Too Much Heaven/ A Short Story

Chapter 1/ TOO MUCH HEAVEN

Big teeth and even bigger hair. British accents and 70s attire. I remember one of the brothers holding his ear to stay on pitch, and a different brother had an Adam's apple that would shake as he sang. They were iconic. They were the Bee Gees, and their song gripped my soul.

"Oh you and me girl
Got a lot of love in store
And it flows through you
And it flows through me
And I love you so much more, than my life"

Oh, these words. they hurt and bring hope in the same breath. I listen closely as they continue to woo the world.

"I can see beyond forever
Everything we are will never die. Loving's such a beautiful thing. Oh you make my world, a summer day. Are you just a dream to fade away

Nobody gets too much heaven no more. It's much harder to come by, I'm waiting in line
Nobody gets too much love anymore. It's as high as a mountain, And harder to climb.  ~Bee Gees

Most of all, I remember their lyrics. Their lyrics have lasted longer than they did. Why? Why have their lyrics held us captive for so long? It gives a voice to longing. A song like Too Much Heaven will do nothing but cause people to yearn for something they want, but will likely never have. Love. Not just love, but an ideal type of love.
I think we're all waiting in line, and are in denial.  The line is not moving.

The lines between every day life and my dreams aren't blurred, they've been eclipsed by truth.  I imagine a love story just around the corner,, but when I turn that corner I wake up, driving on pothole-filled roads, headed to a drafty old apartment with really bad neighbors who have too many chihuahuas. One is too many, and that's the truth.

I also hear this song at work sometimes and it mystifies me. Where is that love? I look around and imagine all sorts of things. Could the rude men around here be hiding a romamce filled bleeding heart? Could there really be a knight in shining armor masquerading as one of these normal, un-attractive, bad-mannered guys? I have questions. How do I look past the bacon grease popped on every shirt they wear? I've met "nice" men knowing I would never settle for them. Then they marry someone cuter than me, kinder, smarter. She cleans him up. Makes him shave and tells him what to wear, and to my chagrin, the frog was actually a prince. Should I take bacon grease off of my red flag list?

Could anyone I know be that hidden treasure, secretly handsome, secretly in tune with how to love kind of man?

Usually, I try to scan past the obvious, hoping my x-ray vision pr spidey senses kick in.  Searching for glimmer of hope, a halo or glimpse of a crown. Where is my prince? Could there be any Bee-Gee blood in this dungeoness  work room?

I have an unusual job at, Edge of the Woods Custom Signs. It's right next door to the Therapeutics Center mom and I would go to. I've had this job off and on since I was 13. I would just clean up the shavings and organize the pigments while the neadrothols would chip away. They talk like idiots and laugh at their own disgusting jokes like "I've inhaled enough sawdust to poop a log". Most of the guys here are still single. They have no idea how repellant they are.

The owner, Donald, had a crush on my mom. He has an accent but it's not a US accent. I'm not even sure what it is.. Russian, Serbian? This man is not the type to write a love song like the Bee Gees can. Pomus. Narcissistic maybe? He is a professional self-aggrandizer with a capital ugh. No matter what is happening it somehow makes him greater in his own eyes. It could flood and he would believe the water was drawn to his good looks.

When he isn't around, his nickname is The Don. As a joke, a coworker set up a small altar on the table with the boss' photo. Surrounded by fruit, incense, a bologna stuffed po'boy, a roll of toilet paper, and a stained ceramic coffee cup from McDonalds. Everyone waited wide-eyed to watch this prankster get fired. The Don walked in. I felt uneasy. Would the Don get so mad, we'd all get fired? He stared at the altar for a minute and said "This for me?" Then grabbed the po'boy, unwrapped it, and started eating. It sounded a little bit like a pig eating, and a little bit of a clock ticking. "Turn your wheels" he yelled with a full cheek as he walked back to his office.  Thats all he cares about. Production and food.