Small addition for a big subject!

It was my second day at this new school, that had the added stress of requiring the school bus to transport the pupil's, in my area, to the main bus depot near our secondary school, where I had just completed my ‘early years’ at my villages Primary School, and I didn’t know one single person here and nor did anybody’s face look familiar!

I stood alone in a playground, which was probably unfamiliar with the first four letters of this word and it was really a concrete meeting area for the pupils that just wanted to gossip and it had probably seen very little play! ‘It was time to grow-up now and I don’t think that any war games or ‘hide and seek’ capers were appropriate here!

The ‘ground’ could definitely ‘ooze out’ plenty of idle gossip, rumours and secrets? It had probably witnessed a lot of mischief, fights and friendships ‘over the years’ and my inclusion here might be noted in this concrete ground?

There was an organised schedule of education here and I had English next, which I also had yesterday and I really enjoyed it because our English teacher was both funny and pretty, which made the subject of English very favourable, although writing and reading was already an enjoyable pastime.

The English teacher produced a book that she had chosen for us to scrutinise, after she had read some of it out to the class; The book cover looked very interesting and ‘strangely’ familiar, despite never before seeing or reading this book and it had a man peacefully trapped underneath a wall of bricks, which, apparently, represented his housebound state, because he sometimes felt like he was part of his house! The front cover had intrigued me and I could, somehow, relate with the story and with the design of this front cover; The book was about a young man who had suffered a very rare form of brain haemorrhage and he had gone from being a very active man to now being reliant upon a wheelchair to complete his limited daily activities, and how he managed his frustration at having to learn some things again, like ‘reading, writing, successfully eating, negotiating a bar of soap when washing(“the blissful invention of liquid soap was his saviour”!) and trying hard to succeed with walking again, which was, unfortunately, never achieved!

The English teacher was reading the book out aloud to the class with both a sympathetic and dramatical voice and as she read more of the book out, the more I could relate with it and as she continued to read I could anticipate the next word and the sentence! The story brought humour into tragedy and hope of a continuation of life, with a convincing belief in reincarnation! The hope and belief ‘somewhat’ eased the threat of an early death and this hope of returning seemed very favourable and it endorsed my belief, but increased my concern about a continuation in this World’s behaviour and its future state!

Our English teacher read it out and used many different tones to her impeccable voice to make this story ‘more dramatic’ and I was very sympathetic with this true story- “Yes, I was very sympathetic and I could, oddly enough, relate strongly with this book and I had a further investigation of its front and back cover, which seemed more familiar as I examined it. The name of the author seemed familiar and the books’ design was unique, ‘even though’ it seemed to be slightly rushed!

The authors name was Andrew and, the name of Andrew was already chosen for me before I was born! There were further visions of a past occupation that could have influenced some preferences today with some details about a past occupation with many vehicles in a garage, where I worked as a mechanic and of past events and how your previous life, hobbies and job preference can affect this life by influencing your decisions, habits and preferences and for your future existence!

“Excuse me Miss, but what became of this author”?

The teacher seemed to be both startled and surprised to receive this question and she thought for a moment before she replied;

“I think, in that year, any thoughts about reincarnation were often dismissed, wether it was by people’s fear of suffering the consequences of their past actions or their denial of it due to their religious beliefs”.

“As for me”, she continued, “I’m gradually becoming more convinced of it, and I do worry about our actions today and how they will affect us in the future and………” she briefly paused her speech and bowed her head as she pondered her next words, “why do you ask Andrew”? she asked me with concern,

“Some information in that book seemed to be very memorable to me and I can vaguely recall moments about the disruptions and upsetting occurrences when I wrote it, which were all after a bad head injury that I suffered”!

“Well, I would keep those thoughts to yourself before you become the next subject for medical ‘professionals”!

“I can’t stop thinking about this book now”, I said in a desperate and concerned voice “especially after seeing what I have just seen”,

I had raised my school shirt up to my chest and revealed a small numeric tattoo on the side of my torso, which was a voluntary request a few years ago, that for some reason, seemed to be very important to me and its’ eventual addition was agreed to by my despairing parents who never understood why its’ decoration on my torso was so important!

The teacher came over and put on her reading glasses to view the numbers that were tattooed on my torso and then, slightly baffled, said,

“I can see them”, she said with a puzzled face, “but what significance do they have”?

“Well, I always wondered why it was so important for me to have these numbers tattooed on me and now I believe I have found that reason”!

”Please tell me why”, she desperately asked with curiosity,

”well Miss, those numbers that I wanted on me are the exact same numbers of the ISBN on this book”!