I tried to catch some fog. I mist. HA! HA! HAHA haha.... *erm*
The above was the view of my commute yesterday morning. While "overcast days never turn me on...", I rather like a good fogging. It makes things feel a bit surreal and subdued, and the slightest sounds are amplified. I listened to the pitter patter of little bird feet.
As I stood out there in the cloud, I was reminded of Walter.
I never actuallly met Walter. I only knew him through the legend that was passed on to me.
Years ago, when I worked in the land of manufacturing, some coworkers told me The Legend of Walter. Walter had worked in our department, but had left just before my arrival. In fact, I remember his name was still on the department phone list when I joined the crew. But he didn't leave in the way of typical attrition. He simply... disappeared.
He was in his mid-50's, had a wife and a couple of daughters in their late teens. It was supposedly a day like any other. He got up and prepared for work, kissed the wife and kids, and headed to the office. He was never seen again.
There was some investigation, and eventually it was concluded that Walter had not come across any foul play. No, Walter had simply... disappeared....
on purpose.
He ran away without a trace. He didn't bother with faking his own death or any of that elaborateness, but apparently, he'd been planning his escape for some time. I wondered if his wife was in on it too and actually knew where he was. The guys told me, however, that she was pretty pissed off and putting up a good fight to get to his retirement accounts and such. In fact, my coworkers seemed more interested in the state of Walter's 401K than of Walter!
Still, could've all been a ruse. Once the wife got the money, maybe she would... disappear... too - to some Walter rendezvous?
But I wondered about her and the daughters. Assuming they weren't in on it, did they see it coming at all? What drove Walter to such extremes? When I left that company seven years later, there was still no word of Walter, and the trail, if any, had gone quite cold.
One thing I remember most, however, about The Legend of Walter was the way in which my coworkers would discuss the story. Some of them would get this faraway look in their eyes, and I could sense their jealousy. I could tell that The Legend of Walter had awakened something within them. And that made me rather sad. I honestly felt that a couple of them would do the same if they could stash some money away somehow.
This month's theme at NaBloPoMo is "Fresh", in celebration of spring. I love fresh starts, but I can't imagine running away from family and friends.
I mean, a haircut, maybe a new spring outfit, and I'm good to go!
What makes for your fresh start?
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13 comments:
What a cool story about Walter! If it was a book. It's sad that he would feel so, I don't know, stressed? depressed? overwhelmed? selfish? that he would just up and leave everyone and everything. I like a nice get-away every once in a while, but I'll always want to come back home.
So I'll stick with a new outfit and a fresh hair-do too.
Alien abduction? THAT'd be a fresh start!
For me, I like a good car or motorcycle wash. Or organizing the garage.
Good post!
Yeah, apparently no one saw it coming. He was just "one of the guys". I wonder how long he lived the lie.
Oh... and don't forget new shooz :)
A good clutter purge is good for my soul.
Got that garage urinal yet?
And shooz of course! After all, my new outfit is one I can run in. :)
I wrote a thing about fog once. Perhaps I'll post it tomorrow.
Cool story about Walter. I am thinking it was another mystery like bike lady, only more nefarious (ooh, 5 points for the big word). I would be pondering other reasons why Walter left. Perhaps he was an undercover agent of some secret foreign power whose cover was blown and he had to flee back home. Or he was the star witness to putting some Mafia family behind bars and was in Witness Protection but they finally found him and he is now "sleeping with the fishes". Or, just maybe I watch too many spy movies.
Wow! There are days when I fantasize about running away, but life is too good and I can't go far yet. It only takes me an hour to miss my cats anyway. I hope Walter's wife made out ok if she wasn't in on it. That's sad. I'll stick to new clothes.
I'm thinking that Walter is sleeping with something other than the fishes - like tropical island girls?
Fun with fog!
Well as a fantasy - yeah, sure...
Oh, there are days lately that I can imagine pulling a Walter. Not to get away from family and friends, but sometimes the job. And I'd never seriously entertain the idea, but it's fun to think about.
I wonder where Walter made his fresh start? Maybe he's living in a hut on some beach somewhere....
I doubt Walter was ever found. He escaped from upstate NY, so I'm thinking beach too.
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