New And Used Karmas Essay, Research Paper
The rain bombarded Sully Erna?s tent, the drops like proverbial homing missiles. He was perfectly dry underneath what was no more than a sheet of plastic, and this brought a slight smile to his face. The thought entered his head without warning. ?At last, some decent luck,? Sully suppressed the thought immediately, but it was too late. Like some ancient curse being let loose, the chaos struck. Sully?s tent was torn from the ground by a sudden gust of wind; the pegs flew and the rain struck, victorious. He screamed in his loudest voice, cursing his hideous misfortune. The rain continued to fall?
Sully began to recount his first day of camp over breakfast, the canopy of trees overhead casting shadows over his bran flavoured meal. No sooner had he began though he was interrupted by Jimmy, a stocky South African whom Sully had an unorthodox friendship with. Basically they both got hassled by their peers, but that was as much as they had in common. ?Does powdered milk go orf?? Jimmy half-joked, displaying the accent that made him the butt end of many a joke. ?By the taste of this culinary disaster, it?s run off along with my cereal. And they?re never coming back.?
?Harhar,? Jimmy guffawed and waddled away. Sully shook his head and went back to his cereal. The start of camp had been disastrous – he firmly believed that everything that could have gone wrong did, and a few more things. He left for the bus that aventful day with a bulging pack and the obligatory goodbye kiss still moist on his cheek. He thought hard, but could not remember crossing the paths of any black cats or ladders before he reached the bus. Still, that was when things started going wrong. First there was the exploding rucksack ? on being thrown into the trailer, Sully?s rucksack burst open creating a shower of clean underwear, thermal clothing and, embarrassingly enough, a small blanket which he had not been separated from since birth. This mishap held up his group’s bus by another quarter of an hour, so for the impossibly long trip he was even less popular with his classmates than usual. Cap this off with a sudden affliction of motion sickness and missing lunch due to misplacing his money, and it did not account to a wholly pleasant trip. ?But that was then, this is now,? Sully let slip out loud. Jimmy, having returned, was quick to respond. ?Aye read a book by that title, for school back in South Africa. Nawt bad, but would harve been better as a light summer folly,? Sully shook his head, and digressed. ?Hey Jimmy, it looks like your speakin’ to the unluckiest guy around,?
?Owe yeah?? Sully began to explain but was interrupted by a stressed looking camp leader. ?C?mon guys. Time to go canoeing,? Sully murmured something to the effect of ?spot and bother? to himself but followed the adult obediently, who seemed relieved that his authority had not been challenged.
?$hit!? The young men?s canoe tore through the rapids as if it had a mind of its own. Sully and Jimmy paddled their little hearts out, but it was to no avail. They had taken out trees, logs, water lilies and anything else in their path, though more often than not those aforementioned obstacles where the ones that took them out. They finally hit a calm ? a whole area of river that anyone not in Sully?s position would consider beautiful. The trees at the edge of the river created a great wall of green and the water reflected the view like a mirror, until man made ripples created distortion. ?Stooning isn?t it,? observed Jimmy making a rare connection with nature. ?Well you know what they say; beauty is in the eye of the beer holder,? Sully responded after some thought from his front position in the boat, turning to make the joke to his friend. Before Jimmy had a chance to retort, some water splashed into the boat and the boys looked up to see their teacher and one of the camp leaders in their canoe. ?There?s another rapid coming up boys, better hold onto your helmets. Oh?that?s right we forgot to give you them didn?t we. Oh darn.? Mr. Eli laughed much too loud at his little joke, before continuing on. ?Erm, Sully, how shored we handle this situation?? Jimmy inquired with a worried look on his face.
?Excuse the cliche but, yeah, let us pray.?
?This is outrageous!? Jimmy exclaimed. His tone was genuinely outraged, which was unlike him. Sully turned to see a determination on the face of his friend that was frightening. ?Just what I bloody well need now,? he thought as they hit the rapids. He turned to the front, and hardly saw the branch coming before he blacked out.
?Sulllly, yoo-hoo? Sully felt a throbbing pain in his head, a shocking migraine. ?C?mon Sully I know your in there,? He opened his eyes reluctantly, to see a guy in a white coat with a comical look on his face and Jimmy standing behind him, looking concerned. ?Haha! Sleeping beauty hath awakened. Hey Sully I?m Doctor Mercoledi, but you can call me Bob. S’pose your jumping to find out what the hell has happened??
?Um, kinda?Bob. My head hurts.? In spite of his condition, Sully could not resist adding; ?You never hosted any game shows did you?? A smile hit Jimmy?s and the doctor?s faces simultaneously, like someone had flicked a switch. Jimmy proceeded to explain what had happened after Sully had been hit, as he just closed his tired eyes and took it all in. It was a much less interesting story than Sully hoped for ? basically he was rushed to this little hospital after being knocked unconscious. At the end of it all the doctor put on a serious face for the first time and said, ?You were very, very lucky Sully. If your boat had of tipped, you were a goner.?
?Did you say lucky?? Sully queried. His face found some extra colour, he could feel it right then. ?Erm, yes you were lucky old chap? Jimmy chipped in.
?No prefix at the start of that? You sure there is so un at the start of that??
Jimmy smiled as he realised what his friend was on about. ?Abserlutely no un prefixing it this time,? He reassured.
?Woohoo,? Sully was as enthusiastic as you can be with a migraine, and felt a surge of energy. ?Maybe my luck?s changed,? he pondered out loud to none but himself, as the doctor led him to the bus that was to take him home to Perth with other invalid holiday makers. He thanked the doctor when they reached the bus, and waved farewell to Jimmy.
Sully collapsed into a seat near the back off the bus, which in turn collapsed under him. It broke, giving him a ride lasting half a metre and a quarter of a second till its journey was halted by the floor. Like a raging matador driven too far, like a postman going berserk, Sully rose. He had had enough. He lined up a little sign on the back window of the bus that said ?Emergency Exit: Push,? Sully charged?