A Bright Future, Indeed

Ever been told, you’ve got a bright future

ahead of you? When I was a young man

I was told that from time-to-time by older

folks mostly. My piers would never claim

such a thing for they secretly believed a

bright future was reserved exclusively for

them. What would a bright future look

like anyway, I had to ask myself? I certainly

was not born into good looks, and so it was

more than likely I would not grow more

handsome as time went on. And as for

position, stature and wealth, well my

familial lineage, my lack of education and a

degree would certainly be working against

me. A bright future...what in hell was that

supposed to mean? I had my inherent genetic

deficiencies, and had been frequently accused

as being incorrigible, stubborn, lazy with a

profound streak of sarcastic obstinance in me.

As I grew older and wiser in life’s experience, I

began to see that a bright future for me meant

awakening now and again with a goddamned

Weather Channel forecast for a mostly bright

and sunny day. And of course that was by and

large dependent on the area of the country I

happened to reside in at the time. A bright

future indeed. Shit! On any given day, it doesn’t

take a bloody genius to see that there’s always

a fifty-fifty chance of that.

Chris Hanch 8-19-18