TNT ... Chicago 8
1 I resolve.
2 Try as he might, he just couldn't come up with anything to put underneath that heading.
3 Oh sure -- it was somewhat obvious that he wanted to resolve to have a better year in the months ahead than the year that he was putting to rest with the ceremonial resolution list he was trying to write. 4 If he had learned nothing else from his days in management, he knew that it was important to make goals specific and measurable and attainable and realistic and timely.
5 He had completed tons of performance reviews at the pharmacy with just that guidance. 6 It was easy to tell someone else what they needed to do to improve. 7 It was much harder to do it for himself.
8 All he could think of for the list were things that were framed negatively. 9 Don't get involved with your co-workers' personal lives. 10 Don't care so much. 11 Don't fall in love with a direct report. 12 Don't act on those feelings -- in the car in the company parking lot ... in the stock room during inventory .. in the office after the pharmacy was closed. 13 Don't let your wife find out. 14 Don't let your *kids* find out. 15 Don't get fired. 16 Don't get kicked out of your own house. 17 Don't take it out on the one with whom you fell in love. 18 Don't not see her for months. 19 Don't drink away the pain night after night. 20 Don't let your unemployment checks run out.
21 I resolve.
22 The words stared up at him from the yellow notepad.
23 I resolve to go back in time and to never meet Maria.
24 He scratched out the words as soon as he had finished writing them. 25 "Not realistic," he said aloud as he did so.
26 The good news was, though, that he had broken through. 27 The act of putting *something* on paper unstuck the task for him. 28 Now the ideas flowed forth.
29 I resolve to quit drinking.
30 I resolve to get a job.
31 I resolve to get forgiveness from my wife and kids.
32 I resolve to get my life back.
33 He paused his flurry of activity, for he knew that there was one resolution that had to come first if any of the others were to have a chance.
34 I resolve to get closure with Maria.
35 He circled that one. 36 He put a star next to it. 37 He underlined it -- not once, but three times. 38 Then he looked over at the one friend who had stood by him throughout this whole ordeal -- and his half-drunk bottle of whiskey stared back at him.
39 He glanced at the clock on the motel room microwave.
40 "It's almost midnight," he muttered to himself. 41 "If I'm gonna quit drinking in the new year, I better finish this off now."
42 He was passed out cold on the bed when the new year arrived.
