The Boy and His Lightning Thoughts
written by: Nonso
@Nounsso
There was a boy. When he was 6, his father would always tell him different quotes. He remembered some and forgot most. Other times, he’d come across a quote and remember the time his father told it to him.
As he got older, he did everything that was expected of a child in this country. He graduated from secondary school and went to the university when he was 17.
There was a time, the boy was in his room working on an assignment when it started to rain. He ran outside to collect the clothes he had spread on the line earlier. The wind was blowing hard and he couldn’t see clearly. He was just using his mind’s eye to navigate the area. There was no problem; he had only lived here for his whole life. He didn’t navigate properly though because as he was reaching to grab his favourite shirt at the end of the line, he suddenly felt a very sharp and stinging pain. Reflex kicked in and he drew his hand back immediately. Luckily, he grabbed the rest of his clothes and went inside.
The next day, the boy woke up feeling groggy. He barely remembered the pain as well as what happened after. Looking around, the boy noticed he was in a hospital. Just then a doctor came in with a smile. The doctor was telling him things but he was not paying attention, he was still a bit confused. His head jolted up nearly giving him whiplash when he heard the words ‘lightning strike’. He looked down to where the doctor was pointing and noticed the burn on his hand; he thought the doctor called it superficial. The boy got up after a while feeling very energized. After fulfilling all the necessary protocols, he went about his life.
There was a time, the boy was driving to work about eight years later, he was reflecting on his life like he did sometimes. The boy worked at a bank and was earning a decent living. When he got his first salary, he decided to save up like crazy. Now he owned a car, not too flashy and expensive but reliable. He was also renting a flat, things were looking up and the incident like he liked to call it was almost forgotten. Work, was practical, crazy things didn’t happen often and he was comfortable.
The next day was a different story as he was being interviewed for a newspaper article about the crazy accident that happened to him yet another time in his life, in the span of eight years.
“I still have the headache” he told the newspaper “The crazy part is that I wasn’t out and about under the rain or anything like that, I was at work. Lightning found a path through an underground speaker at the window and worked its way to where I sat”
These were some of the things that he told the newspaper. He even became a trending topic on social media for a short while.
That evening he was having dinner when he remembered one of the quotes his father told him years ago.
“It is more likely to be struck by lightning twice in your lifetime than to win the lottery”.
Suddenly, he got a crazy idea and the next day, he saw himself standing in line about to buy a lottery ticket. When it was his turn, he smiled at the lady and got his ticket. Disappointment set in when the winning numbers were called and his was not among them. He continued this for months and still nothing.
There was a man who just wanted to be an amazing father to his son. He always looked up inspirational quotes by inspirational people to help him in his quest. He had them all written down in order that he doesn’t forget. Every now and again, he’d tell his son the various quotes. This was one of the ways he bonded with his son.
His son was doing well now, with a good job and a nice life, with the exception of some health scares and the teenage broody angst, he succeeded in his task to be a great father.
He was more than surprised when his son stormed into his house angrily. The man became very worried, enough to turn down the volume of the football match he was watching. Although he didn’t turn it down to last volume, which would have been completely crazy.
The boy was saddened by his poor outcome in the lottery and accused his father of perpetuating false hope in him. He blamed it on his comfortable lifestyle.
The father was sad and heartbroken that his son felt this way, he just wanted to make him believe in himself and have enough confidence. He tried his best as he was clueless on what to do when his son was born. The quotes were as much for the father as they were for the son. He communicated all this to the boy and they hugged and sat down to finish the game together, their team won and the boy stopped his foolhardy pursuits at winning the lottery.
There was a lady at her birthday party, dressed to the nines and looking so beautiful. She was the happiest she had ever been in her life. She looked around her at her parents and siblings and friends. Then she looked down at the glistening ring and the person holding the ring and she didn’t know which one shined brighter, the ring or his eyes. Quickly breaking out of the haze she found herself in, she said the one word that will change her life forever. YES.
There was a boy. When he was 6, his father would always tell him different quotes. He remembered some and forgot most. Other times, he’d come across a quote and remember the time his father told it to him.
As the boy heard yes, and years later, while he waited at the altar for her to walk down the aisle, he realized that the day he smiled at the lady selling the lottery tickets he hit the jackpot and didn’t even realize it.
- Ambiguity - November 25, 2017
- The Boy And His Lightning Thoughts - August 29, 2017
- Trapped In The Box - August 5, 2017
