a cowboys reconstruction; in search of future's past

a cowboys reconstruction; in search of futures past

fiction
edward w pritchard


In search of futures past I seek to restore my shattered life. What better way to make a modest start than to rebuild one of my favorite cars that I owned as a youth? With no money, no prospects and no vehicle I start life's journey anew.

A chance to get one's hands dirty, a chance to scour the flea markets for vintage parts and a chance to return to the carefree happiness of youth when all one's potential futures were remarkable.

So far I have about a dozen greasy auto parts wrapped in pieces of an old green tarp in the leaky aluminum shed in the backyard. The shed doesn't lock but I sleep lightly with an ear ready to apprehend anyone looking to steal my potential futures past. This time I will guard my journey carefully and reconstruct days and years ahead with my own best interests in the forefront.

A car has about thirty thousand parts. So far I have found a dozen assorted pieces to my future dream car although the parts are to different makes of vehicles.  I have a long way to go to proceed into my ideal future in style.

Each night the 5AM train whistle wakes me and I spend about an hour reminiscing about all the intriguing women who sat in the passengers seat of the cars I owned as a teenager. Then it's to the daily business of finding a hood for a 65 VW or headlights for a 57 Chevy.

Loneliness and suffering are a part of life. Get busy to restore childhood happiness.

[1] with a wink to Marcel Proust for the inspiration, someone is feeling better already