He had never done anything like this before. Not once in his sixty years on earth had he ever run away.  He had never even played hooky from high school or cut class in college. Yet here he was, pulling into the parking lot of a strange bar in an unfamiliar seaside town a hundred or more miles from home.

While his wife still slept soundly he had rolled out of bed, showered, dressed, packed his lunch and headed for the car like he would on any other work day. However this time when he pulled onto I-95 he headed north instead of south. He had a full tank of gas, a plastic card, and no plan. He just needed to get away.

And there was one other thing. There was the girl from the dream that told him that if he’d just go, be free for just a day, she’d be there waiting for him. So he took a chance, didn’t even give it a second thought. If he had thought about it he would have been overwhelmed by the consequences.

Because he didn’t think about them he was free. Today there were no consequences. There were no bills, no dead end job, no responsibilities or commitments. His forty year marriage, in which passion had been replaced with complacent resignation, didn’t exist.

Today there was sun and sand and surf. Today there was Jose Cuervo. Today there was the girl from his dream. Today there was whatever happened next.

© Copyright 2013 by Kevin Fraleigh.