He looked in the mirror that had been staring back at him for decades. Years ago, he smirked at his image, taking in the youth and confidence to begin a new day. He practiced what he would say to a girl he met at work or a speech he had to give to a crowd of his peers. He'd straighten his tie and comb his hair, and after taking one more look, he'd jump into his day full of possibilities.
He looked into that mirror every day, which was the same but with another wall to hang from. After all, time always follows you no matter where you hang your hat. For him, it wasn't vanity; it was a time clock to remind him his image was changing each time he looked into that mirror.
Wrinkles appeared out of nowhere. His days in the sun were etched across his brow like tiny rod maps of his life.
Today, he leans on the sink, looking at the man in the mirror, a man he barely recognizes, but there is no mistaking that smirk he sees as he remembers his youth and how it played out.
He's not quite sure why he removed the old mirror from the wall and stuck it in a drawer. Maybe he didn't want to see where it took him from this day forward. Perhaps he tried to remember his last time seeing himself as he used to be, but the reflection looking back at him couldn't allow that.
Maybe someday, one of his grandsons will find the old mirror tucked away in a drawer and hang it on a wall where he can look into the glass and practice what they'd say to the new girl at the office.
Mike 2025
No comments:
Post a Comment