TOUCHING THE PAST

"Thanks for bringing me here Adam."

Adam shrugged. "Wasn't sure if you would come or not."

"Didn't really want to come."

"I guessed as much. Bad memories?" 
"Bad memories."

"It's hard to ditch the past, all the accumulated crap."

"It is."

Silence.

"Moving away from the place of your childhood, everyone convinces themselves that they are looking for wider horizons, better adventures, but it's usually about trying to push stuff from your past away, and dragging stuff from your future towards you."

"And does it work?"

"You tell me?"

Gabriel stared out at the ocean. "Only in part."

Silence.

"This space is still part of you Gabriel, still part of your life. Best to own it rather than let the past own you." Adam shrugged. "That's what I like to think anyway."

"Good choice."

Silence.

"So you're glad you came."

"Yes I am."

"Cool."

"Tons of cool?"

Adam smiled. "Tons of cool."

Silence.

Gabriel brightened. "What are we like?"

"A couple of characters in a tragic comedy?"

"Ha!"

"A couple of characters in an uplifting, but low-budget saga?"

"God, stop!"

"An adventure?"

"Adventure?"

Adam shrugged. "It's all an adventure. Why bother being here if it's not an adventure?"

Gabriel smiled. He scooped up a fistful of golden white sand, and let it flow through his fingers. He glanced at Adam. "You have it sussed, don't you."

Adam snorted. "Of course not?"

"You do more than others. That's always good to know."

"Why good to know?"

Gabriel shrugged. "Beats hanging around those who have no fucking idea on life, and don't give a fuck either."

"Aren't we all like that?"

Gabriel looked out to the ocean again, squinting at the horizon. "Nope."

"More fool them then."

"Yep. More fool them."