Mylo's Day in the Sun

A bright day doesn't look the same for everyone

Grooming Kitties

I caught Jayne grooming Shitpancake atop a stack of crates we were moving around. The cats are accessible for cuddles, so we put something soft on top and left it there for a bit.

…Time for this week’s story…

Mylo’s Day in the Sun

When Mylo declared he would one day win a marathon, people’s reactions varied. His friends were encouraging, and pointed out the various obstacles he would have to overcome. A finish time under three hours seemed like a high bar, so they encouraged him to instead beat the average time of four hours and twenty minutes. Mylo, however, was determined to win, even or especially in spite of his family’s negativity.

Only Mylo’s mother told him he could do anything he set his mind to. His brothers belittled him for being short, fat, and slow. His sisters pointed out that winning a marathon would never make up for all his failures in life, from his marriage to his various businesses. Years ago, Mylo had settled into a management position, but his family never let him live down his past. To Mylo, winning a marathon was something that simply required determination, unlike everything that came before.

First, Mylo got in shape. Eating better and running every day slimmed down his pot belly. Then, Mylo ran every marathon he could. He generally finished toward the rear. The teasing from his family increased with each passing year. As he got older Mylo’s hopes of winning a marathon got further away. Age crept in on his body, making it difficult to maintain his fitness.

One day before a race, with the sun on his face, Mylo contemplated his life. He watched the younger people around him warm up. Nearby, a small team of young women helped each other stretch, a young man recorded himself preparing for the race, and another streamed it live. Each person there surely had victories and defeats in life. Some had the beaming smile of someone who had known little pain or misery, while others had the grit of experience painted across their faces.

Over the years, Mylo made some friends who also ran many marathons, and he questioned his place among them. A friendly young Kenyan named Abbas who always finished near the front noticed Mylo from afar and waved with a big smile. Soon after, Mylo received a nod from a German gentleman in his seventies named Adler who always encouraged Mylo to keep going. Mylo did not expect to keep up with Abbas despite hoping to beat him one day, but somehow Adler could keep up with all the young people and left Mylo in the dust. His encouragement meant a great deal, but Mylo couldn’t help but feel discouraged by the facts.

A shot in the air started the race. It began as they typically do, with Mylo keeping a steady pace as others steadily pacing past him. Soon, he lost sight of Abbas and Adler. A cloud of doubt loomed over Mylo telling him to quit, but he persevered.

Just over an hour into the race, the sun stopped shining. It was not an eclipse. In fact, the giant golden disc in the sky turned black. Some panicked people screamed. Many took out their phones for light, recorded what was happening, or looked up news. Unprepared for such an extreme and unexplainable event, the world came to a screeching halt.

Even Mylo stopped when the sun went out. He looked up at the starry sky which provided sufficient light. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He checked to make sure he wasn’t out of his mind. Indeed, everyone was experiencing the same thing. Runners ahead of him had stopped to look at the sky or discuss what was happening. When he looked up again, he could hear the stars telling him, “Go, Mylo! This is your moment!”

So, Mylo ran. His stubby little legs with knees that didn’t bend all the way carried his bulky frame down the street. He huffed and focused on his breathing. It seemed that people were still respecting the roped-off areas. Perhaps because of the strange supernatural event, people followed rules to be safe. With nobody on the road, Mylo could take in the sky or watch people at his leisure. Sometimes people took notice that Mylo was running by before their focus turned back to their phones.

Mylo grabbed two bottles from a water station which had been passed by faster runners. The further he went, the more he recognized people. The group of young women were huddled together with spectators. The young man recording himself was staring at the sky, his phone hanging limply in his hand. The streamer was talking to his audience through his phone, sharing words of encouragement. He was the first person to notice that Mylo was not just running by, but still running the marathon. He used Mylo as an example to stay positive.

Mylo’s heart lifted when he passed Adler. The grizzled German sat in the middle of the road with a beautiful view of the sky and the biggest smile Mylo had ever seen on him. Grinning, Adler waved at Mylo. Further ahead, Abbas prayed with a group of spectators.

Legs and chest burning, Mylo turned a bend and saw the finish line in one piece. It had been a while since he passed another runner. After pushing his pace, he began to burn out, but the sun had enough of being burned out and turned back on. Light flooded the world again. The sun had moved positions as if it had continued its path through the sky. Everyone’s eyes took a moment to adjust. Once Mylo could see, his feet started moving. With technology unaffected, the cameras were rolling when the finish line broke across Mylo’s chest.

At long last, Mylo had won a marathon. He finished with a time of five hours one minute and thirty-nine seconds. Mylo’s time became a world record for the slowest marathon win time in history. For Mylo, victory was victory. True to what he believed, determination won the day. Mylo continued going to marathons, but only to hand water bottles to runners and encourage them on their journey.