The Circle of Life
The Circle of Life – The Ultimate Odyssey
By J.B. Polk
As he emerged from the birth canal, the warm air from the delivery room heater took him in his embrace. His red and wrinkly body relaxed—he was warm and safe. Squinting at the bright overhead lights stinging his still-opaque eyes, he marveled at the world around him. “I wonder who’s in charge here?” was his first conscious thought.
***
His tiny mouth opened and closed excitedly as he looked at Mom’s milk-producing breasts. Dizzy with impatience, he instinctively latched on, finding contentment in that simple act. "Mother is in command," he conceded without hesitation.
***
The bright red bike under the Christmas tree made him happy. He was soooo lucky! He could brag to his buddies as he rode it around the neighborhood. He imagined the wind ruffling his hair and the kick it would give him. He roared: "I run things in this house!"
***
His first girlfriend was fifteen and all curves. Her laughter was infectious, and her smile lit up any room. She wanted to hold hands, and he... He pictured her large breasts fitting nicely in his palms. But he pushed the thought aside, knowing trying was pointless. He knew his sex drive called the shots.
***
On his first day of work, he was both excited and nervous. The office was alive with activity as he tried to figure out how to navigate the new environment. Eager to prove himself, he was determined to make a good impression on his boss.
***
She was modest, intellectual, and nothing like his first girlfriend, who was all curves. He was never drawn to her tiny breasts but admired her quiet charm and asked her to marry him. He decided: Family is paramount.
***
When his son's head emerged from the birth canal, he was overwhelmed with joy. Holding the newborn, he saw him squint at the bright overhead lights with still-opaque eyes. He hugged him fiercely, promising to protect him forever, and whispered: Son, you are number one!
***
He beamed proudly, looking at the red Porsche in his three-car garage. He couldn't believe his good fortune—he would show off his new toy to his colleagues and Lorna from the front desk! His heart raced as he imagined the wind blowing through his hair and how much of a chick magnet it would be. He laughed wickedly: cash rocks!
***
She was twenty-five, and all curves to his fifty-something potbellied body with bits already going south. She never laughed at his jokes and asked him to buy her a new purse, and he... He thought of how her large breasts fit perfectly in his palms as she lay naked beside him. He sighed sadly: Viagra’s in control…
***
On his last day at work, he was overcome with sadness. It was hard to believe that forty years had passed. As he tried to envision how to navigate the unfamiliar environment of his forthcoming retirement, someone said, "Bye, boss."
***
He was planting orchids in the greenhouse when a ray of sunlight brushed against his wrinkled face, making him feel safe, warm, and finally at peace. His cataract-dimmed eyes squinted at the bright light inviting him into the tunnel, and he wondered what he'd find on the other side. His last conscious thought was, “I wonder who is in charge there...”
