Jason Bigby
Jason Bigby once had it all: a wife, a daughter, a dog, a home, a job, a car, and some money in the bank. He was a pretty happy fellow. Never in a million years did he think that a drunk driver would change it all, but that’s what happened. Jason was the only one who survived the wreck. He was badly hurt and couldn’t work. His lost his health insurance, and his medical bills were astronomical. After a short time, he defaulted on the mortgage payments, which ended in foreclosure, and his home was emptied by the creditors. He stopped payments on his car, and it was repossessed. His bank account was almost empty. Jason’s outlook on life shifted. He felt small. Insignificant. Unattractive. Worthless. Unlucky. Sad. He couldn’t remember the last time he smiled. Then, one day, his friend’s parents offered him temporary accommodations above their garage, which Jason gladly accepted. Sitting in the only chair in the small room, Jason thought about his wife, their daughter, and their dog. They were the center of his world. They were his reason for living. On this chilly morning, without shaving, Jason put on some rumpled clothes and a wooly hat and went outside. He started walking more quickly than usual. Before he realized it, he was running very fast and breathing very hard. Down the hill he ran, feeling oddly out of control. |
At the bottom of the hill, Jason bent over, put his palms on his knees, and let out a long, loud wail. It was the first time that he had physically grieved since his life fell apart, and it felt good to release it. Jason asked the trees, “Where shall I go from here? Where can I go from here?” He sat on the ground, eyes closed, and silently wondered. When Jason returned to the house, his friend’s father greeted him. “Hey, buddy! How are you?” “Hanging in there, thanks. Just had a good run. How about you?” “Fine, fine. By the way, my friend is looking for someone to work at his store, which is about a mile away. It’s a pet shop, and I know how much you love animals. Even with your injuries, I think you could handle the workload. The pay is not great, but it’s something. What do you think? Interested?” “Absolutely!” Jason answered eagerly. “Good, good. I’ll let him know. Oh, would you like to join my wife and me for dinner tonight? Nothing special.” “That sounds great! Thank you.” Jason took another walk to pick some wildflowers. As he looked around, he noticed the rolling hills, the sun on the flowers, and the snow-capped mountains in the distance. He breathed deeply, taking in as much air as his lungs would allow. He arrived at dinnertime with flowers in his hand and a big smile on his face. It turned out to be a very good day. From Carpet Creatures: Tales from the Deep Pile To join the Carpet Creatures project, please visit our TAE Gallery website. |
