Pinocchio

Last night began in a darkened room filled with forced friendships and opaque smiles. We ate freshly popped popcorn with real butter, probably the only real thing in the room, except for painful memories, lost dreams and misplaced smiles. We watched Pinocchio. I realized, I too want to be a real boy. You see, I lived caged by the puppeteer, his toy to use for enjoyment and gain. I too danced with no strings, being who all wanted me to be. I sometimes fibbed to avoid trouble, yet it found me time and time again, sometimes at my own doing… even when I told the truth. My conscious was not a cricket, but a full imagination that kept me going. In the Hi-diddle-dee-dee, as an actor to all, I set myself free. The more I grew, the more I believed in being brave, truthful, and unselfish. I tried. Like anyone on the journey of life, I didn’t always succeed. But I tried. I learned though…always, and therefore, I never did turn into a jackass, (although there are a few who will say differently). I never had a Geppetto to rescue, yet I refused to starve to death in the belly of a whale. For me though, it wasn’t a whale it was a sea of sharks who threatened to eat me alive. I chose to be brave, I chose to be truthful, I chose to be unselfish, or at least as much as possible. In doing so, I saved myself, (and continue to do so). Of course I had some help from unknown fairies, invisible Figaros and silent Cleos. They took on different forms along the way. Before bed last night I looked at my friends. I saw that they are real people, also dealing with real life. They have hope in their eyes. They have dreams in their hearts, and they have real smiles on their lips… lips that often forget where those smiles reside. As I went to bed with this understanding, a warmth filled the air. A star came from the night sky. Suddenly, I became a real boy. (Like a bolt out of the blue Fate steps in and sees you through When you wish upon a star Your dreams come true) I laid my head on my pillow in silence. I was content. As I fell asleep, I began to dream. I dreamed about the next part of my journey… …the road to becoming a real man.