THIS IS YOUR LIFE

           Anne is one of many people who love reading. She would go into a bookstore to see if she would find a treasure or she would buy a book just for the title, or the front cover design, no matter what the back cover says.  She was also an avid flea market attendee. If you were to ask her she would not be able to remember how many wonderful treasures she had acquired. So, when a friend told her that at the main library, they have a section where the books would be considered misfits; that they didn’t actually fit into a specific section, Anne decided to go have a look. While browsing this new section Anne came across a book titled. “This is Your Life” by author Frances Oliver.  The back cover said that Frances is a new author and this is her first book. Anne is open-minded, so after skimming the first page or two, she became very interested. The character in the book’s name was also Anne, and she was born on the same day, same time and same year. She weighed the same and the parents names were the same as her parent’s names. Intrigued, Anne flipped ahead a few pages but found them blank. Going back to the first page again, she continued reading. She noticed that as she was reading and turning each page, there were words, but if she tried flipping ahead, she would find the pages blank. Curious, Anne decided to check the book out.

           When Anne got home she showed her mother the book and asked her to confirm her early life with the character’s life. Anne told her mother that she felt that she was the character. When her mother was able to confirm all Anne had read so far; which is up to age 12, she suggested to Anne that she skip ahead. Anne told her that she tried, but the pages would be blank, so she demonstrated. They were both amazed as well as intrigued.  Anne continued to read, matching what she had read to what she and her mother remembered.

           When she got to her college years, Anne was certainly surprised to read about things that she obviously had forgotten. This book was eye-opening. “Could I have really been like that?” she asked herself. She took notes so she can contact some of the people named. She could not believe that she was that person. At one point Anne had considered contacting the author to ask her where she got her information from, but her mother suggested she wait awhile. It must just be a coincidence, her mother insisted.

           As she continued reading, Anne was consistently commenting, “Did I really say that, or did I really do that?” She was afraid to continue after awhile. If she was being honest, she was getting worried. “How could someone be writing about her, someone she has never even met?” 

           Later that evening, Anne contacted a couple of the others mentioned in the book. One was a girl, who had been her closest friend in the teen years; until a boy they were both interested in broke them up. This friend insisted that the boy asked her out first, but Anne was adamant that he was interested in her first. Their friendship did not last long after that. Even Anne’s younger sister stated that Anne was very much into herself, and if she wanted something or someone, then she went after it, no matter who got hurt. Her sister also said that Anne thought the world revolved around her and god help anyone who got in her way.

           Then Anne called a close friend from her college years, this friend also made mention that Anne really was as her sister said. This friend suggested that Anne call Tony, the guy she was dating her first year of college, to confirm things.   Anne didn’t want to, since their breakup was very dramatic. Her friend stated that Anne cheated on Tony and when he found out and gave Anne an ultimatum, she apparently went ballistic after Tony said it was over. Her friend stated that Anne would not believe him and kept calling him and showing up after his classes were over. It took the college counselor to remind Anne what she was doing was wrong and she could get expelled if she continued. Grudgingly, she stopped.

           The chapter about her part-time job where she worked at a book store was also very hard for Anne to believe that the book was about her life. She tried to contact the author, but Frances was away on a book signing tour and would not be back for about a month. Anne only had the book for three weeks unless she was able to extend to another three weeks. She told her mother that the book was upsetting her and she wants to sue the author. Her mother cautioned her against that. She told her to finish the book and try to get in touch with the author. Ms. Oliver may be able to explain herself.

           Near the end of the book Anne read that the parents of the main character, died in a vehicle accident. Their car went out of control on the freeway when a rear tire flew off.  The character Anne was taking a mechanics course, and she was on the changing tire section. She had loosened the lug nuts, and went in for a bath, not telling anyone they were loose. Her parents took the car for an evening out. While driving on the freeway the rear tire rolled off. Her father had no chance to try to correct the situation. The truck and tanker trailer behind him tried to swerve to the left, but the car also swerved to the left. The impact killed her parents instantly, also injuring the truck driver.

           After the funeral, Anne remembered that she forgot to return the book.  She decided to finish reading it. To this day, she wishes that she didn’t. Knowing it was her fault that her parents died, just like it said in the book. That book made her realize what kind of person she really was, selfish and self-centered; so she vowed to become someone better.  She made an appointment to see a psychologist who is helping her deal with those issues. One thing the psychologist suggested was that Anne call her friend from her teens to apologize and also to apologize to Tony; which Anne did and she felt quite good afterwards.

           A year later on her way home from her last psychologists appointment, Anne noticed in the window of one of her favorite bookstores that there was going to be a book signing featuring author Frances Oliver. This would be Frances’ second book, which she titled, “This is The Rest of Your Life?” Anne decided not to buy it, not to even look at it.