While You See a Chance

By MTopaz

Chris picked up a photo he had displayed on his work desk.  It was one of him and Mary Travis at some charity gala Orrin had

insisted the team attend.  He was wearing a tuxedo and she was in a stunning blue dress.  Almost every time he came into the

office Buck picked it up and remarked what a “cute” couple they were or how “fine” Mary looked in that dress.  Chris had eyes.  

He could see how good she looked.  Sometimes Buck should mind his own business.

Chris had heard that an ex of Mary’s was in town.  She’d been spending a lot of time with him lately.  Did he care?

Stuck up in a clear blue morning,

What do you see, what could be?

Alone in a cold day dawning,

Are you still free, can you be?

Buck kept riding him about dating again.  Why couldn’t the man just keep his nose out of it?  Maybe Chris wasn’t ready to date.  

Maybe…  He looked at the picture again and set it down.  He picked up another one he had on his desk.  It was one Buck had

taken of him, Sarah, and Adam.  They were on a picnic.  She was so beautiful.

When some cold tomorrow finds you,

When some sorrow days remind you,

How the endless road unwinds you,

He felt the weight of that loss in his gut like a brick.  At least it wasn’t the burning anger or the black despair that used to churn

inside him.  That didn’t mean he was healed or that he didn’t still feel angry about the way they died.  Maybe it just meant he

was moving ahead.

While you see a chance, take it, 

When you find romance, make it,

Because it`s all, on you.

Mary wasn’t like Sarah at all.  She just seemed to push all his buttons.  She was pushy, stubborn, opinionated, and irritating.  

Still…  Something about her excited him in a way he hadn’t felt in a long time.  What was he afraid of?

Don`t you know by now,

No one gives you anything,

And don`t you wonder how you keep on moving?

One more day, your way.

He didn’t want to forget Sarah or the way she made him feel.  Was he that shallow that he didn’t have it in him to love another

woman?  It wouldn’t be the same.  But maybe it shouldn’t be.

Thinking about all this touchy-feely crap was giving him a headache.  He’d been listening to Buck too much.  Or maybe he

hadn’t been listening enough. 

When there`s no one left to lead you,

Even you don`t quite believe you,

That`s when nothing can deceive you,

He drummed his fingers on the desk.  Why was he having such a hard time with this?  He made tough decisions every day,

spur-of-the-moments decisions that could mean life or death for him and his team.  

While you see a chance, take it, 

When you find romance, make it,

Because it`s all, on you.

What if she wasn’t interested?  What if he’d waited too long?  Maybe she was rekindling a romance with her ex.  Chris

snorted in disgust.  He sounded like some love-sick teen.

Stuck up in a clear blue morning,

What do you see, what could be?

Alone in a cold day dawning,

Are you still free, can you be?

He didn’t like being alone.  The men on his team would be surprised to know that.  He was well aware of the reputation he had

of being a brooding loner.  

They would be even more surprised if they knew how much he valued their friendship and company.  They’d gone a long way

to healing some of his wounds.  Maybe Buck knew.  

Yeah.  Buck knew. 

When that old gray wind is blowing,

And there`s nothing left worth knowing,

And it`s not where you should be going,

He set the picture of Sarah and Adam back on the desk.  They would always be an important part of his life, but they weren’t

the only part.  He finally understood what Buck had tried to tell him.  

He looked out into the main area where the others were sitting at their desks, listening to something Buck was saying.  He was

telling them one of his outrageous stories.  Chris could tell by the way the men just shook their heads in disbelief.  Buck had his

own way with words.  Chris just hadn’t been listening.  He understood now.

While you see a chance, take it, 

When you find romance, make it,

Because it`s all, on you.

Chris picked up the phone and dialed.  He knew this number by heart.  That should tell him something.  When she answered,

Chris almost forgot what he was going to say.  

“Mary?  It's Chris.  What are you doing Friday night?”

While you see a chance, take it, 

When you find romance

While you see a chance, take it, 

When you find romance

 

The End

 

 

While You See a Chance

Stuck up in a clear blue morning,

What do you see, what could be?

Alone in a cold day dawning,

Are you still free, can you be?

When some cold tomorrow finds you,

When some sorrow days remind you,

How the endless road unwinds you,

While you see a chance, take it, 

When you find romance, make it,

Because it`s all, on you.

Don`t you know by now,

No one gives you anything,

And don`t you wonder how you keep on moving?

One more day, your way.

Whoa your way.

When there`s no one left to lead you,

Even you don`t quite believe you,

That`s when nothing can deceive you,

While you see a chance, take it, 

When you find romance, make it,

Because it`s all, on you.

Stuck up in a clear blue morning,

What do you see, what could be?

Alone in a cold day dawning,

Are you still free, can you be?

When that old gray wind is blowing,

And there`s nothing left worth knowing,

And it`s not where you should be going,

While you see a chance, take it, 

When you find romance, make it,

Because it`s all, on you.

While you see a chance, take it, 

When you find romance

While you see a chance, take it, 

When you find romance (fade)

--Steve Winwood