Me and Mr. Owl

Get your ass up and out my house smelling like smoke, I told you about coming in here like that.

“Dad, I’m still me, accept me this way. You acting like I’m on crack or some hard drug, I just realized that weed expands my mind”.

“Boy! I said get out talking this foolishness, you in my house only thing I gotta accept is my bills, now get your high ass up out of here”.

I said to myself “mannn I don’t need him, I’m gone! (Made sure I slammed the door on the way out) he gon feel me I swear! I don’t need anybody, I got this weed, couple dollars .. who am I’m kidding, I’m fucked”! Lord please help me! Send me a guide or something, sigh. Ima just let the wind take me, as I opened my arms, falling forward, giving my body away hoping for something miraculous to happen. Ouch! As my face plants into the ground, damn so much about faith, sheesh. I get back up make sure my jaw still in place and just move forward, literally. I didn’t know where I was going but I didn’t take it as a face plant, I took it as a little tap to open my eyes you know, a reality check something to get me going.

Still just a jit with my head down walking and deep in his conscience. A thought brought me back to reality, I glanced up to see I don’t recognize where I’m at. It looks kinda like I’ve taken a wrong turn somewhere, in fact many wrong turns. It looks like I’m in the middle of .. the middle of somewhere. Not no where, somewhere rather alluring. I don’t really understand much, all I hear is “step forward”. I noticed my foot moved forward and the other followed , then it occurred to me am I hearing shit? I think that face plant earlier had side effects, I should definitely hit my coach up about them concussion protocols. It’s a light thought in my head concerning who said “step forward” but nevermind that, this place as all my curiosity. Just a few steps in I didn’t even notice the setting has shifted. Before it was full off colorful trees that gave off a scent, the scent didn’t smell good nor bad. It’s almost as if the smell was misleading, but the scent instructed me to go this way.

The room now less colorful but more purposeful, like without the flare this time, the clarity of it, it’s like I get it now. All I hear is “this way”, before I can fully grasp this area. Immediately I “who, whose out there, who”? It replied “if you can who you can hear”. I’m over here like I definitely heard you I just wanna know who is talking like a lot of weird shit is happening and I’m surprise this is my first time questioning it like it’s cool, definitely interesting and all but I need answers.. but I let him have it cause it sounded cool... I guess. The voice faded off as if it was flying away, I quickly ran after it. Trying to make him talk so I wouldn’t lose him I shouted “what’s going on? I need answers”. He replied very smoothly again “well isn’t that why you came here”. I replied “I didn’t come here intentionally, I asked God for a” then it all hit me.

I asked him to stop and reveal hisself. He asked me “whoooo” very jokingly. It’s almost sounded like “hooooo” like the sound of an owl. I paid no mind to it. Solely interested into where he’s leading me. Trying to keep up, I’m jumping over plants tree bunks, ducking under leaves, shifting my body and having to use my feet in weird patterns and movements. This reminds me of my football drills, but like surreal. So intense, drills and a game could never compare. He sped up, so I had no choice but to push myself harder, I sped up too. Just when I was in reach of it , it almost vanished. I was sure it was an owl, before I could even think anymore it’s something coming at me I take off back the way I came. I’m now more familiar with the route.

It appears like it changed but , but how? Tree bunks are larger, spaces are smaller, and what the, this thing is wayyyy faster. I gotta give it all I got , for real or else I’m through for. He got better just like that.

I’m going I’m going, I’m pushing I’m pushing, I’m exhausted this thing doesn’t get tired. I’m running for my life. I’m scared at this point, terrified. The thing chasing me says “What you do when that pressure hits reveals hooooo ,,, you are”. He grabs me with his claws, I panic “ahhhhh” kicking my feet still trying to run from it, still wishing they were on the ground. He says “that’s your problem, you always run from things and too scared to confront it”. I looked up and to my surprise a huge barn owl.

Wings spread wide as we soared through the night. Such an ethereal scene. I didn’t look down yet, the owl’s beauty is similar to what I would think an Angel would look like. Pure coat, full thick feathers, whiter than my cocaine forces in the sun.

He looks down, I do so too. It’s replays of many situations I have folded in and of course the most recent. My last game, that’s the only reason I been smoking lately. I dropped the game winning touchdown, it wasn’t an easy catch but damn I wish I could’ve gotten that back. In any other situation I would’ve caught that. The owl sees the look on my face, he relieves me of my pouting and says “that’s the past , none of what you see here can change but you can. What you do in the future, doesn’t have to be the same you as the past”. Before I can respond and show my gratitude he drops me. “Ahhhhh Mr. Owl , Mr. Owl!” I screamed. “Ahhhh sir Owl help meeee!!!” The ground is near, I knew this was it for me. If only I had a chance to prove myself..

BOOM, I hit the ground, simultaneously I wake up, in my bed. I’m feeling for my body, gasping for air , shook. I thought to myself “this was all just a dream,” but strangely I haven’t forgotten any of it. Today is the day of our final game to go to playoffs, and I’m going to prove myself.

The game starts and I do the usual me, it’s just in crunch time situations I get nervous and doubt myself. This time, it’s a different me it’s going to have a different outcome. Fourth quarter, we’re down 3, a field goal would tie it up a touchdown wins it all. I’m going to win it all.

I noticed coach lined me up on the inside. I’m usually on the outside, I realize they don’t intend to look my way. “Set hike” the Quarterback shouts.” A linebacker in my way remind me of the tree branch I went low on, I did just that. Drop him and got past him. No one is open down the field the quarterback throws it short to me, you can tell the look on his face was like he’s content with getting the field. I have other plans. I look up, I smell the scents and the field switches scenery into the forest from the other day. I already knew what time it was. Tree bunk, I hurdled it. It’s all the same exact patterns from before. I beat it before and I did it again. Now, it’s the safety left if I beat him I score. It’s the owl, it caught me last time, it won last time. This is exactly what he prepared me for. Patented footwork I evaded him, spin move into the inzone. Everybody shouting my name. I hear “hooooo” in the distance. I look up, I was able to evade you this time. Thank you Mr. Owl.