And then I found Myself: Chapter 1

                                                                                    Chapter 1



“Come on man! You can do this!” said John.



“No, I can’t. You know that. I just can’t” I said.



“You have got to try, man.” said John. Before I could say anything, he pushed me. All I could hear was the sound of pressured air. My ears nearly exploded and my shrieks were lost somewhere in the air. I was traveling, downward. I always hated parachutes. They are so unpredictable and distrustful. But in that moment my feelings changed. I opened my parachute desperately and then I was on my way to land safely. John had pushed me from a plane 4000 meters in the air and I hated him for that. I looked down. For a moment I couldn't believe that I was above Zambezi River, over storming Victoria Falls and I feasted my eyes on that exquisite scenery with green lands stretching across the beautiful river and the wonderful scent of the air melting in my nostrils. Everything was so green and so blue and so beautiful. I was in love with nature. And then I escaped from the evanescent beauty and landed into world of terror and ugliness- the real world.



That was rough landing; Few scratches on my left arm and left thigh and left foot. I was divided into two different physical appearances. My right side was calm and my left side was burning.



“Oh Look! You did it! Feeling nausea?” asked John.



“Are you kidding me? That was AWESOME! I loved it!”  I was thrilled.



“Hold your love, my dear. Hold it.” John said, “We are returning home from the next flight.”

I was sad. It didn’t want to go back. I wanted to be there. I belonged there. Victoria Falls, the greenery, the river; that felt like my real home. But I was bound. We were having a family Reunion the next day and we had to go back to our home- the real home, Australia. We lived in a small town with peaceful neighborhood.



March 18: The best day of my life.

March 19: We were home.



Tables had been set, floor had been carpeted, and the walls had been decorated. Nothing expensive ever existed in our house- Mine and John’s- so we tried to make it comfortable instead. I always preferred comfort to ostentation. The bell rang and John ran towards the door. It was about to start- the celebration, the happy moments and the crowd cheering, but not now. It was someone else at the door. I don’t know who it was. I preferred being quiet given John was growling constantly since his return from short trip to the door.



The door knocked again. This time I went to the door and as I opened it, a crowd poured in.



“Mr. Watson! You are a sensible person. You know that?” A heavy voice sounded in the midst of the crowd. It was Mike. He climbed onto the sofa and pointed at me and repeated his statement. “Get down, Mike. That’s enough! I know that. Now get down!” I was disgruntled by his alcoholic behavior. And then Mike did what I expected the least. He jumped out of the open window and fell into the pool- an empty pool.



“Now why would he do that?” John intrigued.



“Go to hell! All of you! I’m out” I said angrily and moved out of the house. “I hate people. I hate people. I hate people.” I kept

saying this to myself as I was racing through the streets. I was furious. I needed silence and solitude. But fate had something else in store for me. “Hey! Watch it!” I heard someone say this to me, but I couldn't find out who since the next moment I was lying on the road with my butt up and head down, and bleeding badly. I couldn't remember what happened afterwards. I was in the hospital and a nurse was standing beside me. Seeing that I am awake, she asked, “How are you feeling?” “Fine” may not be the perfect word to describe me, so I thought what to say but I couldn't find an answer. How am I feeling? I don’t know.