yeah , for a couple weeks there , he could see it , but then the house started closing in on him again and those dreams went dark when he pictured growing old in some house on detroit avenue , surrounded by people like aunt marta and her ilk , going to church , laying off the liquor and the billiards and the fun until one day he woke up and his hair was speckled white and his speed was gone and he 'd never done nothing with his life but chase someone else 's version of it .