The Dreamer

The Dreamer
A story of travel to the other side...

There once lived a boy in a small town, a town not so far from anyplace that we haven't been before. It is a place that exists in our hearts. And a place we retire when we desire tranquility. There is neither fare nor prerequisite for travel to this place. There is however, only one route and one requirement to travel to this place. You must come freely and you must believe.

The little boy who lives in this town comes to life whenever his creator arrives. The town’s lights come on and there is life once again. The streets become filled and the sound of foot traffic is everywhere. Again the excitement of a town’s coming alive fills faces with smiles and glee as trolley cars filled with people pass the little shops on Main Street. Main Street is where passengers disembark and new passengers board. A pack of golden retrievers sunning themselves and playing are in the town’s square waiting for little boys to play with them. Birds fly with exhilarating ease above the park while the parks band strikes up a lively melody. Everywhere there is mirth and fun. Being a small town everyone knows each other and everyone knows each traveler who arrives on the train.

A whistle signals the arrival of the train. This time there is someone new. The town’s people were aware of his coming. There is an unspoken approval and welcome from the town’s people to new arrivals. For a along time they had hoped that he would accept their invitation to join them. Thou he had been somewhat reluctant to do so in the past- unpleasant events in his life made the town’s hospitality more desirous.

When he stepped onto the platform of the train he was greeted by a young boy with freckles, sandy hair and a big warm smile. The boy was also wearing kaki overalls and a pair of red ball tennis shoes. He liked the boy instantly. The young boy grasped his hand and held it. He pulled him from the platform and onto the unpaved street of the station. A few yards away from the train he looked back and saw a shadowy figure of a man standing on the platform-waving goodbye to him as the train left the station. Strange - he felt strange as if he knew this person and perhaps had seen this person before.
And even more strange was the feeling of renewed strength. He could run, jump and life seemed to be filled with fascinating new adventures. He could do anything. The little boy soon realized that he was the young boy who had met that tired man at the train station. Somehow the stranger was young again living his boyhood again in a town far removed from anyplace he had been before. He was happy. He was home but unlike the home of his former childhood he truly felt like this was home.

Mr. baker invited him in to sample his fresh donuts and custards. He ate till his side began to ache. He played with all of the toys in Mr. and Mrs. Pennyman's toy store till not a toy was untouched. He held hands with Greta a long flaxen haired girl in the park, and sang songs with old and young alike. For a moment in time his former life and the memories of his past seem to fade away. There was no more pain and unhappiness and joy became a friend again. He didn't care about time or when the sun was coming down. He played and played. He sang songs and danced to his hearts content. He slept late and frolicked through the woods at night. At night he sang to the moon, and toasted the sun at dawn. At night he slept in a different house, different bed and sometimes he slept outside under a full moon. He ran with the dogs that sunned themselves by day in the park.

One afternoon he heard the whistle blow in the train station. It was time to return. He was not saddened for he knew the little town would always exist in his heart. And would greet him again and again when he was ready to return.