Finished

Timothy Fleming sat on a bed with worn-white sheets, questioning what good he was. Everyone wants to give something back or at least feel like he's altered the world in some fashion. Previously, he thought he was a talented athlete. As a little boy, his tee-ball coach bragged about how fast he was. He could outrun all of the boys on his street. He beamed with pride at his natural ability. He made his speed a defining characteristic as he aged. But he never wanted to rest on his laurels. A coach told him the fastest runners in the world aren't either born or made. They're both. He trained rigorously, beefed up his muscles, and read copiously on the mechanics of running. He took all the best paths in competitions and concentrated as singularly on excelling a possible. Throughout high school, he moved up the rankings in his state.

Timothy never bothered with his classes. He did enough to avoid academic probation, but otherwise was disinterested. His only acquaintances were other runners, but he rarely had time to socialize. Even on the long intrastate bus rides, he would close his eyes and imagine the courses over and over with Wagner playing in his ear buds. The local media covered the state race in his senior year. The sportswriters speculated that Timothy Fleming was bound for the Olympics. Careening around the track earlier that day, Timothy knew he was on state record pace. He felt strong. He heard the metal of his spikes dig into the rubberized surface, the frantic clacks of his opponents, and his measured respiration. The strands of blond hair fluttered atop his head. In the moment, everything was as it should be. Crossing the finish line, he completed the race faster than anyone ever had in his home state. Hands slapped his back and his coach embraced him with his sweaty, hairy arms.

A pronounced sense of accomplishment never formed in Timothy's mind. High school competitions are child's play. Legends aren't made in Springfield, Illinois. He wanted to set world-records. He needed to train more. His body had more developing to do. Then he could captivate larger audiences. They'd be in awe of his speed just like his tee-ball coach. Before the other events were over, Timothy was already thinking about how many reps he needed to do on the leg press tomorrow. Ascending the steps to the bus for the long ride home, a teammate called, "Congrats, Timmy!" He turned his head around to scan for the face that matched the voice. Distracted, he clipped the edge of the second step. Quickly bringing his leg down to regain his footing, his knee joint gave. All the sinews in his knee tore, shooting pain up the relays to his brain. As Timothy fell forward in a heap, he knew his ACL and MCL were torn and hoped he was dying.

Waiting in an emergency room bed wearing a white gown with sky-blue small polka dots, Timothy wondered. Is it possible for a person to have a talent that goes unfulfilled? Nobody cares about high school records. I have nothing now. No prospects. I'm not good at anything else. What a waste of space!