The Dream

Summary

The narrative reflects on the passage of time and the nostalgia of youth, as the narrator revisits memories of a childhood friend, Evan, only to realize how much has changed over the years.

Abstract

The author recounts a childhood memory where he would use a ruler to peer into the distance, symbolizing his attempt to grasp the unseen future. He reminisces about a moment sitting outside his friend Evan's house, seeing Evan and his mother through the window, both full of life and warmth. Decades later, the narrator returns to the same spot, only to find Evan's mother aged and Evan himself moved away, grown with a family of his own. The realization of time's passage and the inability to measure life's journey with a child's tool strikes the narrator with a sense of fear and wonder.

Opinions

The ruler is used as a metaphor for the narrator's childhood attempts to understand and measure the future, highlighting the innocence and limitations of youthful perception.
The narrator holds a nostalgic view of the past, cherishing the memories of Evan and his mother, and their positive impact on him.
There is a sense of disbelief and awe at how quickly time has passed and how much life has changed, evoking a poignant reflection on the nature of memory and growth.
The transformation of Evan's mother from youthful to grey-haired serves as a stark reminder of the inevitability of aging and the permanence of change.
The author seems to suggest that life's scale and the duration of experiences cannot be truly grasped or measured, which instills a sense of fear when confronted with the reality of time's progression.

Good God, where have I been?

When I was young. I’d do a childish thing. I’d hold a ruler to my nose, Peer down it’s back, Like looking down a road. I’d try and measure what I couldn’t see.

There I am Sitting on his stoop. I saw Evan through the window. He looked at me. Smiling as he did so. He looked happy.

He waved. I waved back. He was eleven. I was not.

I could see our school. The municipal brick, The old jungle gym, The ball field, And the dumpster. It was right there.

Near Evan, I saw his mother. She was young. Short, black hair, Big, blue eyes, thin.

She was spirited. Always glad to see you. Made you feel special. She always asked how I was. She smiled often. I could see where Evan got his.

She fell out of view. I heard a click and then another. I heard the knob turn. The door unstuck and opened.

Evan’s mom appeared. Looking in the doorway, She was no longer young. Her hair was grey, still short. She smiled, still warm and welcoming. She was still happy to see me. She asked what was I doing. I looked in the window. Evan was gone.

I wondered what happened. Where did Evan go? He stood right there.

Evan’s mom said he moved away. He’s a grown man. He has a job. He has a wife and three children. He lives in California.

It came into clear view. Looking down the ruler, Measuring is impossible. You don’t know scale. You cannot see where you are. How long things are, How long it’s been.

Frightened, I woke.