Lame, Awkward, and Lame

Some women are always capable to find a unique perspective in a complicated conflict. My high school girlfriend Alice Wang is such a figure, and I learned it in a hard way.

Once we went to picnic in a city park where there is a little creek. As every creek in Florida, there are a couple of resident alligators. Alice has a habit that whenever she finds need to think deep, she will have to crouch down, and that was what she did when I asked her would she like a chocolate yogurt or a strawberry yogurt. I happened that we were walking by the creek at the time, and we all forgot you shouldn't crouch down near water, as every Florida folk knows. A 15 feet alligator came from nowhere all a sudden. I was standing on the far side, but saw the attack just in time to pull Alice away. I was pulling so hard that I lost my balance and fell to the ground. I still remember that day, as I lost both my feet and my left arm when desperately trying to fend off the powerful jaw.

I was saved by a few good Samaritans, and they tipped the local newspaper. A reporter came to my hospital bed and wrote a story in length that I still keep till today. I guess it helped my parents to cope with the really that they would have to work doubly harder and make arrangement so that their son with one hand left could survive when the day come that they have to be gone. And then, Alice published an article in the student newspaper, which titled, 'The Alligator Hero was not a True Story'. Alice started saying she would not dispute the fact that an incident with an alligator involved happened, and that she would not contest the fact that John (that's me) was injured. However, she said she would detail six reasons why the original newspaper account of the incident was categorically not true. For example, she wrote, it was a sunny day, instead of an overcasting day as described in the original story. Plus, she continued, quote and unquote, "John's sneakers were not even color coordinated with my underwear"!

I am not sure how much I should blame the insurance for refused to pay my medical bill after reading Alice's article. The customer service person read the title of Alice's article, and claimed I must be at fault to incite the calm peaceful animal.

I haven't seen Alice again after that incident. Last night, a friend told me she went to Yale and became a promising journalist and writer. I am really happy for her. It took quite a while to type this with the one hand I have. I am feeling tired. I guess I am going to bed early tonight.