Jack the Melancholy Octopus

What follows might be really terrible, good or somewhere in between.  For the first time in a long time I am writing this mostly for myself and attempting to do so in a creative fashion (well as creative as I get.)  More than anything this is something I am writing from the heart.  The story might be goofy but that is at least part of the purpose.  I didn't want to come out and write exactly how I felt so I am trying to do the same thing through a creative way.  Just keep in mind being creative isn't a strong gift of mine.  I am not sure I will finish the whole thing but promise to complete it at another time :)

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Meet Jack.  Jack is an Octopus. As a young Octopus, Jack grew up without any brothers or sisters.  In their underwater grotto, it was only Jack and his parents. His parents loved Jack very much and they taught Jack many wonderful lessons such as honesty, respect and always being polite. Jack had many friends as a young Octopus but because he had no brothers or sisters he spent a great deal of time alone. It was always great to have his parents around but still, Jack had to spend many hours alone.

Like every Octopus before him, when Jack turned 14 he attended the Sea Mammal Academy. It was a very prestigious school and his parents were so proud of Jack for being selected. Sadly for Jack, none of his friends were chosen for the school, and from the very first day Jack again found himself alone. After several months, Jack noticed the school was having tryouts for its underwater track & field team. Jack decided he was going to try out as a way to make new friends. It turned out Jack was an especially gifted athlete in the Hammerhead Shark Toss. Jack even managed to make some new acquaintances and began to feel more comfortable at the academy. Jack looked forward to track every day when he could spend time with his new friends and practice his Hammerhead Shark Toss. Jack loved it and quickly developed a passion for track and field.

However, the first track meet of the year was a disaster. As he lined up to make his first toss of the day he tripped over his own tentacle while in his wind-up which resulted in a double fault. On his second and final try, he was able to toss his shark but lost his balance in his follow through and his shark only sailed a short distance. Jack did not advance and instead spent the rest of the day having to watch the other sea mammals compete. This made Jack very sad.

Over the next two weeks Jack struggled to find motivation to attend his classes and no longer looked forward to underwater track and field. Even his parents started to notice and they became concerned, yet they didn't know what to do. It was the day before the next track meet when Jack's track coach, Bob the Electric Eel, gathered the entire team together. Coach Bob wanted to introduce the group to a new student who had just transferred from the Red Sea Academy (which was one of the Sea Mammal's greatest rivals) Roberta the Dolphin. Everyone was very welcoming to Roberta except for Jack who barely mumbled a "hello" before heading over to his Hammerhead Shark tossing station. Determined to make a good impression Roberta wandered over to where Jack was practicing. Roberta noticed right away that something with wrong with Jack the Octopus.

"What is wrong" she asked in her sweet voice.

"Nothing" responded Jack as he tried to concentrate on his next toss.

"Well, clearly something is bothering you since you don't seem to enjoy what you are doing."

"Hrmph!"That was all Jack would say.

"You know Jack, sometimes when you have a bad day or things don't go the way you hope, you have to put it behind you, try harder, and believe that next time things will be better," Roberta said with a slight giggle and then walked away.

Deep in his heart, Jack knew she was right but it was just so difficult. Yet Jack decided that the next day he would forget his first track meet and try to maintain a positive attitude. The next day Jack would place third overall in the competition! Everyone was so happy for Jack and Coach Bob commended Jack on his ability to overcome his initial poor performance and improve so much. Afterward, when everyone had gone home, he stopped by to thank Roberta the Dolphin for the encouragement. From that day forward Jack and Roberta became great friends and Jack knew there was something different about his friendship with her.

Jack and Roberta were pretty much inseparable from that day forward. Roberta would always catch Jack coming out of the locker room to encourage him and help calm his anxiety. Jack always felt so anxious before every track meet but just a few words from Roberta always gave him the confidence he needed to perform well. As the track season was coming to an end, Jack confided in Roberta how badly he wanted to be chosen for the "All-Star Track Meet." This was a meet that was held every year and only the most successful athletes were chosen for the event. Roberta encouraged Jack and told him he had done more than enough to be chosen for the track meet. Even grouchy old Coach Bob told Jack he liked his chances of making the "All-Star" team.

Later that day Jack and Roberta were talking and Jack said, "Roberta, please promise me that if I am selected for this track meet you will be there to cheer me on."

"Of Course!" Roberta replied, "How could I miss it? I am so proud of you! I am proud that I am your friend! I am proud you have allowed me to play such a special role in your life! Yes I will be there"

"Good!" Jack said. "It just wouldn't be the same without you there. It would be downright depressing if during my shark toss you weren't there cheering me on."

Sure enough when it came time for the names to be announced Jack was one of the top athletes chosen to represent his school in the "All-Star Track Meet!" It would take place in just a few short days. Jack's parents were so excited. It was a real honor to be selected as one of the few students to participate in such an event. Yet Jack knew it wouldn't mean as much if Roberta wasn't there. Jack determined he would practice as much as he could leading up to the meet. Later that day when he saw Roberta he asked her if she would help him practice the night before the big event. "You always calm my nerves and make me feel so much better about my chances of success. Can you come to hang out while I practice the night before the event?"

"I am so sorry Jack but I can't" Roberta replied. "You know my friend, Melanie the Puffer Fish? Well, she is in town and I promised her I would spend time with her. However, I promise I will be at the track meet the next day to cheer you on! I just know you are going to do a great job and I am so proud of you! I want to be there to share in your achievement."

"Isn't Melanie the one who is always getting in trouble in class?" Asked a concerned Jack.

"Well yes, she does get into trouble sometimes, but I promise you nothing bad is going to happen. I am just going to her house and we are going to watch our favorite reality show, 'Housewives of Atlantis'. Melanie's parents are going to drop both her and me off to watch the meet the next day. Don't worry, I promise!"

"Okay," said Jack "But I don't like how it sounds and I am worried you will have too much fun and forget about me. I am so nervous I am not sure I will do well if you aren't there."

Finally, the big day arrived and Jack was so excited not only for the meet but also to see Roberta. He wanted to make her proud by doing well and to show her how much her encouragement had meant to him over the course of the season. He knew if it hadn't been for her encouragement he wouldn't be at the All-Star meet to begin with.

Jack finished getting ready and as he headed out of the locker room he was excited to see Roberta and have a few minutes to talk with her about the event. Yet as he emerged from the locker room Roberta was nowhere to be seen. Jack was a little discouraged but thought perhaps she couldn't find him or perhaps was waiting closer to the event for him to come out. Jack hurried to the Hammerhead Shark Toss area in anticipation of his event. Jack arrived and quickly spotted his parents. His mom gave him a big hug and kiss on the cheek. His dad, tough as ever, simply gave him a handshake.  Neither his mom nor dad had seen Roberta.

Jack still held out hope she would show up as his event wouldn't start for another hour. However, as the minutes went by he quickly came to the realization that she wasn't going to make it. It was unlike her to miss such an important moment in Jack's life. A moment Jack had been waiting for, for so long. A moment Jack had longed to share with someone he cared about. A moment he had hoped to share with Roberta. Jack became very sad as he counted down the final minutes before his competition. Jack didn't even care how well he did. All he could think about was how much he missed his friend Roberta and her encouraging words. Jack had learned it wasn't even so much what she had said to him every time, but simply having her there to be a part of something that meant so much to Jack. As he sat there alone, Jack would have given anything for her to be by his side. Life was just better when Roberta was around and now she wasn't and he didn't know how to handle it. No matter how well he did today it would mean so much less because Roberta had chosen to miss the event. Honestly, Jack was devastated.  All the moments he spent alone, he dreamed about sharing a moment like this with someone he loved and cared about and yet here he was pretty much on his own again.

"Jack the Octopus to the Hammerhead Toss.  Jack the Octopus to the Hammerhead Toss please."

And just like that Jack had to accept the fact he would do this alone and without the one person he most wanted by his side. He hurried off to get ready...

To be continued....