Wrote this just after Trump supporters invaded the Capitol (and then I lost the file, so better late than never.) Clichés of An American Dream. One day when I can afford the air fare, I might just fly State side and get my own American dream.

“What sort of American Dream do you want?” asked the waiter

I’d like A Big Apple, Road tripping Breakfast in America please 

The waiter wrote the order in his pad.

“Any cowboys with that?” 

I hadn’t thought of cowboys

“We’re doing a John Wayne Rooster Cogburn special.” Said the waiter

“I don’t fancy True Grit, I’m more Fistful of Dollars or Pale Rider. Have you got any Clint Eastwood?”

“We’ve got a Dirty Harry Special.”

“I’ll have one of those.”

The waiter read my order

“So you want a Big Apple …”

“Yeah, but can you make it kind of Billy Wilder?”

Waiter tells me he’s run out of Billy Wilder, but I can have a Breakfast at Tiffanys. That’s okay.

“What sort of road trip you want?”

I’m torn between and RV and a Chopper. 

Can I get a middle aged Easy Rider with a twist of Born to Run and a comfortable RV.

“We can do that. Do you wat any motels? Bates Motel, Bagdhad café, Moonlight Motel…?”

“No, I’ve got the RV, so that’s fine.” 

I look down the menu. I really fancy a few extras like aliens and airplane graveyards and ghost towns and malt shops.

The waiter says I’d be best getting a Scooby Doo special.

He recaps on my order

“Ok Sir, you want an RV Easy Riding, Breakfast at Tiffanys, Born to Run, Dirty Harry, Scooby Doo American dream.”

“Erm, yeah. I guess that’s about right . 

“Soundtrack?” he asks

“I’ll dream along to some Tom Petty and a dash of The Boss.”

Ok Sir.

I ask him for the bill.

“That’s a big fistful of dollars sir and even a few dollars more sir.”

“Wow!” I exclaim. “American Dreams don’t come cheap.”

“No sir. Especially if you want them to come true.”

I hesitate. I can’t really afford this. The waiter offers me easy credit. 

“Live the dream now and pay later sir.”

I get the feeling that nothing’s free in the land of the free.

“Freedom doesn’t come free” says the waiter. “you’re free to dream but dreams aren’t free.”