St. Elmo’s Fire

By MTopaz

JD Dunne took one last look at the apartment he’d shared with his mom.  It was so bare now that he’d sold off the furniture.  

But it was full of memories.  He took a deep breath, feeling the sting in his eyes.

Growin' up, you don't see the writing on the wall

Passin' by, movin' straight ahead, you knew it all

But maybe sometime if you feel the pain

You'll find you're all alone, everything has changed

When he and his mom had moved here from Ohio, it seemed like the greatest place in the world.  Even with all the good

memories, he just wanted to get away.  Too many things were weighing him down here.

He’d quit his job after the funeral, not knowing what he’d do with himself, just knowing he didn’t want to work for the Boston

PD anymore.  That wasn’t totally his choice.  Some of his fellow officers had made it too hard for him to function there.  No

matter what he did, he’d always be the snot-nosed, know-it-all kid.  All he’d wanted was a chance.

JD picked up his two meager bags.  A small smile turned up the corners of his mouth.  A new start.  He knew his mom would

be proud of him no matter where he ended up.

Play the game, you know you can't quit until it's won

Soldier on, only you can do what must be done

You know in some way you're a lot like me

You're just a prisoner and you're tryin' to break free

JD latched his belongings onto his motorcycle and put on his helmet.  He ran a hand over the smooth machine, admiring how

cool it really was to finally own his own motorcycle.  With the last of the insurance money plus a big chunk of his savings,

he’d bought the thing he’d dreamed of for so long.  And now it was going to take him all the way to Denver—and his whole

new life.

JD jumped on the motorcycle and started her up, revving it just to hear that sound.  He sped out of the apartment parking area

and onto the street.  The wind in his face felt so right.  Excitement bubbled in him.  JD hadn’t felt this good in so long.

I can see a new horizon underneath the blazin' sky

I'll be where the eagle's flying higher and higher

Gonna be your man in motion, all I need is a pair of wheels

Take me where my future's lyin', St. Elmo's Fire

They’d tried.  They’d tried to break him at the station.  He wasn’t stupid.  They’d wanted him to quit.  When he told them he

was going to be leaving, he could see the smirks on some of their faces.  The “kid” couldn’t cut it.  They thought they’d won.  

But when he told them he

was being hired by the ATF for a more prestigious job with better pay and great benefits, JD thought they’d choke on their

forced congratulations.  He had the last laugh.

Burning up, don't know just how far that I can go

Soon be home, only just a few miles down the road

I can make it, I know I can

You broke the boy in me, but you won't break the man

He felt…free.  Mr. Larabee and his boss Travis had taken him seriously and wanted him—wanted him!  Mr. Larabee had

actually flown all the way to Boston to meet and interview him.  JD had been so scared that the man would see how young he

looked and dismiss him like that.  But it hadn’t mattered to him.  He was interested in JD’s skills.  JD felt his insides swell at that. 

I can climb the highest mountain, cross the wildest sea

I can feel St. Elmo's Fire burnin' in me, burnin' in me

Mr. Larabee didn’t seem the type to give out compliments easily.  When he told JD how much he liked his work, the young man

knew he really meant it.  He would’ve thrown himself in front of a bullet for Mr. Larabee right then and there if he’d asked.  

The look his new boss had given him when he shook his hand was one he hadn’t seen from anyone except his mom in a long

time—respect.

Just once in his life a man has his time, and my time is now, I'm coming alive

JD took the ramp onto the highway, picking up speed.  Denver was a long way from Boston, but he was going to enjoy every

mile of it.  

I can hear the music playin', I can see the banners fly

Feel like you're back again, and hope ridin' high

Gonna be your man in motion, all I need is a pair of wheels

Take me where my future's lyin', St. Elmo's Fire

JD started laughing.  He felt too good to keep it inside.  With an exuberant whoop that made people in passing cars stare at him,

he accelerated into traffic.  The West was calling.  He was answering.

I can climb the highest mountain, cross the wildest sea

I can feel St. Elmo's Fire burnin' in me

 

The End

 

 

St. Elmo’s Fire

Growin' up, you don't see the writing on the wall

Passin' by, movin' straight ahead, you knew it all

But maybe sometime if you feel the pain

You'll find you're all alone, everything has changed

Play the game, you know you can't quit until it's won

Soldier on, only you can do what must be done

You know in some way you're a lot like me

You're just a prisoner and you're tryin' to break free

Chorus:

I can see a new horizon underneath the blazin' sky

I'll be where the eagle's flying higher and higher

Gonna be your man in motion, all I need is a pair of wheels

Take me where my future's lyin', St. Elmo's Fire

Burning up, don't know just how far that I can go (just how far I go)

Soon be home, only just a few miles down the road

I can make it, I know I can

You broke the boy in me, but you won't break the man

(chorus)

I can climb the highest mountain, cross the wildest sea

I can feel St. Elmo's Fire burnin' in me, burnin' in me

Just once in his life a man has his time, and my time is now, I'm coming alive

I can hear the music playin', I can see the banners fly

Feel like you're back again, and hope ridin' high

Gonna be your man in motion, all I need is a pair of wheels

Take me where my future's lyin', St. Elmo's Fire

(chorus)

I can climb the highest mountain, cross the wildest sea

I can feel St. Elmo's Fire burnin' in me

Burnin', burnin' in me, I can feel it burnin'

Oooh, burnin' inside of me... (to fade)

 

--John Parr