Earned their Respect.

Standing on this stage with a smirk, I think about how Pluto was stripped off it’s right from being a planet. Poor thing. Now it’s just a star, how ironic.

My name’s Pluto too. Pluto Desmund Rodwell. My mum is Greek and my dad is British so they gave me a really mixed name to add meaning to it. I honestly hate my name, Pluto was also a dog for heavens sake. I grew up in a small village known as Cheltenhem, horrible place, horrible people but it’s my home and well, home sweet home? I dropped out of school at the age of 13 mainly because I used to get bullied a lot because I had 785 layers of fat on my belly but I really wasn’t fussed. I ate cake for breakfast, pie for lunch and muffins for dinner. Even when I was 16, I only had two so called friends – my mum and dad. Unfortunately, neither had much time to pay attention to me, my diets, my life. My mum worked as a border control officer, she checked passports basically and that was her job. My dad owned a farm and was mostly away delivering eggs and milk to the shops. When they both got home, they kissed and hugged, asked me “Aight Lad? ‘Ow was school an all?” Before I got ready to answer, they would walk away and go upstairs. Trust me, this happened everyday. I was so deserted that I used to pretend the ants on the floor were my friends and I was some sort of Ant God that would give them food and lead them back into their homes. That’s pretty much how I spent the first 20 years of my life.

On my 21st birthday, my mum told me how I had to leave the house and live on my own, look for a job and find a girl. It came as a shock because..well..how would I survive? that wasn’t me. Eventually, a week later, I had my bags packed and dad had got me a job in the city at one of his mates’ workshops. I moved there with a suitcase full of xxl pants, cotton shirts, a bunch of different socks, some underwear and 3 pairs of shoes. Dad’s friend, James, my boss was a kind man. He taught me how to mend car engines and paint the bodies, he even let me stay in his barn till I found a new place to live.

One night, I finished work and was on my way back to the barn. On the long slippery and muddy road, I saw a man standing next to his 1970 Cadillac smoking a cigar and cursing. I was startled but something pulled me towards the man. I walked slowly and just as I was about to say a gentlemen’s hello, he turned around and looked at me from head to toe. “What do you want?” He asked. “Nothing Sir, I’m on my way home. Is everything okay with you”? I replied. He gave a grim smile and gave me a pat, “What can you do about my wrong, son”?  I didn’t know what to say so I kept on walking, I had just moved a few steps and I heard the man say “Oi, wait up, is that a wrench in your pocket”? “Yes, Yes it is” I said. “Are you Pluto”? he replied. I went in a state of silence and shock, how did this stranger know my name? “Ye..ss” I said hesitantly. The man sprung out in delight and paced his way towards me, “You son, are the best damn mechanic in Bury, I was on my way to see you when my car broke down”.  Once again I didn’t know what to say so I stood there silently. “Soo lad, you gonna fix my car or not”? “Yes, definitely Sir but please tell me, how do you know my name and what do you want from me”? He smiled but this time it was a more humble smile – “I want you to work for me, work for the best car company in America, I want you to fix all my Cadillac’s. Would you”? I was clueless as usual and I didn’t know what to say, what to do so I kept silent again. Who knew that 48 hours later I would be on a plane to America in a suit and a name tag that said – “Pluto D Rodwell. Senior Invigilator and Aero Dynamics”.

I worked at Cadillac for 25 years and I finally managed to get a girl in those 25 years as well, we got married too. Me, ha, I got married. She’s still with me and now after so many years of struggle, loneliness, no hope and absolutely little joy, I own my very own rally car circuit. By July, 2009, Pluto Desmund Rodwell had made it to the Forbes top 100 most successful  men in America. I was offered worked at Ford, Mercedes and BMW but I wanted to keep my loyalty. So what if I spent half my life under scrutiny? I have finally realized and learnt that what doesn’t kill you can only make you stronger. A stronger human being with his goals set and focus redeemed, I now knew I had made it. I had achieved what I never even dreamed of achieving. Life is weird you know, sometimes you work day and night and still don’t get the reward and sometimes you just stand there and let luck play it’s part.

Today, I have my own family, my own children, my own house, my own fans, my own beliefs and I’m living my life even though I’m living it late. I earned their respect through one simple motto – “Victory through Harmony”. People think you can only get respect if you can sing, dance, act or react. That’s not the case, I was a mechanic and to this day, I am still a mechanic but that’s where I progressed. I did what I loved and I did it right. That’s all you need to do really. When you believe, you can achieve, you do achieve, you succeed.

Even if you don’t have a supportive hand on your shoulder or someone to share that burden, it doesn’t matter. You are good enough to make something out of anything on your very own. I still play with my ants, I’m still the Ant God. I haven’t forgotten my roots because from where I come from, the only roots one has are the one’s they cut off to walk away. 

180°

They said I was enervated after the accident. “What accident doc”? I wondered, They just did one of those unkind nods and walked out the door. I could barely even move my head so I twisted my eyes around in circles to catch a glimpse of whatever I possibly could. There were ECG machines, Sterilizers, Patient Monitors, Drips, Electro-Apparatus, An Anesthesia machine and loads of hospital equipment I could barely even name. I couldn’t feel any part of my body, It just felt as if all I had left was a head. My eyes started to water as I saw Sharon walk through the door. They had kept a little bell on the door so whenever someone opened it, it did a little trring.  I was never so glad to see my sister. I wanted to get up and hug her but I was too weak so she came and embraced me.

The warmth you feel when someone you love show they love you back is one of the greatest feelings in the world. Sharon was a sibling sobbing, I couldn’t figure out if they were tears of joy or agony, I was too afraid to even ask. “You..You, I love you. I love you so much, I love you Hugo, More then you can ever imagine” She said. I kept quiet for a few seconds, maybe even minutes until I finally said “I love you too, Sharon. You know I do”. She finally let go of me and sat down on the chair beside the bed, “Ma is on her way, I don’t know how she’ll take all of this” she said. Again, I didn’t know what to say so I changed the subject – “Is it cold outside? ‘cos if it is then you can trust Ma to be wearing 75 coats and carrying another 25, She likes having a complete 100″ I laughed. Sharon smiled but I could see the pain behind those eyes. “Okay so mind telling me what’s going on here?” I asked her. She turned her head away without saying a word, got up and walked to the door. “Sharon! Sharon! Hey Sharon! Get back here and sit down, Tell me what is going on, What is wrong with me”? She stood there without any sign of life as I stared at her braids. She turned back to me and slowly walked up to my bed. Tears filled up her eyes as she cushioned her head against my shoulder. “You fought well Hugo, You really did. You are the bravest man I’ve ever met and will ever meet, I love you so much Hugo. Last night you had an emergency call from the local car dealers relating to a robbery, you went down there and were first at the scene. I love you Hugo, you risked your very own life to save someone else’s. You are the reason why 6 people are alive and well today, It’s because of you Hugo m’darling. I love you Hugo, I love you to bits. I can’t even tell how much. Please don’t leave me, Please just please, stay.” She broke into tears and rushed outside the room.

My face was completely expressionless, I think I did have a tear or two in my eye at that moment but then I smiled to myself and wondered if whatever Sharon said was actually true. I always wanted to be a hero, ever since the days in school when I dreamed of joining the army but I couldn’t because Ma didn’t want me to go far from home. Ma would set up the Barbecue Grill and lecture me on how I need to go to college and become a doctor or maybe a lawyer or even a plumber, she didn’t care as long as I was safe.  I tried to remember what happened but I couldn’t, The last thing I remember was a huge cloud of smoke around my head. Was I a hero now? The local Kentucky nobody, a hero? “Ha-Ha, A hero!” I shouted to myself. That was a moment of ridiculous excitement.

Captivated in my interests, I decided to lift my head a bit higher because the pillow was now a little uncomfortable. Sharon must have slid it further. I was able to lift my head just a fraction and just that very fraction, proved enough to change my life forever. I looked at my arms, I didn’t have any. I looked at my legs, they weren’t there. I can’t explain what I felt at that very instance but I fell unconscious, I just blacked out. When I woke up I was in the same place, this was no dream like I wanted it to be. I turned my eyes to the left and saw Ma with a beautiful Lilly Bouquet in her hands, she hid her face in Sharon’s arms. Frank my cousin was with them as well, He walked up to me, brushed his hand through my hair and said “Howdy Soldier”.

They sent me home after two weeks of constant checks. I got home and wondered – In a split second, my life completely changed. From running behind criminals, I sat in a wheelchair. I cried, I held my head in my hands even though I didn’t have any hands. My voice changed to that of a little girl who didn’t get her favorite toy as I asked Ma “Ma, Ma you know I’m your son right? Why did this happen to me Ma? What did I do wrong?” Ma was 79 years old but she had enough strength in those old legs to push me out in the back yard, She set up the grill and told me to look at the coal”. You see all this coal burnin’ Hugo? If this coal didn’t burn, we wouldn’t have had no steaks, no chops, no dips, no nothing baby. You are my star, Hugo. You are like this coal that burnt and provided for all of us, you are the reason why I can be proud. I love you Hugo, if God chose to make you as you are, He did it for a reason. You are a hero Hugo, my hero, Sharon’s hero, Frank’s hero, this neighborhood’s hero, this country’s hero! I love you son”. Those words from Ma made me look at the other side of the coin. So what if I had lost both legs and both arms? So what if I was crippled? I had saved 6 people’s lives. They were breathing and joyous because of me and that is what sacrifice is all about. Love is sacrifice. The people around me helped me change my point of view and look at life in a whole new perspective, completely flipped over.

I was handsomely rewarded for what I did and that reward was honor and respect. The 6 people I saved all came to my house and saluted me, the whole country saluted me. From being a nobody in a regular police force, I was Rtd Chief in Command Hugo J Gregory. A man who everyone looked up to now, this made me smile, this is the reason I was still alive. I didn’t care how long the road ahead might be, I was alive and there were others alive because of me. Sometimes, the people who understand you best are the people you’ve never even met.

 

 

 

P.S – This isn’t a real narrative, I am just adding drama to it. Hope you liked it. Please leave your feedback.

Interview with Zesh Rehman .

 

This is an exclusive interview with Zeshan Rehman (former Fulham and QPR player) who currently plays for Hong Kong champions Kitchee.

AA : It’s a real honor to have the opportunity to talk with you considering the fact that you are the first British Asian to have played in the premiership and the only player to have played in all four leagues in the country. What got you into football?

ZR : It’s a pleasure, well, I started playing at the age of nine. I used to play on the streets, in the house, in the garden, anywhere I could kick a ball and have fun and it just grew from there on.

AA: How did you start off your career and how tough was it to become a footballing professional?

ZR : I was 12 years old when a scout spotted me playing for the local district, he talked to my parents and we went to Fulham Football Club where I had a trial. They were impressed and told me that I would be staying, I was up there till the age of 22. I had to work my way up through the youth team, the reserve team and gradually the first team. It wasn’t easy as you always have quality competition at a club, specially a premiership club like Fulham.

AA : So how was it training at Fulham and finally being moved up into the first team, you even made your debut against Liverpool at Anfield. Tell us about that experience?

ZR : It was brilliant to say the least, wonderful learning experience. I got the chance to train and play with stars like Andrew Cole, Edwin Van Der Sar, Steed Malbranque and others. I thoroughly enjoyed that and learnt a lot from them, their professionalism and how they carry themselves. As far as the debut at Anfield is concerned, it was a dream come true. Liverpool FC is one of the top teams in England and just that feeling of coming out in front of a 40,000 crowd in a highly anticipated match was amazing. I loved the atmosphere and the game ended 0-0 so for me as a defender making his debut, I really enjoyed that game.

AA : Fantastic. You spent 2 seasons with Fulham and earnt yourself 21 caps. Where did you move on from there and how were those experiences?

ZR : I had a couple of loan spells at Brighton and Norwich which were a good part of the learning process and diverse football in Britain. After that, I went onto sign for Queens Park Rangers and during my 2 year spell there, I worked under 7 managers so it was a bit hectic, up and down sort of thing but I managed to grab 40 odd caps and that was my focus, to get games and perform.

AA : After that you again spent 3 years on loan at three different clubs until finally signing for Bradford. Didn’t you think about how things were going downhill?

ZR : I didn’t really mind because like I said, there is always a lot of competition and whoever plays well, gets their spot in the team. It’s a bit about luck really as well but I didn’t care about what team I was playing for as long as I was playing football. Signing for Bradford City was a good decision for me, I spent a year with them and got around 50 games and 2 goals. I really enjoyed playing for them specially when you have so many South Asian supporters for the club you play for, It was fantastic to see kids looking up to me as a footballer and appreciating me for it.

AA : That’s all good positive stuff. You’ve only recently signed for Hong Kong champions, Kitchee. Are you looking forward to this new challenge out of England?

ZR : Yes of course, I kept my options open and I’m always willing to take a new challenge on board. I have yet to play a game for my new club but so far all the fans, club managers, staff and players have been really welcoming. It feels like back at home and I am really looking forward to getting on the field.

AA : What’s your favorite ground where you have played at?

ZR : Umm, Tough question but I think, I’ll go for St James’ Park. Fantastic ground and brilliant atmosphere.

AA : Now moving on from club football to international football. Tell us about your international career.

ZR : I used to play for England at under 18, under 19 and under 20 levels but failed to make it into the first team, there was a lot of conspiracy mainly because of my ethnicity, the media added fuel to fire and it seemed like an unrealistic aspiration to play for England. Because my parents had Pakistani nationality as well, I opted to try out for Pakistan National Football Team and earned my first cap against Sri Lanka in 2005. The reception on the day is one of my best and most cherished memories, I was welcomed as a star and felt loved and appreciated. That was something I never got much of in England.

AA : Many people want to know how hard is it exactly to play in England and manage to play for higher leagues? Why don’t many Asians make it to that level?

ZR : It’s very difficult because millions of youngsters play football and you have to play in England to have an opportunity to get scouted. If you are from a country like Pakistan, Bangladesh or India where there is lots of talent but no means to showcase it, you will find it very difficult to reach your full potential. Clubs like Chelsea, Manchester United or even West Ham would not send there scouts over looking for talent in countries ranked so low in the FIFA rankings. I had to work my way to the top and hard work will always pay off, if you are talented than never give up on your dream, it takes a lot of persistent hard work and courage but if it’s destiny, it’s destiny.

AA : So what about the Asians living in England?

ZR : There are many professional footballers with Asian ethnicity in England but they mostly play in the lower leagues or local teams simply because they are not up to the standards of the bigger leagues. They usually start their careers very late and retire very early, it’s more like a hobby than a job. Michael Chopra played for Newcastle and Cardiff, I played for Fulham and QPR. It just shows if you are good enough and work hard, you can make it.

AA : Interesting. You only have 9 caps for Pakistan, don’t you feel it doesn’t do justice to your caliber and who do you think is the best player in Pakistan National Football Team?

ZR : I never have any grudges, sadly, I was injury prone in the last few years and whenever an International competition came up, I was injured or still recovering. I do wish I have more caps and I am always available for Pakistan, I love playing for them. Every player in the team plays with passion, if you ask me who is the best, I’ll say Samar Ishaq. He is a really good player and I’ve played with him, he really controls the back line brilliantly.

AA : Zaviša Milosavljević is now Head Coach of the Pakistan National Football Team, What are your thoughts about his appointment?

ZR : I can’t really comment on that because I haven’t worked under him yet but it’s always good to have a foreign coach who can bring in new ideas and hopefully better things for Pakistan football.

AA : Who were the footballers you looked up to when you were young?

ZR : I really loved Alan Shearer and even had the chance to play against him which was really special. Apart from that, Eric Cantona has to be one of my icons, He will always be a great player in my book. True legend.

AA : Many Asian youngsters and particularly Pakistanis look up to you as a role model, What message or advice have you got for all your fans?

ZR : I am just really thankful for all their support and as I said before, It’s vital to never give up on your dreams. Hard work and persistence will always pay off and that is how a footballers character should develop. Stay dedicated and if I can do it, so can you but at the same time, don’t lose your roots or your religion, always be proud of who you are and be yourself rather than following in the footsteps of others, walk your own roads.

AA : A few quick fire questions for you just before we end. Lampard or Gerrard?

ZR : Gerrard.

AA : Pizza or Tikka?

ZR : Tikka.

AA : Manchester United or Manchester City?

ZR : United.

AA : FIFA or Call of Duty?

ZR : Neither. Not really a gamer.

AA : Pakistan or England?

ZR : 50/50.

AA : Tidy answers! Well, sir, It’s been amazing talking to you and I really appreciate you taking time out for this interview. Thanks very much and I hope we can chat another time when I prepare a whole new list of questions for you.

ZR : Definitely, I’ll be looking forward to it.

Morality.

The fabric of society is held together by the standards of morality that we maintain and practice. Values are our personal set of beliefs about what is important, unimportant, right, wrong, good and bad. In other words, values are a kind of map in our minds of how things are or should be. Just as a map is not the territory, values are only our perception of the principles of the nature we govern our lives or the universe, not the principles themselves.

Throughout history, this world has seen individuals, families, societies and nations dying for want of values that sustain life—almost with the same certainty with which a plant dies for the want of water. We can select our values to be in harmony with the laws of the universe or to challenge them. Laws are fixed, so are the consequences of breaking them. We cannot break the laws of the universe; we can only break ourselves against them.

The real power of a nation is not its natural resources, but people with right values. Just as it is futile to fill a leaking bucket, it is futile to think of economic reforms and progress without relinking ourselves with our lost values. All over the world and more so in our country, what we need first and foremost are solutions that can be helpfil on a wide scale and a long-term basis for reestablishing moral values. Are values really on the decline in the contemporary world or is this a perception common to every age?

In our search for pleasure, we become greedy. Greed gives rise to fears-of not being able to fulfill our needs. Fears give rise to the need for false psychological protection in beliefs. We have convinced ourselves that money is the solution to all our problems. However, money is only a manifestation and flows from abundance, not vice versa. Prosperity is a vector. It has magnitude and direction. Most people focus only on the magnitude, not the direction it may take someones life towards-happiness (if one is rich spiritually too) or misery, stress and insecurity.

We hardly have time to look up and admire the beauty of the sky or appreciate the mysteries of Nature. We have lost the capacity to enjoy small ‘nothings’ of life. We gracefully overlook these joys just because we concentrate our attention towards bigger things. Even though they might be bigger in capacity and luxury, they are never better. Mahatma Gandhi used to say that there is enough in this world to satisfy man’s need, but not his greed.

Today, there is a powerful image of people, who seem to be leading happy and respectable lives even without ethics. Respect is proportional to money and external achievements, not to the quality of means employed to get them. Impressionable young minds choose unhealthy role models for themselves early in their lives. In most homes, there is an unpleasant, combative environment. There is no sympathy and as much as I hate to say it, there is ignorance in parents themselves and that just on it’s own leads to a great decline landing them into a pit of an unhealthy and unjustified lifestyle.

There’s an ancient story about a frog, which, having been told by his friend about an elephant, went on bloating his tummy to confirm from his friend if the cited creature was that big. Then, he exploded. We must remember that everyone has a place. A frog need not try to become an elephant to gain importance since, in the scheme of this universe, he is already as important as an elephant. Pythagoras once said: “Humans who kill animals for food tend to lose their sensitivity; they tend to see killing of their fellow humans with the same apathy.” Whatever be Pythagoras’ reasoning, the fact is that we do exhibit the kind of insensitivity he’s talking about. It is paradoxical that as physical distances are shrinking, the psychological ones are widening. Nothing seems to stir us. Is it because we fail to see the same self in others that we so readily see within us?

Now here’s what we can do:  Let the media shift its focus to rebuilding values. The scripts of soap operas should be written responsibly, since they influence millions of people. The scriptwriters probably do not realize the great opportunity (and hence responsibility) that they have. Preference should be given to soap operas that are based on inspiring real-life incidents. Images of rich and happy people who used the right values to get rich, and of those who led miserable lives despite being rich for want of values, can transform the viewers’ minds. No one has ever become a saint by inculcating values. One has to discover and believe in one’s saintliness within. Values flow from one’s self-image, not vice-versa. Once we help a child realize his spirituality and make him perceive himself as a spiritual giant, the task becomes easier. A child who is convinced of his divine heritage behaves like a saint without knowing it. We need to revamp our administrative criteria.  Reduce stress level in people’s lives. Educational institutions and offices should not require anybody to commute large distances. If possible, accommodation should be provided on the campus. No office or factory should function for more than five days in a week. Staying beyond office hours should be discouraged. The hours lost can easily be compensated by effective time management.

Let us slow down our pace, try to find our purpose in the scheme of the universe through our liking, talents and aptitudes. An effective and efficient cobbler is better than an incompetent engineer or doctor. It is not a particular profession that guarantees you abundance and happiness, but your competence.

So just forget about competition by people, there isn’t any except in your mind. Just go on moving within yourself, towards yourself and get linked to your roots. Discover your purpose and give life to it. Keep smiling, the world is yours for the taking! All that is required to achieve our goals in life is perseverance, faith, patience and love. 

 

*Sourced*

I am whatever you say I am.

Selfish, Rude, Heartless, Thoughtless, Sadistic, Unsympathetic, Pathetic, Hateful, Angry, Demoniac, Antagonistic and Hard boiled? These are the words people use to describe me. Those people have never met the real me, they have never come face to face with actuality before reality or maybe, corporeality.

I’ve had many people walk into my life, some have stayed but most have walked away with a bag full of pride, hatred and heartless disability. Just because I am human and liable to make mistakes does not make you any better, walk a mile in my shoes and you’ll realize what it’s like to be me. Before you waste any effort in pointing a finger at me, do make sure about how you plan on dealing with the other four, pointing right back at you.  It’s like they’ve got me locked up with chains and thrown away the keys, they want me to play the game but the game right now ain’t playing with me but I know, they know, this time I won’t be hurting. Have you ever felt stranded? Have you ever felt like the people you trusted turned out to be the ones to break you apart? Have you ever felt crushed and thrown away? If you have, trust me, you are not the only one but this is life and this is what people do but you and me, we can make it through.

I keep on searching for my ticket out of here but I fool myself when my objective disappears, the road is long but I’m hoping you can take me home. The lesser you expect from people, the lesser is the chance of you getting hurt. It’s like having thousands of keys but no doors to open. We will find our way, the troubles we go through only teach us valuable lessons through which we learn to love, to believe, to be adequate and to get back up whenever the world kicks us down. Never be afraid to stand out and be the freak.

So next time, whenever someone decides to leave you behind, be strong enough to run past them and never let them catch up. You don’t owe the world anything apart from love and respect, make sure you offer that because as long as you do, you’ll always get some back.  Tighten your fist and be unmistakable, don’t ever let people tell you “You are not good enough” because my friend, I can honestly say you could have the world beneath your feet and that sounds good enough to me. Always be thirsty to go through struggles to meet your ambitions, keep your chin up because every second you are learning something and what you learn will always follow you around. Don’t stand by water and long for fish, go home and weave a net and if you can’t change your fate, change your attitude thus helping you on your way as you walk on hot coals and cold ice. I started living when I stopped worrying about what people thought about me, I knew I was loved by people I loved and so are you. We just have to keep our heads up high and keep on going, you start winning as soon as you start working hard enough for victory.

“The fruits at the end of this journey, I hope are sweet.

Before you look at my face and say he is a disgrace

Look into your soul and search for the surface.

You may fail to find a proper excuse that won’t even suffice.

Beat me, Hate me but you will never break me.

Cheer me, Fear me for I am on the right path.

Acceptance is something I never received, I had to earn.

Trust is something I never got, I had to gain.

Look at me now, the sweet verses I read before I bow.

You may call me delusional, I am whatever you say I am”.

Part of Chapter 1.

It was mysteriously murky and pale that night, I heard Mei-Zhen call out my name “Yong, come here, you don’t need to be outside the house at this time doing nothing, help me clear up”. Mei-Zhen was my step mother, I never knew who my real mother was – no one had ever told me. My father died when I was only eight years old. He worked at the electrical plant in Harbin, northeast China. They say he died while wondering why the filament in a bulb never fell off, I used to believe that until Mei-Zhen told me he was put away. He was an alcoholic, he had become addicted. People used to wake up and boil some water for their tea or syrup but my father used to just walk out and buy another bottle of rum. Sorrowfully though, one night he drank a little too much and got into a scuffle with a local gang member. Gangs in that part of China were gruesome, they killed for pleasure, robbed people just to see them suffer, they were animals and they killed him.

Mei-Zhen was pregnant with my brother, her tears seemed like drops of blood running down her soft cheeks when she heard the news. Three days later, for me and my brothers safety, we migrated. Mei-Zhen never told me where and why we were going but she knew that nowhere was safe as long as we were within China. After days of travelling with just 60 Yuan in our bag, We came to Pakistan. A country that had only been in existence for 14 years.

From the docks to walking more than 1200 miles, from riding camels and donkey carts to walking another 1200 miles, we finally made it and reached the city of Gakuch in the Ghizer District. A small town with a population of just 700 people. The people here worked as farmers or didn’t work at all. It wasn’t the warmest of welcomes as everyone kept staring at me and Mei-Zhen because they had never seen this part of human essence before. I walked behind Mei-Zhen, scared and clueless, I stood back. It felt like ages slowly pacing between the crowd but finally we had managed to get out of it and come face to face with our new home – A cave. “A bloody cave”!? I said to myself but I soon realized, this wasn’t a matter of any frolicking. Mei-Zhen set up the fire on these odd pieces of wood while I sat down on the snow without letting it hinder my thoughts. I wondered how people always said that there is light at the end of every tunnel but all I could see was pitch darkness with the God like figure of my mother sitting near the fire. I smiled to myself as I went down and cushioned my head against her shoulder, this was a truly unparalleled moment. I wasn’t cold anymore.

After so many long and tiring days, we had finally managed to get some sleep. The morning brought us a rather unique surprise, the whole village had gathered outside the cave. It was petrifying to say the least but with Mei-Zhen standing right next to me, I had the courage to stand beside her. The people here did not speak Mandarin, it was almost impossible for us to communicate. One of the elders of the village walked his way into the cave escorted by two other men. We felt like intruders or someone who had just broken out of prison and ventured themselves to an unknown place. I looked up to Mei-Zhen and didn’t utter a single word, She was always able to read my thoughts as she put her index finger over her lips, signalling me to keep quiet. The village elder had dark grey eyes, long black hair and a beard that could have been able to cover up our Great Wall. He held a curled up stick in his hand and wore a different ring in every finger. After goggling his eyes at us for eternity, he slammed the stick on the floor and roared a “Hmph”, the two men escorting him marched towards us. Mei-Zhen grasped my hand with force I had never felt, just that expression blended away my fears with my faith. I had no clue what I was doing but for everyone’s astonishment and my own courage, I jumped in front of Mei-Zhen and spread both my arms, tears were on the verge of breaking out from my eyes but I told myself I would look out for my mother, She was the only family and friend I had in this world and I would never let anyone get two steps near her or me. With adrenaline rushing through my veins, I could feel my blood boil and my heart pound. The men radiated a laugh and kept moving towards us, with both of them just steps away, I picked up the burnt piece of wood from the ground and screamed at the top of my child voice “Zou Kai”, the Chinese gymnast to clear away. The men amazingly stopped and uselessly stood a few feet from us, I felt like a soldier charging against the enemy on the battlefield. Mei-Zhen dropped to her knees and embraced me like a hero, the whole village looked on sheer disbelief but for the first time in my life, I had stood my ground. I looked at Mei-Zhen and her watery eyes, I told her “Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I’ll understand.” She smiled and picked me up in her arms, I knew this was the start of something special.

Wish me luck.

Well, here goes, my first step towards fulfilling my dream of making a name for myself . I’ve planned out everything, I feel like I’m ready. Yeah, definitely I am immature and naive, my writing still hasn’t got the mellowness but I do have my own distinctive path between public statements and private reverie.

I will start writing my book on Friday, It’s going to be about a journey through everything we can ever imagine, A journey about your average individual and how he survives in a world so cruel. It’s all planned out, the story, the draft, the characters, the setting, the plot, the conclusion, the resolution, the impacts, the messages, the opinions and the end. I can’t promise that you’ll like it but what I can promise is that it will make you think, make you laugh and at times even make you cry. This a huge step for me, I’m not even the legal age to buy alcohol right now but still, I’m here. Eminem wrote “You can do anything you set your mind to man” – I’ll keep that in mind, it’ll push me to go on. It doesn’t matter if I don’t reach the required standards, I’ll still give it all I’ve got.

In the last few months, I have learnt that writing helps you find inner peace, you can take any piece of paper, a pen with some ink and write your heart out. It’s so much better then going to people and telling them stories they don’t even bother paying attention too. That is why I want to tell the world a story, A story they will actually demand and desire. At the end of the day, I’m not fussed about how many people read it or how much abuse/praise I get, all that matters to me is making a difference towards how people see things – That’s the best compliment I could ever ask for.

*Deep breath* Enough with the speech, I bet you’re all pretty bored now but hey, hold on, I want to thank you. Yes! YOU! It’s because of you that I have the passion and courage to keep on going. Every time you read anything I write, it makes me feel special and blessed. I’ll still be writing on here but not as much as I usually do. After all, I have to write 300 pages in 6 months, twice. Wish me good luck and pray everything goes according to plan. I am doing this for myself, for you, for the world and for the people I love. It’s time.