thermal
12-07-2003, 10:04 PM
The story:
When I was kid, I used to hang out with a friend of mind whose name is Alex. Alex was one my better friends. They owned a small family business but went bankrupt. His family was really having a hard time getting by. It was really obvious that their situation was getting worse and everybodyin the neighborhood was seeing it. He tried every effort not to let it get to him. Alex was cheerful on most occasion but very sensitive about the bankrupcy issue.
We grew up in a small town, where everybody pretty much knew each other and our parents were all friends. As kids, Alex and I had many kids around us growing up with, to include this kid that I will name Jess. Jess was also one of our firends..... decent friend. Jess is notorious to be a funny but annoying kid throughout the neighborhood but is well tolerated. Jess had his moments were he would annoy and piss other kids off. There were times when he was just a great kid to hang out with. Unfortunately, he when he gets into that "punk kid" mode, Alex seems to be always his target to joke up on. Jess had some serious problem with Alex for some unknown reason. He just didnt like Alex in many ways, although Alex got along with everybody else.
Here's what's been bugging me my whole life:
On the 31st of December 1986, during the day of New Years Eve 1987, Jess started making fun of my friend Alex by straight up telling him that his family sucked at business which is why they went bankrupt. I told Jess to quit saying stuff like that. Jess insisted. His remarks didnt stop to the point where, I and my friend Alex became overwhelmingly annoyed. I looked at Alex and he was almost in tears. I told Jess to leave us alone. He finally walked away after a few more name calling. Nonetheless, Jess' words got to me and obviously Alex felt the same.
As Jess walks away, I started giving my friend Alex some comforting words to ease up, eventhough I was still raging with anger. He was feeling very down. He started telling me how he wanted to kick Jess' a$$. I said I wanted to punch Jess as well to shut him up. Alex then said that he wish for Jess to just DIE! ...... and I agreed.
A few hours later, Jess came by but this time to apologize. I said to him that I dont care as long as Alex accepts his apology. Alex smiled and accepted his apology. We hung out for a while and even danced around for the new year to come. We went on our separate ways to spend New Year's Eve with our own family. Jess concluded that he will be at his grandparent's house to spend New Years Eve with his grandmother who was very ill at the time. His grandparents lived a few miles away.
Midnight struck, New Year's Eve fireworks and firecrackers were loud and beautiful! My family and I celebrated as a whole with decent meal on the table.
Around 12:45 AM, Jess' father came through my front door, looking very lost. My mother asked him, "what's wrong? Have a seat", as my whole family observe. We then noticed that his shirt was covered in blood. Jess' dad remained standing up displaying a confused and lost facial expression. He then broke down in tears and announced that Jess had DIED from a gunshot. My family were shocked.......I was stunned! I couldnt move my feet. My knees went limp and I started shaking. I couldnt breathe....... tears started falling down from my eyes. I came to Jess' father and gave him a hug. In between his broken words and heavy breathing, he said to me, "your friend Jess is dead".... I cried. I went to Jess' house and walked in while his whole family were just breaking down in tears.... My mom gently came up to me and told me that Jess' family needed some time alone. As I leave Jess' house, I saw Alex by himself. He looked at me in confusion and tears. I came up to him. He said to me, "this cant be happening....... we didnt mean what we wish for?! We are just kids!", then he ran off to his house.
I couldnt sleep. I was in total shock. I wanted to see Alex to make sure he was okay, because I was not. I knocked on Alex's door. He said that he cant talk to me for a while.
I asked my mom to tell me what happened to Jess. My mom was hesitant to tell me the story. I said that I'm really confused. I need answers! My mom saw how it affected me, so she told me the story.
Apparently, while Jess' family was spending their New Year's Eve at his grandparent's house, a few kids were lighting off firecrackers on the street, nearby their grandparent's property. Earlier that evening, before Jess and his family arrived, his grandfather warned the street kids to stop lighting off firecrackers since Jess' sick grandmother was trying to get some rest. When midnight (New Years Eve) struck, the kids went off and started lighting off firecrackers to the max. Jess was in the group of kids but only to watch the firecrackers go off. His grandfather started freaking out. His dad got out of the house to ask the kids not to light off firecrackers nearby their property. Unknowingly, his grandfather grabbed his rifle, loaded it, and made one random shot at the group. That single bullet struck Jess on the head at midnight, New Years 1987. He died instantly. He was walking towards his father. His father witnessed his son's death.
After the incident, Alex and I briefly talked about it. We regreted that day and moment when we made that horrable wish. We then decided to completely leave it behind us. Later on, we just stopped talking to each other period. He moved out of the neighborhood. I moved here in U.S.
This is a true story. My own experience.....
The Holidays are always hard for me. I think that it's time to let this out. We say things that we do not mean. I'm not superstitious but that was some f***ed up coincidence. As a kid, I made a fatal wish that has been bugging me for years.......to this day........
When I was kid, I used to hang out with a friend of mind whose name is Alex. Alex was one my better friends. They owned a small family business but went bankrupt. His family was really having a hard time getting by. It was really obvious that their situation was getting worse and everybodyin the neighborhood was seeing it. He tried every effort not to let it get to him. Alex was cheerful on most occasion but very sensitive about the bankrupcy issue.
We grew up in a small town, where everybody pretty much knew each other and our parents were all friends. As kids, Alex and I had many kids around us growing up with, to include this kid that I will name Jess. Jess was also one of our firends..... decent friend. Jess is notorious to be a funny but annoying kid throughout the neighborhood but is well tolerated. Jess had his moments were he would annoy and piss other kids off. There were times when he was just a great kid to hang out with. Unfortunately, he when he gets into that "punk kid" mode, Alex seems to be always his target to joke up on. Jess had some serious problem with Alex for some unknown reason. He just didnt like Alex in many ways, although Alex got along with everybody else.
Here's what's been bugging me my whole life:
On the 31st of December 1986, during the day of New Years Eve 1987, Jess started making fun of my friend Alex by straight up telling him that his family sucked at business which is why they went bankrupt. I told Jess to quit saying stuff like that. Jess insisted. His remarks didnt stop to the point where, I and my friend Alex became overwhelmingly annoyed. I looked at Alex and he was almost in tears. I told Jess to leave us alone. He finally walked away after a few more name calling. Nonetheless, Jess' words got to me and obviously Alex felt the same.
As Jess walks away, I started giving my friend Alex some comforting words to ease up, eventhough I was still raging with anger. He was feeling very down. He started telling me how he wanted to kick Jess' a$$. I said I wanted to punch Jess as well to shut him up. Alex then said that he wish for Jess to just DIE! ...... and I agreed.
A few hours later, Jess came by but this time to apologize. I said to him that I dont care as long as Alex accepts his apology. Alex smiled and accepted his apology. We hung out for a while and even danced around for the new year to come. We went on our separate ways to spend New Year's Eve with our own family. Jess concluded that he will be at his grandparent's house to spend New Years Eve with his grandmother who was very ill at the time. His grandparents lived a few miles away.
Midnight struck, New Year's Eve fireworks and firecrackers were loud and beautiful! My family and I celebrated as a whole with decent meal on the table.
Around 12:45 AM, Jess' father came through my front door, looking very lost. My mother asked him, "what's wrong? Have a seat", as my whole family observe. We then noticed that his shirt was covered in blood. Jess' dad remained standing up displaying a confused and lost facial expression. He then broke down in tears and announced that Jess had DIED from a gunshot. My family were shocked.......I was stunned! I couldnt move my feet. My knees went limp and I started shaking. I couldnt breathe....... tears started falling down from my eyes. I came to Jess' father and gave him a hug. In between his broken words and heavy breathing, he said to me, "your friend Jess is dead".... I cried. I went to Jess' house and walked in while his whole family were just breaking down in tears.... My mom gently came up to me and told me that Jess' family needed some time alone. As I leave Jess' house, I saw Alex by himself. He looked at me in confusion and tears. I came up to him. He said to me, "this cant be happening....... we didnt mean what we wish for?! We are just kids!", then he ran off to his house.
I couldnt sleep. I was in total shock. I wanted to see Alex to make sure he was okay, because I was not. I knocked on Alex's door. He said that he cant talk to me for a while.
I asked my mom to tell me what happened to Jess. My mom was hesitant to tell me the story. I said that I'm really confused. I need answers! My mom saw how it affected me, so she told me the story.
Apparently, while Jess' family was spending their New Year's Eve at his grandparent's house, a few kids were lighting off firecrackers on the street, nearby their grandparent's property. Earlier that evening, before Jess and his family arrived, his grandfather warned the street kids to stop lighting off firecrackers since Jess' sick grandmother was trying to get some rest. When midnight (New Years Eve) struck, the kids went off and started lighting off firecrackers to the max. Jess was in the group of kids but only to watch the firecrackers go off. His grandfather started freaking out. His dad got out of the house to ask the kids not to light off firecrackers nearby their property. Unknowingly, his grandfather grabbed his rifle, loaded it, and made one random shot at the group. That single bullet struck Jess on the head at midnight, New Years 1987. He died instantly. He was walking towards his father. His father witnessed his son's death.
After the incident, Alex and I briefly talked about it. We regreted that day and moment when we made that horrable wish. We then decided to completely leave it behind us. Later on, we just stopped talking to each other period. He moved out of the neighborhood. I moved here in U.S.
This is a true story. My own experience.....
The Holidays are always hard for me. I think that it's time to let this out. We say things that we do not mean. I'm not superstitious but that was some f***ed up coincidence. As a kid, I made a fatal wish that has been bugging me for years.......to this day........