Free

A New Idea

Nearly a year had passed since I had gone back to visit my parents and had seen the horses in the field. If I had to make a confession, I was becoming a very successful man. By now my book, Embracing the World, Becoming Free, had reached number one on the new york times bestseller list. With this, my life had changed from good, to wonderful. I walked around with my chest out, so to say, because my heart swelled with pride. Oftentimes when out in a public place, on an airplane, or in any sort of bookstore and library, I will see people reading my book, so intently in fact that they hardly notice me coming up beside them until begin a conversation, in which they then become so incredibly star-struck that it is hard to carry on a steady conversation.

Annabelle and I strolled hand-in-hand down the sidewalks of Los Angeles, where my new million dollar apartment resided. She lived out closer to the midwest and was visiting me on her vacation. She told me that day that she had something very important to tell me, and I had just met her at the place where the subway dropped her off after taking her from the airport, and it was close enough to walk to my apartment, which was in the heart of the city.

"So," Annabelle remarked, "this is what it's like to be a celebrity." Her huge green eyes were sparkling with excitement, wonder, and an almost unexplainable joy.

"Yes," I replied, "and no. there's a lot more to being famous that living in California and having people constantly up your butt and asking for your autograph." I rolled my eyes in annoyance.

Only about a minute later, a woman passerby who appeared to be in her mid twenties blinked a few times, widened her eyes, then turned toward us.

"Excuse me sir... your not... are you?... Amaziah Whittaker?"

"Amaziah Whittaker?" I replied, "No!, I couldn't be Amaziah, are you crazy."

"Oh," she replied, her face crestfallen and slightly blushed with embarrassment. I'm sorry.

"It's ok, but I'm glad I found someone else who likes his book."

"Really? Your a fan?" the woman tried to hide her fangirlish, childlike excitement. She moved over off the main-traffic area of the sidewalk and toward the windows of the stores. Anna and I did the same.

"I just love his ideas," the woman smiled. "His writings are so inspiring you know. Live for today, embrace modern culture so that society will see you as whole hearted."

"I agree," I replied with an ever-widening grin.

"I've gotta say," the woman talked rapidly and enthusiastically. "I think my favorite lesson he taught me is to stop trying to swim against the tide all the time."

"Exactly!" I replied "and to just..."

"Embrace your world today!" Both the woman and I nearly shouted at the same time.

"Um, Z, I think we should be going now," Anna said, her eyes falling down to her wrist as if the time really mattered to her.

"Well, it was good talking to you," the woman smiled.

"And you, my friend, you made my day," I chattered as I pulled out a pocket-sized photo of myself from my wallet, and with a pen that I always kept by my side, scribbled an autograph on the picture. Then I handed it to her, and gave her a quick smile before power-walking off with Anna. From behind me, there was a gasp.

"Thank you Amaziah! I love you!!" The woman exclaimed jovially.

"No," I said, turning back to at her one last time with a wink and a nod. "Thank you!"