Life Unscripted

The unceasing sky being observed by my eyes, dabbled by the clouds, passing endless vibes. Here I am, resting on my back and letting my gaze upward, enjoying the nothing that is everything. I often spot myself, deeply contemplating on the fact that how come some people try to replace their traumatic thoughts by the temporary peaceful scenarios they seize often in their routines. This place where I am now, the bridge between the two lakes in the middle of the orchard, is the least I can escape from those past years I wish were a dream, behind the premises but among the crashed pieces, away from the people but can hear the crowd, silence unlike those voices but don't understand these dreadful noises, solitude but deep emptiness.

I can't escape from those visions I get to see every time I close my eyes. It makes me feel it’s happening again. AGAIN. All I have dreamed, all I have planned, all I have worked for, turns out to be all in vain. I can’t believe it. I can’t believe the fact that I can’t move my legs on their own. I can’t jump. I can’t run. I..I can’t...walk.

Six years in this wheelchair and no body to console. They all gave up on me. They all now doubt me that I can ever be able to stand on my own feet. They wanted me to believe in this too when I knew I can make it. Like come on, there is a word ‘miracle’. I know it sounds unreal but I BELIEVE in it. Even now after six years, no one sincere beside me to help, I still believe that god will make a way for me. I can’t give up on my dreams i had envisioned since childhood. I can never give up on my chance and ability to become the best Olympic long jumper. Seriously, my level of motivation boosts when I just even think about it. I was almost there, almost to reach my destiny. I was riding in the car, going to my track to practice for the competition to be selected in the team, but nature had its own course. My car’s break failed unexpectedly and from the left path, a logging truck came by, ignoring my presence, crashed into my car and i don't remember exactly what occurred next, I could hear someone screaming my name in a dim voice ”Harry? Harry!”, and just some eerie glimpses to ruin the peace for the rest of my life. But no, I won't let that happen.

I left the bridge and headed towards the empty stadium i started visiting a year ago. I searched for different ways to start my journey of assembling the shattered pieces of my life currently and I, after five years, without giving up, found one. That stadium facing the north side from my house and my friendly bridge is the key for me to heal all wounds. I’ve been going there to practice some movements, thanks to my servant Billy from the mansion where i use to live with my ancestry. I just had my mother Sierra with me who passed away due to a cardiac arrest the day my incident occurred, because she heard that I barely died in the crash, but she unheard the ‘barely’ and couldn’t survive the misery. However, the rest of them were ashamed to be called the ancestry of a partially paralysed person. So I made it easy for them and left the mansion, shifted to a building, in an apartment in the ground floor. Anyhow, that amazing servant of mine with a heart of gold, decided to follow me up and help me recover. Well, he was an old man who, after my father passed in childhood, was the one to rub my tears away and take care of me. My mother never wanted to be a burden on the rest of the family members, so she was hired for a job to take care of herself and me, so she barely had time to spend with me. In that case, Billy was a good friend too.

I reached the stadium and saw Billy waiting for me there, as usual. He saw me and passed an affectionate smile. God! I love this smile.

He came closer and leaned over me, ”O my dear son, I’m glad to see you today. Hmm? U seem to be happier today. Something you would like to share?”, ”Of course my friend. I have great news for you!” I told him. ”Really! Harry a good news? I would love to know.”, ”No doubt you would. But, it would be better if I show you instead of telling you. ”He passed me a dubious look, but waited till I showed him my moving feet, up and down, right and left. ”What in the world? No way! Are you kidding me! I can’t believe my eyes. ”He started hoping in excitement and I chuckled, surprised at the fact that how come someone loves me to this extent that just moving feet could make him so delighted and selfless. ”I cannot wait to complete our rest of the sessions. Oh son I pray for you every minute of the day. I believe that in no time you would be able to show me up at the door of the stadium asking for the keys to lock it and walk to home on your two feet.”, ”I believe it too Billy. Thanks for being by my side”. I thanked him for not letting me stumble on the streets. ”No my son, thank u for never letting Me stumble when i was in need and knocked at your door. ”After this emotion conversation we stepped back to our daily sessions routine and continued the movement practices for my legs.

Days were passing and my faith in getting better was getting stronger. Another year passed and another. Our daily efforts were bearing fruits and I knew that. My days of achievement were near.

I was focused on nothing except for my recovery. Billy used to bring me something to eat and I never made a choice. I was just concerned about my movements, rest was all irrelevant for now. 

Eight years passed and I was there in front of the stadium, waiting for Billy to meet me. It was a long time, probably a year I haven’t seen him. He had to visit the mansion due to some factory business of my uncle. There he came. Older than he was when he left. Walking leisurely. The moment he saw me, he briskly stepped towards me, grasped me and hugged me. Tightly. Like he had seen his own son after a long time. ”I..I just.. I can’t.. believe it!” He gazed upward, fixing his eyes into mine, ”You did it son. You did it!” I held him firmly and said, ”No dear Bill. WE did it.” He hugged me again, tears running down on his cheeks and smiled with that affectionate look again. Well, and why not he would be happy, I was standing on my feet, holding the keys of the stadium in my hand and giving it a goodbye look.” Come son, let’s visit your family. They would be glad to see you.”, I honestly had no intention to return back to the mansion, ”Come on Billy! How can you expect happiness in those people’s face who were ashamed of me due to my temporary disability? Visiting them is out of the question. And anyway, they would just have to pretend to have those ironical smiles on their faces which I have no desire to see. ”Billy knew I was right, so, he didn’t push me more on this topic. ”Well then, what now?”, I smirked at him and chuckled, ”you know it what. ”Billy nodded with a smile and we headed towards the club. Yes. To begin the practice of my long jump competition. I was all set to move. In Billy’s absence, I never stopped the sessions and practice, and later when I stood up, I didn’t lose a second to pack up for my visit to the club and gave my entry. I waited for Billy and now he was here, so we were on our way to my greatest desire in life. I had promised my mom that one day you will surely see me beside Mike Powell and Bob Beamon as “Harry Stewart”. I made her a promise, now its time to fulfil it.

Months passed by and I was getting better with my jumps, the beginning was a bit fussy due to sudden jumps but my supportive limbs got used to it and showed a huge progress.

Finally, It was the day! I was going to be the selection. I believed it, like always. It was going to be true. I sat in my car and Billy as usual was beside me, cheering me up for the big day ahead. We rode down the tunnel road for shortcut due to the traffic on the high way and I had no time to lose. It was a bit dark, but flashlights were a great help. As we left the tunnel, I moved the steering wheel to the right for a U-turn then... Wait, No...Again! IT HAPPENED AGAIN!A tractor crashed into my car and for the second time it was different. It was Billy, sitting on my right, my half father, my friend, my saviour! He was bashed hard and I could see his face dropping blood on the floor whereas his body drenched in blood, crooked spine and shattered bones were all visible. I there was drenched with my own blood but was able to observe my surrounding with consciousness. I visioned the similar scenario, similar mishap I endured fourteen years prior to. People came, called the ambulance, we were taken to the hospital but in was in great shock. ’How could all my suffering be all in vain?’,’ How could all this be happening once again, WHY?’ I said to myself, I asked myself over and over again. I had no answer. I realized, maybe i was on the wrong gate, maybe it wasn’t meant for me. But i was good at it. How come it was not good for me?

A year later, I visited Billy. My face drenched in tears. He was lying in front of me, under the soil with flowers tossed on his grave. And here I was, holding the medal with a trophy after winning the third in a row Olympic long jump competition. I was here for my mom and Billy, to show them that I made it. They taught me to believe in what I wanted to be. To strive and grind hard for what I wanted to achieve. And I did it. I may lost them, but I knew I won their hearts and fulfilled my promise of achieving my greatest desire of life, making my wish true, working hard. I’ve learnt by time that you might sometimes have to lose something in order to achieve something. These accidents were the hurdles on my way to test my patience, to test how bad I wanted it, how much I was able to handle it. Because if you can’t handle stress you can’t handle success. After passing through such difficult situations, I feel myself as strong as unbreakable. Nothing in my way now is able to stop me from getting anything. Life is not always about being happy and having no hard times. It’s about how you handle those hard times and behave in your successful times. Because doing what makes you happy, including the process of striving, is what life truly is about.