The other reasons are imortality, getting back at people who put you down and trying to make the world a better place.
Samuel Johnson would not have agreed with him, he is famous for having said: "No man, but a blockhead ever wrote, but for MONEY."
Julian Friedmann - The mystery of storytelling
TedX
Since I was NEVER paid to write, that's probably the reason why I think THIS is what I do best and LOVE the most. As I see it, storytelling is my only way to see the world as a better place.
So here it goes, but before I take you on a roadtrip to the seaside, keep in mind that you're dealing with a dreamer, an idealist, a sensitive introvert who will never have the courage to look you in the eyes and say any of it to your face. The fact that my day job involves working with a lot of people and being super-extra sociable is part of my "getting out of the comfort zone" principle. I do it because I haven't yet found the way to make a living out of writing, reading and cooking in a lake house in the forest, away from the city.
I keep the picture of a lakehouse in my phone and look at it daily, hoping that one day I'll live there...
4th of July
It was the day I've been waiting for weeks.
I know you know the feeling of thrilling expectation towards a trip, a party or a date with a beautiful girl.
The thing is that I haven't had that for a while because circumstances were in such a way that I couldn't rely on anybody to plan anything so everything that happened just came along unexpectedly and I went with the flow. Yes it's fun and wild to let yourself surprised by circumstances but life isn't all sugar and daily surprises and once in a while it's reassuring to know you have control over your happiness and plan something that you know it will stop the time even for a few days or hours.
Man it was an awful weather that day... terrible.
It was the most rainy weekend the whole summer and that's when I dressed up in white, pulled the car in front of your house and waited for you to come down.
I lit up a cigarette and checked the weather: rain, rain, rain everywhere.
God damn.
When you came down you were all dressed up in white too. Sunglasses and all.
I couldn't help but laugh as outside was pouring yet you had your aviators on the nose.
What the hell, we said, let's do it anyway.
So we headed to the highway and left the grey, cold city for the seaside.
You know I love to drive. You know I love to sing. You know I love the highway and the sea and the sky.
One week before, as I was visualising exactly that: driving to the seaside with you by my side, I said to myself: "If it becomes real, I will call mom and dad, my sister and my best friend to let them know I love them." Joy and happiness are meant to be shared and what time is the best time if not when you are LIVING a dream you made a wish upon.
Damn, that was a fine drive...
The sky was turning from grey to blue above the yellow surrounded highway and we were listening to motivational speeches on youtube. It was very hipsterish but by that time all I was thinking was: "Jesus, hon, can you put some music on? I'm fuckin' falling asleep over here". Thinking about it now I smile to myself remembering the soundtrack from Conan and other old stuff you used to play while I held the wheel.
When I pulled the car in the parking lot my knees were shaking. Driving through the storm in a test-drive car from work while praying not to fuck it up isn't exactly what I had in mind when we left Bucharest.
I needed to smoke a cigarette before we went in the restaurant.
Your folks were expecting us.
Yup. It was that meeting.
As I threw the end of the cigarette on the ground and exhaled the last smoke I could actually hear the pulse in my ears.
My hands were cold and sweaty and...
TO BE CONTINUED.
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