Once upon a time, back when the world hadn’t fully embraced technology and people still spoke to each other face-to-face, a young man crossed paths with a young lady as they were both toiling away at a local department store that wasn’t a Wal-Mart.
Gripping tale so far, right?
She caught his eye instantaneously but her attention was elsewhere and what he did next certainly didn’t help his cause.
“Why don’t you smile more?”
Yes, the young man actually predated the whole Brie Larson “Captain Marvel doesn’t smile enough” fanboy movement. To be fair, what he meant to say was, “I bet you have a lovely smile, you should share it with the world. By the way, you’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen, we should totally get married.”, but it definitely didn’t come out that way. And so it began…
#33: The Chase.
It took some time (to say the least) but eventually the young man conned convinced the young girl to go out with him. They dated off and on for awhile; remember, the young man was an idiot and so he stumbled along the path to lifelong romantic coupling, but eventually they built a life together.
And now they have a home, a van that’s constantly breaking down, a nutty dog, and last but not least, a daughter who is actually raising them, not the other way around.
It may not be a romance that gets your blood pumping but everyone needs a goal to pursue, to “hunt”, to chase. If I hadn’t chased my eventual spouse and begged her to love me as no one as ever begged before, I never would’ve become the magnificent, fully-formed, productive human being and bellman you all know and love.
And I’m humble too, wow, right?
For some it’s fame, literary recognition and acceptance, or even a world wrestling championship belt; but whatever you desire from life, pursuing it can define you. It’s not about whether or not you actually succeed, just how you go about it.
The chase can give us focus.
The chase can keep us alive.
So get moving.
See you in the lobby, friends…
You know it had to be a Flash GIF today, right?
POSTSCRIPT: If it’s not apparent by now I’ll spell it out. I’ve been running out of steam for awhile now and so I’ve made the decision to roll these posts out at a pace that befits my mental capabilities.
So you can expect the next installment in 2026.
But seriously, I owe it to Ronnie to do better and so I will. Eventually.
You've Been Hooked! 
I’ve been chasing somebody on and off for 48 years. It’s not always been an enlightening experience. The highs are ridiculously high. The lows are the direct original cause of my near half century of depression
I certainly hope the chase has been worth it, my friend.
It might be if she’d stop pratting me around. I backed off way back in 1971/1972. I toyed with the idea of trying to locate her over the years, but that seemed sad and wrong. She contacted me last year. She was the one I met in Chester last April. If someone knocks on your hotel room door at five in the morning it’s not housekeeping. She invited me to her house, twice, each time for over a week. When I’d told her that a/ I still loved her after all the years, and b/ casual sex is not for me, taking me into her bed might just be expected to raise my expectations. Nope. Commitment phobe. And I’m not getting any younger. Time is running out for me
Lately I have been cranking out a blog at an average of once a year, (though I mean to remedy that soon) so working at one’s own pace is something I understand well.
I’ll say!
Thanks for reassuring me, good sir.
You should always work at your own pace. That’s what Ronnie would want you to do. This is a wonderful tribute to him and it doesn’t matter when you finish it. We’ll all be hanging around.
You’re the best, Kate.
Thanks.
Yes, it truly is about the chase. So many people think it’s all about the destination, and that’s probably only true for having sex. Otherwise, it’s about the grand adventure.
You are most wise – and direct.
#LoveIt
I think you are doing a great job, Hook. The chase is definitely worthy of consideration if one is prone to self destruction.
Well said, John, as usual.
😊
There’s a Motorhead song called “The Chase is Better than the Catch” that I used to listen to.
Goals are important, both for progress and for mental health. Take your time, if you need to,
I think Ronnie would be proud of you, and whether or not that is true (I can’t truthfully say since I never knew him) what I can say is that I honestly admire you for doing this.
We all know that “I should do something, damn it” feeling, but how many of us actually do something because of it?
You’re a good man, Mr. Hook.
I try, Doug.
And I’m not alone…
It is a good thing you allowed yourself to be caught.. he he! We are all better for it! 😉
My wife would sometimes disagree, Courtney!
I love this, Hook! It’s the journey not the destination, the process not the product… but you say it much better than I do. Thank you!
No, thank you, Jennie!
😊
I learned the hard way many years ago to pace myself and prioritize. Multi-tasking is for the boids.
Cheers to you and your family (dog included).
Thanks, SW!
Some are the tortoise, some are the hare. I didn’t get hitched until 48.
Don’t worry about the pace. I’ve often wondered how you crank ’em out so fast. It’s a several day grind for me to do one.
But you do it exceddingly-well, buddy.
It’s quite an undertaking and I admire all your efforts to get to #1. Take your time. We’ll be here. 🙂
Thank you so much, Tara.