A few minutes before midnight, the metronomic sound rang out from high above his rain-soaked head; like Pavlov’s dog he stepped off the curb. Looking down as frigid rainwater flooded the chestnut brown Italian leather boot on his left foot, he took a wide step to the right to avoid submerging the other foot in the dark puddle.

Blink. Rain drops.
Blink. Feet. Lots of feet.
Blink. Lights; blue and red and white.

He lay face down on the cold, wet pavement. Pinned beneath the weight of something massive.

Blink. Pain.
Blink. Confusion.
Blink. Fear.

“Hey can you hear me? Open your eyes buddy! Stay with me!” Each word grew softer. Then nothing.

In the darkness, a curtain lifts and images flood the screen. Each lasting only a second.

A woman holds her infant son for the first time. Tears of joy streak her rosy cheeks.

A small blonde boy stands in front of the tree on Christmas morning, smiling.

A mother wipes tears from the face of the small blonde boy as she gently applies a Batman bandage to his scraped knee.

A young man in a black tuxedo stands proudly in front of his house. Beside him is a beautiful red haired young woman in a floor length teal gown. She is wearing a courage of white lilies.

The young man beams proudly in a cap and gown.

The young man sits alone in a sparsely furnished dorm room. He stares forlornly at a photo of the beautiful red haired girl.

A group of men pose for a photo on a sandy beach. Arms around one another and beer bottles raised overhead.

The blonde man stares across a crowded pub at a woman with long raven black hair and bright blue eyes. He is smiling.

The blonde man in on bended knee. The raven haired woman stands before him. He is holding a small velvet box up toward her.

A newly married couple wave as their car pulls away from the curb in front of the church.

The man holds his infant daughter for the first time. Tears of joy streak his rosy cheeks.

Blink.
Blink.
Blink.