Excerpt One: The Happiest People by Donny Wise

The Happiest People by Donny Wise

Collection of short stories to be available in multimedia format with four content chapters:

Introduction – Illness and Reconnecting to Family

First 20 Short Stories- Stories of Family from the eyes of a child

Second 20 Short Stories- Stories of Family from others

Finale- Outcome of Illness and Impact to Life

Introduction:

Story Synopsis Before Excerpt:

Donny Wise is terminally ill, and his physical health is in collapse. The medical professionals did diagnose his condition as Anxiety. This misdiagnosis took four months of begging and pleading doctors that his condition was not mental….This point of the story is the doctor’s did realize the severity of the situation, but all tests were negative. The physical part of the fight was almost a lost cause, and the preparation to make a last stand mentally. Donny is preparing mentally to continue his fight. The reflection is naming the happiest person(s) in his life. This is reflection on his youth, and the answer to the self imposed question through deductive breakdown…..

Excerpt:

Back to my youth, I grew up in an affluent home, and I was aware of material possessions. I was aware of the wealth when at home with my parents, my school associates, and society in general. Material and money did not seem important with Ma Jernigan or Grandaddy. Family was important, and I was important.  I went to private school in dress shirt and ties during the school year, and I was barefoot all summer in the country with my grandparents. My granddaddy had a grocery store, and a farm. Ma Jernigan did have her garden, fruit trees, and a social calendar.  Both were inclusive to my presence, and I was included in times that were least convenient. Ma  Jernigan would not miss her beauty shop appointment, and I went to the appointment with her. My Grandaddy would assist in pretend  price  mark downs to drive business including new price tags. I did not realize the customer would be confused over the pretend mark downs, and Grandaddy would accommodate with the discounted price. One taught me to be social in every type of environment, and one taught me about business and client relations.  The two areas of expertise in my life as adult in the current day…

As a child, I  lived in storybook of perfect for the first 18 years of my life. The unconditional love, safety, the freedom of living, and working on the farm did provide an experience as close to heaven will be on this earth. I did not realize the cost of my childhood gift, because most kids (up to 18) did experience life like this including my grandparents. My grandparents paid in full for the luxury and comfort of my existence. They lived in hell as younger adults, but rose above that experience to provide the childhood of wonder and near perfection for my tender years. My personal appreciation fell flat as an adult for I knew the world through my existence.    This is my game, and you approach me. It is all about me. The values of my youth were not relevant to this modern time. This arrogant behavior became a harbor for evil inside my soul. The gambit was crumbling when I became sick in 2003. The last icing on my cake was licked off to expose the ugly and frightened person. The years would pass as my life and environment transformed, but a certain set of truths never did change….My sickness brought the cold reality to my awareness this modern lifestyle will do zero to save me..Those truths of the past would…

As I progressed in my sickness, I was recollecting my life as a boy. I became aware of two small likes in my life were a direct result of my childhood.  As a boy, Ma Jernigan was my Katherine Chancellor from The Young and the Restless, She was the matriarch. She had style, grace, and a personality. She would not allow you to call her Grandma…It was Ma…In addition,  Grandaddy was my buddy. He showed me the enjoyment of the simple things. He tried to teach me like a son, and we would hang out in his grocery store. The first shipment of  Mello Yellow came to my Grandaddy’s store. He could not sample the product, because he did not drink caffeine.When I was 9, my Grandad gave me the first Mello Yellow of many. Some people footprints are resilient in the impact left years after leaving this earth. The footprints of a few  do not fade, but stay in my soul. In 2012, I still watch The Young and the Restless and drink Mello Yellows. How funny is that….