The Greatest Man Who Never Lived

This story idea has been kicking around in my head for a few years now. It is not the most exciting story by far, but I think it falls into that category of "Great American Novel". I often imagine it to be comparable to Forrest Gump or Big Fish as far as tone and pacing goes. My interest in writing this novel does not peak often, so it is slow going on developing the story. The main premise, though, is that many people quietly live good, worthwhile lives without becoming famous or demanding recognition. I often imagine myself as one of those people and believe that many others can relate to that theme as well. If, by writing this book, I somehow achieve fame and recognition, I will accept that as irony and smile.

So the plot of the story goes like this: an old man is on his death bed at the hospital in the company of his three successful adult children. Each child has achieved the pinnacle of their career choices which relates to a personal goal that the old man had while growing up, but did not fulfill. The old man tells the oldest child, who is in charge of the eulogy, where his personal journals are kept so that his life can be shared with the surviving family. The old man is not expected to live through the night. The oldest and youngest of the siblings go to the old man's house to find items to display at the funeral home. The oldest locates the journals and begins to read them. The common theme throughout the journal is that the old man wants to do something, but life gives him a choice every time: do what you desire, or do what is "right" by his own mind. In every instance, the old man always gives up on his dreams to be a "good person" in his own mind. By living this way, he passes up fame, fortune, and glory in favor of living what he considers to be an honorable life. The journals continue through his adult life as he raises his three children to be successful in their fields. In this way, he is fulfilling his lifelong dreams through them. The eulogy at the end explains all this by saying, "...and although he never got to live the life he always wanted, he always lived his life as he thought it should be. And so, by being true to himself, he made the world a better place and is the greatest man I have ever known."

-7/10/13-