Post by gsj on Dec 18, 2022 4:47:36 GMT
We’re in an unnamed gym and we see none other than GREGORY ST. JOHN! Dressed down in his slate gray sweatpants and spartan green hooded sweatshirt, GSJ is running on a treadmill. He’s got his phone in front of him, not focusing on it as in a trance he continues his run. The gym is empty and the phone begins to ring, his eyes glance down and he sees that his wife, Anna St. John is calling him. He pulls the treadmill and takes a step off, answering the phone on speaker, taking a seat.
Gregory St. John
“Anna - hey! I was just about to-”
Anna St. John
“Get on a plane and come home? That should be the answer you’re about to give me, Greg.”
Gregory St. John
“We talked about this Anna - this is my dream. I need to chase it before it’s too -”
Anna St. John
“Late? Greg - honey. You just turned thirty five years old. You have three kids. We can’t be living paycheck to paycheck hoping that you get a gig that can pay the mortgage or for daycare! I can’t support Lucas, Austin and Iris on my own while you’re in Vegas or in Europe chasing a childhood dream!”
Gregory St. John
“I - ”
Anna St. John
“Listen Greg… I love you. I’m never not going to love you. I’ll support you no matter what, but I want you to be realistic. I just saw you lost another match. You’re spinning your tires, the place you were succeeding folded. It’s just not going your way. I think you should come home and rethink everything during the holidays.”
Gregory St. John
“I’ll be home for Christmas - I promise. I can’t promise that I’ll be rethinking everything though, Anna. I made a choice when I left East Lansing to chase this dream. We talked about it and you supported it. It’s frustrating to see that I’m struggling or spinning my wheels as you say but I’ll get traction and then we’ll see those results. Do you trust in me?”
“Dad!”
Gregory St. John
“Lucas, son! What are you doing awake? Shouldn’t you be in bed like brother and sister?”
Lucas St. John
“I was I was but I heard you and I wanted to say hi! Are you going to be home soon Dad? I love watching you on TV, but I really want-”
GSJ’s head drops when he hears this. The guilt weighs on him as he can’t quite stomach what he’s hearing. He picks his head back up as his wife cuts in.
Anna St. John
“He’s going to be home for Christmas sweetheart, can you go back to bed? I’ll be back in to read to you after I’m finished with Dad.”
Lucas’ voice fades in the background as Gregory St. John grips his leg. He’s conflicted. He knows what he needs to do and it conflicts with what he wants to do.
Gregory St. John
“I have to try, Anna. I’ll see you next weekend. I love you.”
Click. The phone hangs up and GSJ is left sitting there. He takes a deep breath and walks across the gym to a leg press before beginning a few reps. Harsh exhales with each repetition before he lets the wait crash and buries his head into his hand. Is all of this heartache with his family worth it?
Gregory St. John
“Anna - hey! I was just about to-”
Anna St. John
“Get on a plane and come home? That should be the answer you’re about to give me, Greg.”
Gregory St. John
“We talked about this Anna - this is my dream. I need to chase it before it’s too -”
Anna St. John
“Late? Greg - honey. You just turned thirty five years old. You have three kids. We can’t be living paycheck to paycheck hoping that you get a gig that can pay the mortgage or for daycare! I can’t support Lucas, Austin and Iris on my own while you’re in Vegas or in Europe chasing a childhood dream!”
Gregory St. John
“I - ”
Anna St. John
“Listen Greg… I love you. I’m never not going to love you. I’ll support you no matter what, but I want you to be realistic. I just saw you lost another match. You’re spinning your tires, the place you were succeeding folded. It’s just not going your way. I think you should come home and rethink everything during the holidays.”
Gregory St. John
“I’ll be home for Christmas - I promise. I can’t promise that I’ll be rethinking everything though, Anna. I made a choice when I left East Lansing to chase this dream. We talked about it and you supported it. It’s frustrating to see that I’m struggling or spinning my wheels as you say but I’ll get traction and then we’ll see those results. Do you trust in me?”
“Dad!”
Gregory St. John
“Lucas, son! What are you doing awake? Shouldn’t you be in bed like brother and sister?”
Lucas St. John
“I was I was but I heard you and I wanted to say hi! Are you going to be home soon Dad? I love watching you on TV, but I really want-”
GSJ’s head drops when he hears this. The guilt weighs on him as he can’t quite stomach what he’s hearing. He picks his head back up as his wife cuts in.
Anna St. John
“He’s going to be home for Christmas sweetheart, can you go back to bed? I’ll be back in to read to you after I’m finished with Dad.”
Lucas’ voice fades in the background as Gregory St. John grips his leg. He’s conflicted. He knows what he needs to do and it conflicts with what he wants to do.
Gregory St. John
“I have to try, Anna. I’ll see you next weekend. I love you.”
Click. The phone hangs up and GSJ is left sitting there. He takes a deep breath and walks across the gym to a leg press before beginning a few reps. Harsh exhales with each repetition before he lets the wait crash and buries his head into his hand. Is all of this heartache with his family worth it?