Once: A Step Away
Once, a man I never knew or met reached out from behind me and put his hand on my shoulder.
I don’t remember turning around. I don’t remember looking at him. I don’t even remember ever seeing any part of him. I just remember feeling the pressure of his hand push down on my shoulder and the way it seemed to pull the upper half of my body backward at the exact moment my foot came off the ground and my hips started moving forward.
There was the green grass of my grandfather’s yard across the street. There were wispy white clouds moving across a blue sky. There was the hum of boat engines moving across the water not far behind me. And then, suddenly, there was that pressure on my shoulder, followed immediately by a low rumbling sound and a metallic flash that pushed a warm breeze across my face.
Whenever I remember this moment, it comes to me in two perspectives. Initially, I see it from a distance, from outside of my body. A boy is standing on the edge of a lakeside road. The lake is glimmering in the sunlight behind him. There are people in back of him and to either side of him. Who these people are is not clear. The grass and the trees in this vision are green. The house on the hill across the street is beige. It is a very pleasant day.
And then there is this flash before my eyes. Somehow, while I am looking down on this scene from a distance, it comes to me as if something has moved through my field of vision just inches before my face. It’s unexplainable. Then my head turns and there is the backside of a large bus getting smaller as it travels away into the distance.
Once is a series of micro memoirs inspired by a book of the same title in which Wim Wenders, the German filmmaker, uses a combination of photographs and text to reveal what he considers to be the beginnings of untold stories, which he encourages his readers/viewers to complete.
Similarly, I offer these moments of my life to you as if they were not my own, as if they were in no way connected to me, which in many cases they no longer seem to be. I encourage you to consider these moments as beginnings, beginnings of stories or travels that you are free to write, live, or complete as you see fit.
Tengo un post muy interesante en mi blog te invito a leerlo amigo saludos
OMG very scary situations, I am not in a mood to feel your condition. It's very scary. Take care my friend.
I will. Thank you.
yayy it's scary to the max...I remember the movie sadako... Is that really your experience or just fiction? anyway i feel cold when I read it...watch your back lol😊
It’s a memory from when I was little, maybe four or five years old. I don’t know why, but I always see it from two angles like this.
maybe angles want's to protect you, lucky you are having two angels ...me? I don't know if there is one haha!...I remember my mother saying, "all kids having an angel on their side because they are innocent still.."😊
I’ve been lucky enough times in my life to not have any luck left now;) sometimes the day God protects idiots and fools. I probably fall in that category.
lol still lucky you are falling on that category and still have a protection from above...
Wow! Another great micro-story, so beautifully told. Once-2 will be a great book ;-)
Thanks. I wonder if anyone would like to publish it.
There are self-publishing options. My son published two books, I think through Create Space.
That’s true. Self publishing is something to consider.
Cool photography !
I didn’t take this picture. I found it on Pixabay and cropped it.
Oh, that's not it. I was told, I noticed the link.
おっ、そのようですね。言われて、リンクに気がつきました。
what a crazy sensation! were you afraid or curious?
Hey, interesting seeing you here. Do you know @boxcarblue? If not, Box, this is @madpotters. I met her and her boyfriend at our meetup yesterday. They have a cool story to tell and I'm sure you'll be seeing more of them.
HIII! Nope, pure coincidence. HOW COOL! The first sentence of the post caught my attention. I almost punched my boss in the face because he grabbed my grocery bag from behind me and I reacted before seeing who it was. Funny part is that the bag was full of cookies for him, and he was trying to be nice. I was being the good admin, and protecting the cookies from a NYC sidewalk mugging hahaha.
Someone suddenly grabbing your shoulder from behind in NYC produces that sensation, doesn’t it:) How about in San Diego?
Ive found that there arent enough people walking around in North County for this to happen. Actually, nobody walks anywhere here. I guess the closest thing would be being rear ended. hahah. but also, since ive been in SD less than a year, if anyone grabbed me Id still probably freak out. I dont have that many friends yet to be recognized while out and about.
Really, nobody walks there? I’m not too familiar with that area, but I imagine everyone being outdoors. Is it a nice change from NYC? Can you live without the cynicism?
I think everyone but us drives across the parking lot to go to a different store, lol. But its not like NYC where it makes sense - everything is too far away, and you wouldnt carry groceries 6 miles on the side of the road without sidewalks. Its a GREAT change from NYC! I love being outdoors, nature in my back yard. Its perfect. The cynicism will be hard to get rid of, but I grew up in a small town in Massachusetts where nice was normal so itll come back to me. Im starting to chat with strangers in the check out lines, so thats a big start! HAHAHA.
Cool. I look forward to hearing their story. I’m picking up pieces—an East coast West coast move. That’s interesting in itself.
Honestly, I don’t remember feeling anything but stunned silent and still. I was half-way through my step off the curb (and in front of the bus) when I was stopped mid-stride and the bus immediately passed in front of my face. There was no fear or curiosity, just a frozen moment. After that, I don’t remember it clearly.
it wasnt your time to go. someone from the other side saved your life. if you believe in that sorta thing :)
I don’t know why they’re watching out for me, but I think I should have left this world quite a few times. Apparently I’ve got something important to do:)
multiple near death experiences?! do share!