Chapter 5
"Adversity
introduces a man to himself." — Albert Einstein
Curb Balls
I
recall when life was uncertain, but let me begin with a moment of
joy: November 20, 1999, the day of my high school graduation. It was a day I
had long anticipated, filled with pride and a sense of accomplishment. That
moment felt like the culmination of years of hard work and dedication, a beacon
of hope and a promise of a bright future. But little did I know that just 22
days later, on December 11, 1999, everything would instantly change.
That
morning, I woke up feeling disoriented, and a strange sense of unease settled over
me. I noticed that I was lying in bed the opposite way; I remembered falling
asleep. It was as if someone had turned me around, though I couldn't explain
why or how. It felt odd and unsettling, but I tried to brush it off. Mireya,
the homeowner of the rental house we were staying at, told me my mother had left
early for errands, leaving money for my lunch. It was strange; my mother wasn't
one to go without a word, especially on a Saturday morning. The urgency of her
departure puzzled me.
I looked at the clock and realized it was nearly 11 a.m.—an hour I rarely saw while still in bed. My daily routine had always been rigid: I woke up at 4:30 a.m., caught the bus by 5:30 a.m., and joined the line for morning prayers by 6 a.m.
But
that morning was different. It felt like I was in a fog. I wondered if someone
had given me something to make me sleep so deeply. To this day, I still don't
know.
As
I sat down for lunch, I rechecked the time—12:30 pm. I watched the seconds tick
by, each feeling heavier than the last. When the clock struck 12:35,
something extraordinary happened. I saw a human and ethereal figure move down
the hallway and out the main door. It paused beside me, and I felt a gentle
kiss on my cheek. In that instant, an image of my mother in a casket flashed
through my mind. I shook my head, trying to dispel the unsettling vision, but I
couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.
Agitated,
I went to a neighbor's house next door, feeling a growing dread. Within
minutes, my cousin arrived, her face pale with worry. She told me that my
mother might have had an accident, possibly a heart attack. The words didn't
seem real; I was confused, my mind racing to catch up with the reality I was
being pulled into. We walked to my cousin's house, about ¾ of a mile away,
every step feeling like an eternity. When we arrived, I waited anxiously; my heart was pounding...
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