling life has just begun

(The End)

(Hope you liked it)

The Sad Laughter ep.2

She has been coming here for a couple of months

Always with her friends, never alone

But no one ever knew, nor imagined

The loneliness that aches to the bone

She is popular and successful

Everybody thinks she is satisfied

But of the loneliness and living like that

Nobody thinks she is petrified

She always feels she needs someone

Someone to share her life with her

Someone to grow old with

To have, to hold or whatever

He alone filled her life

Just sitting there with his book

And she always has the feeling

That at her way he always looks

But why does he steal those glances?

Why does he not come over?

Am I so intimidating?

Or is he also a loner?

And she cannot go to him neither

She can never do that

What if it is just her imagination?

Then she would look really bad

How she wishes that he sees

That behind the laugh she is so sad

And with him sitting there all cool

It is just driving her mad

So she sits there waiting

And hoping for the best

Not knowing that he does feel her

And none of the rest

(to be continued)

The Sad Laughter ep.1

This is not the first time he sees her

Sitting there among her friends

Talking to this one, laughing with that

The fun seemingly never ends

But he feels something different

It is not happiness that he is seeing

Behind all the talk and the laughter

It is as if she is weeping

What a strange vibe he is receiving

Of such sadness and pain

But how is it possible with all the laughter?

Such sadness he cannot explain

He has been coming here forever

For some years now he liked the place

His favorite corner, a good book and coffee

Feeling comfortable in his own space

The she started coming with her friends

At first, he felt it was an invasion

Then their cheerfulness grew on him

At with time it became their station

And he started noticing her

And getting those mixed feelings

He started noticing the details

And his heart is now pleading

He wants to get to know her

He is longing to discover why the sadness

He just cannot get himself to approach her

With all those people, it’s driving him to madness

Sometimes he feels like

She knows he is watching from afar

So he buries his nose in the book

Not knowing that in her mind, he also has a part

(to be continued)