There is Always a Reason (812 hits)
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Submitted by Razor <Jeremy_21117.at.hotmail.com> (View user info) at 2005-08-02 11:59:52 EDT
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Amadi Jones sat in a wheelchair looking out over the city of Manhattan from the window of his hospital room.
It was snowing, the sort of weather one might see when overturning a child's snow-globe, flakes moving seemingly in every direction of their own accord. From on high where he sat, the effect was not unlike poor television reception, the static nearly blurring out the picture below.
It suited his mood just fine. He hadn't moved from the window for hours... after all, where was there to go?
The heater by the window clicked on, washing him with hot air. He looked down, his eyes focusing on the newspaper again unwillingly. The headline read:
Football star saves child, winds up paralyzed.
Amadi's memory drifted to his junior year in college, playing for Nebraska. One of his teammates had been horse collar tackled in front of the bench. The guy's leg had gotten caught underneath him, but his forward momentum had carried his femur onward, ripping it right out of his leg. His career was done, finished, cut short on a three yard gain in the fourth quarter of a game his team was winning 42-7.
Later, when the guys had gone out after the game, the mood was somber despite the win. He remembered telling a friend, "That could have been me. That could have been any of us."
Only now, it was him. He was the one his teammates were shaking their heads over, and quietly thanking God that they were still able to walk.
A knock at the door brought him out of his reverie. The door opened, spilling bright, sterile hospital hallway light into his darkened room. His mother walked in.
"How's my hero today?" she smiled.
"Ma, how many times do I have to tell you? I'm not a hero. All I did was react."
His mother chuckled. "What do you think heros do, boy? It ain't like in the movies. A real hero finds himself in a situation, and reacts. And he does what someone else in his situation might not have done."
"Why did it have to be me? I had everything, and now it's gone."
"Nobody asks for it. You think Jesus Christ asked to be put up on that cross?"
"I don't wanna hear this."
"Mind your mother, boy." Her voice grew sharp. "I changed your diapers. I washed your mouth out with soap when you were a little boy and you cussed. Don't go thinking just because you signed a professional football contract that you're too good to listen to your momma, and don't go thinking that just because you got hurt you don't have to mind God."
She glared at him, and he sighed and looked down.
"Now, Jesus Christ wanted a normal life just like anybody else. But God needed him to go up on that cross so that he could die for everyone's sins. It was part of God's plan. There's always a reason for things, and the sooner you realize that, the sooner you will come to terms with your life."
"But I only got to play in six games."
"Do you know how many people there are out there in this world that would give anything they had to play six games as a football star? Think about it, boy. And don't be thinking your life is over just because you can't walk anymore. Why, you got more money with your signing bonus than most hardworking folks see in their entire lives."
"I don't care." Amadi turned back to the window, looking out, wishing his mother would go away so he could return to the static.
"I brought you a present."
Amadi looked back. "I don't need any presents."
"It's a letter from the little girl you saved."
"She wrote me a letter? She was in here two days ago visiting me. Why did she write me a letter?"
"I don't know, boy, why don't you open it and find out for yourself?"
"Leave it on the bed. I'll read it later."
"How's about I hand it to you, and I leave, and you read it now? And then tuck yourself up and get some sleep. You ain't helpin' yourself staring out that window."
"I'm just trying to figure out who I am."
"Well, if you ask me, you already found out. A moment of pressure is worth a month of silent reflection, son. Now give me a kiss and get some sleep."
After his mother left, Amadi resumed staring out the window, clutching the letter in his hand. He tried to tune out again, but the letter wouldn't let him. Finally, he gave up and ripped open the envelope. The handwriting was that of an eight year old girl, flowery yet precise.
--
November 3, 1992
Dear Mister Jones,
My mommy said that I have to write you a letter to say thank you for saving my life, but she promised that she wouldn't read what I said in the letter because she said a letter is an outpouring of the soul meant only for the resipyent. I do not know what a resipyent is, but I think she was talking about you.
Anyway, I am supposed to say thank you, so THANK YOU!!!!! I didn't mean to walk in front of that truck. I feel bad because your legs do not work anymore and I think that is my fault because my mom said I am always supposed to look both ways and hold her hand before I cross the street, but I forgot and now your legs don't work any more.
OK, I have to go now. Bye.
Miranda Roberts
P.S. My daddy says he is selling his Jets tickets and that we are going to be Giants fans now. He says he hopes nobody minds if Joe Namath is still his favorite quarterback ever. I don't know if I was supposed to tell you the part about Joe Namath, though.
--
For the first time since he lost the ability to walk, Amadi began to cry.
* * *
--
November 4, 1993
Dear Miranda,
Thank you for sending me your letter. Your mother sounds like a very wise woman. Mine is too.
Do you know what she told me? Everything in this life happens for a reason, even the things that seem bad that we don't understand.
I do not want you to feel bad about what happened with the truck. One time, when I was a kid, I fell into a swimming pool before I knew how to swim. My older brother jumped in and saved me.
I have been going to church a lot lately to try and find my way. Stay well with God, and in time we will both come to understand why he wanted me to be there to save you.
Yours,
Amadi Jones
--
July 16, 1995
Dear Mister Jones,
I'm sorry that I haven't written to you in a month, my family was on vacation in the Pokeanose, and I forgot. Isn't that a silly name? Poke a nose! My daddy got a promotion, he is an investment banker now! Well, he was an investment banker before, but I think he is a more important one now.
I got a promotion too! I finished elementary school, and now I get to go to middle school next year. I decided when I grow up I am going to be a doctor who fixes people with broken legs.
Miranda Roberts
--
September 22, 1995
Hi Miranda!
I hope that you are enjoying the start of middle school, and I hope you go out for sports.
My business ventures have been going very well. Who would have thought that I would become a businessman? I always thought that I was meant to play football, but it turns out that I am pretty good at this too. I remember when I told my mother I didn't need good grades because I was going to play football, and she told me that not everybody who thought they were good got to be a star. She made me study hard in school, and thank goodness she did!
I hope you are studying hard in school. It takes very good grades to be a doctor!
Yours,
AJ
--
October 1, 1995
Dear Mister Jones,
I am trying to study hard in school, but Bobby Thompson is always picking on me. He knocks books off my desk and passes me notes that make fun of my hair.
I hope someone beats him up. He's such a jerk.
Miranda Roberts
--
October 8, 1995
Miranda,
It's not nice to wish harm on others. Boys that age have trouble explaining to girls how they feel sometimes. It may be that he wants your attention and doesn't know how else to get it.
--
October 15, 1995
Dear Mister Jones,
I'm sorry about what I said about Bobby Thompson. He's my boyfriend now.
Miranda Roberts
--
January 6, 1998
Amadi,
High school sucks, the people here are such jerks. They don't understand anything, everyone acts like there is nothing to care about in the world, when they don't know how many important things are going on all the time. But I am going to perservere... I know I need really good grades to get into a pre-med program after high school, and don't think for a second I've forgotten about becoming a doctor.
My father said your company is making an initial public offering, I think that's absolutely fantastic. You're going to become really rich. I mean, I guess you've always been rich, but wow! My dad says that taking a company to an IPO before you're thirty years old is amazing, and I think he's planning on investing in it. I guess you were right about the internet taking off.
Miranda
--
August 3, 1998
Miranda,
I'm so sorry that I haven't written to you lately. It's been completely crazy taking the company public, and I've been getting around four hours of sleep a night for the past year. But, I'm taking a vacation soon, and I want to bring your family with me on the yacht. I'm thinking maybe about boating down to South America.
Talk to your parents about it, and I'll make arrangements.
Amadi
--
May 6, 2000
I can't believe the car! It's absolutely amazing. My parents say you're spoiling me, but what do they know? I'm on track for a 4.0 this year, and I'm gonna be taking some college classes my senior year. I'm really interested in biology, and I'm hoping to make it into Johns Hopkins so I can go to their medical school.
Randa-Panda
--
* * *
Amadi sat at his desk, working frantically. Everything was a mess, nobody below him seemed to know what to do, and he could hardly blame him. He was frantically typing an email when his phone rang. He was tempted not to pick it up, it was probably another fire to put out.
"Make it quick."
"Amadi? It's Miranda..." The voice on the other end was tearful and hesitant.
Amadi looked away from his computer.
"Hey honey."
"Amadi, my parents were both in the Trade Center yesterday, and neither of them have come home. I think they're both... both..." She broke down into sobs.
"I'll have a car pick you up immediately."
* * *
--
December 10, 2002
My dearest Amadi,
Thank you for helping me get settled in school. You've been my guardian angel my entire life, and I don't know how to express to you the love I feel.
I'm doing okay in college so far, but I'm not sleeping very well at nights.
I can't help but spend my time thinking about how the world is so fucked up. What kind of people are so twisted that they would kill thousands of innocent civilians? There's something seriously wrong here.
--
December 18, 2002
Miranda,
In times like these, it is best to turn to your faith in God. There are answers to be found in the Bible for those who are willing to look.
After the accident, I was sitting in my room and refusing to speak to anyone. My mother reminded me that there is always a reason that things happen. I lost my ability to play football twelve years ago, and I couldn't see the reason at the time. But I gained a business, and I employ thousands of people. We also gained your life, and look at you! You're at one of the premier colleges in the country, and you will be a wonderful doctor, I'm sure of it.
Amadi
--
March 5, 2004
Amadi,
You know, I don't so much blame the suicide bombers that killed my parents any more. I mean, if you really look at the world, if you REALLY look, you see how fucked up everything is. The Bush administration is nothing but a bunch of corrupt monkeys focused on world domination, and America has been at the root of so many of the problems in the world.
They twist everything to their benefit, and they push down so many people that it's no wonder they fight back with any means they can afford.
I've been turning to the Bible more and more the past few years to try to find the answers you said were in there, and the more I read, the more I realize how corrupt this society has become.
Miranda
--
May 17, 2006
My dearest Miranda,
Congratulations on getting into graduate school. You continue to astound me with your achievements, and I miss my legs less with every accomplishment. Do you realize I wouldn't be playing football right now anyway? I'd be a retired jock with no direction.
Amadi
P.S. Don't worry about switching to microbiology. There are plenty of doctors studying the spine.
--
February 14, 2009
Amadi,
I hope you have been doing well. I have been so absorbed in my post doctoral work lately that I haven't found time to write. I'm going to be sending you a birthday present, but you have to promise not to open it until your birthday NO MATTER WHAT.
Miranda Roberts
---
* * *
Amadi smiled as he unwrapped the package that had been sitting in his home for a week. Written all over the present were the words "Do not open until your birthday" and he had honored that.
He was startled to discover that inside the package was nothing but a letter and a syringe filled with clear liquid.
April 1, 2009
My dearest Amadi,
As you asked, I have spent my years looking for answers in the Bible. I have been particularly drawn to the stories in the Old Testament of Noah's flood, and the destruction of Sodom and Gommorrah.
As I have looked at the corruption and decadence of this world we live in, I have come to the conclusion that evil abounds everywhere, and that there is no-one left to save.
You said that everything happens for a reason, and that my life had a purpose.
You were right.
I have engineered a virus that is going to cleanse the world of its evil and corruption. Soon, there will be no-one left except those that I have chosen to help start the world anew. If you turn on your televsion, you will see over the next few days that the plague will have begun.
The syringe in your hands is the anti-virus.
I'll be on the way to your house soon.
With love,
Miranda
User Reviews
Submitted by kenshiman (user info) at 2005-12-28 02:25:50 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
This was a really good story, though it seemed weird how spaced out the letters were, but maybe I am just missing something. Also, the change in the girl's(I know it started with an "m", how pathetic is that) nature seemed pretty sporadic(though that might be the time between letters). Again, very good story, though the ending seemed kind of obvious, but that might just have been me because I've read one to many unexpected endings.
Submitted by DonkeyOnTheEdge (user info) at 2005-10-29 09:55:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
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