Short Story: Dreams

We all have dreams – some attainable and others probably not. But the thing about dreams is that when one is accomplished or not completed, another dream takes its place.  

When I was about 6, I used to listen to the American Forces Network (AFN) broadcasts from Stuttgart and Frankfurt, Germany. My favorite bands were Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman.  

From these broadcasts one of my earliest dreams developed: go to the United States, get a good job and buy a huge Cadillac.  

My favorite band leader was Benny Goodman, a clarinet player. I had a dream that I would learn to play the clarinet and become another Benny Goodman. My parents bought me a clarinet and signed me up for music lessons at the Municipal School of Music. 

I joined a marching/concert band. We would play at events throughout the year. Our bandmaster played with the Irish Symphony Orchestra. 

When I moved to England, I brought my clarinet with me with the intention of continuing my music studies. But renting a room in a private home, it was difficult to have practice time. I finally decided that I did not have a natural music ability and sold the clarinet. And so ended that dream.  

But the first dream, emigrating to the United States, was still alive. In addition to working as a clerk for an engineering company, I took a job as a bartender at nights and as a salesman in an upscale department store on weekends. After two years, the immigration fund had reached its desired goal and the US Embassy issued an immigrant visa. On April 28, 1965, I boarded the SS United States in Southampton bound for New York. 

On May 3, 1965 I arrived in New York at 6 am. One-third of the first dream was accomplished. The third part of the dream, the Cadillac, never did materialize. But I did get a big Plymouth Savoy with huge fins at the back. 

While working at Chase Manhattan Bank in New York, my supervisor told me that if I wanted to get ahead in the US, I would have to go to college. Another dream developed – get a college degree. It took me 12 years, but the dream was accomplished. 

Then another dream developed: an advanced degree. It took me five more years, but the dream was accomplished.  The good job was also accomplished.  

My mother’s dream was travelling. Unfortunately, she never accomplished her dream – a heart attack prevented that. So, I took up the banner to do it for her. The travelling dream is still a work in progress. 

I went to a presentation at the Long Beach Library about the Peace Corps.  A new dream: helping people in other countries. I joined the Peace Corps and served 27 months in Armenia, then two years in Kazakhstan and six months in the Philippines. Is that dream still alive? Definitely so.  

Then I got a dream to be a teacher and I got my teaching credentials. 

Will there be more dreams in the future? Hopefully so. 

I used to ask my students, “Do you think I’m too old to have a dream”? The answer was usually, “You will never be too old not to have a dream teacher.” I taught them well, don’t you think? 

And remember, you have got to have a dream; if you do not have a dream, how are you going to have a dream come true?

Anthony R. Kingsley is a member of the writing class offered through the Cerritos College Adult Education Program. It is held off-campus at the Norwalk Senior Center.