The Better Part of the Bargain

  I ran into myself the other day at the airport, it had been 30 plus years since we parted and, even though we were the same age, my other self seemed older.  Less hair, slightly bigger gut, and when my other self smiled, it never seemed to reach the eyes.  We both had time before our flight so we decided to grab a beer and catch up a bit, compare notes to see where life had taken us. 

He seemed the lucky one, high school football, finished college in 5 years and gotten his MBA, had made VP in his firm and had the required wife, two kids, house with mortgage, money in the bank and vacations on the Cape.  Had made two trips to Europe, once to Paris, once to Rome and was headed to a conference somewhere in Texas.  He ordered a Bud Light, I ordered one of the local IPA's.  As we talked I noticed his eyes never seemed able to meet mine, we finished and went our separate ways, my other self to his conference in Texas but I was headed to Burning Man, something I thought you should do at least once.  As I watched my other self go all I could do was wonder if he had ever really lived.