Thirty-seven.

-_____-

The Uncreative Comic of Yesterday! (7/26/10)

A comic based on true events.

(Sorry for the horrible scan)

My therapist says I have very imaginative dreams.

Dennis In His Flight Costume
Photo by Freya Najade
from FileMagazine.com
(click the picture for the link)

Death. It is something we cannot avoid. It is inevitable no matter how hard we try to postpone it. In a matter of seconds, everything we once knew, loved, and hated just disappears. It is powerful enough to push one to do crazy things for the feeling of fulfillment. Death is, without a doubt, very terrifying, but we must face the facts: we are all terminal.

When Dennis’ wife passed away in 2007 to Alzheimer’s, he promised himself that he would try his best to accomplish everything on his bucket list. Being 75 years old, it would be difficult to actually check off everything on his list since many of his objectives required one to be in exceptional physical shape. However, this did not discourage Dennis. After watching his wife’s memories fade away along with her happiness, he told himself that he if he were to die during an attempt at anything on his bucket list, he would die happy knowing that he was doing something memorable.

Dennis was determined to go skydiving. His doctor had advised him not to, but Dennis, being the stubborn man that he was, disregarded his doctor’s warning. No one in his or her right mind would allow a 75-year-old man to go skydiving. The results would most likely be fatal. Dennis assured everyone that he would be perfectly fine. No one could talk him out of it.

One Saturday, Dennis went to a skydiving center near his town. They immediately refused his request due to age restrictions. After over an hour’s worth of arguing about age discrimination, Dennis went back home with shattered hopes of ever checking skydiving off his list.

The next weekend, as Dennis walked into the kitchen for breakfast, he noticed a large box addressed to him on the kitchen table. He opened it and inside was skydiving equipment that his son had bought for him. He asked his son if he was teasing him about not being able to skydive. His son declined, saying that if he couldn’t physically go skydiving, he could just put on the equipment and imagine the feeling of freefalling 13,000 feet in the air. It would be much safer than actually jumping out of a plane.

After arguing with his son about the validity of imagination versus the real deal, Dennis relented and accepted his son’s suggestion. He put his skydiving costume on after breakfast. He walked into the room he had shared with his wife for 52 years and looked at himself in the mirror. He looked silly with this helmet and bright orange shirt, but he enjoyed it. As he stared at his reflection, he imagined his wife standing next to him. He felt her warm presence and glowing energy. He felt her supportive demeanor and imagined her in a similar skydiving costume. He was certain that if she were still alive, she would be standing right next to him, despite her senescence, in the same silly outfit with her hand in his.

Dennis clenched his fist. He could feel her light grip in his hand. His chest felt heavy and his eyes began to water. In the three years that his wife had been gone, he had never felt so alone. He missed her so much.

He lied down on his bed and closed his eyes. He imagined himself freefalling 13,000 feet in the air. He imagined himself with his wife. They were both falling from the clouds above. They were holding each other’s hands. Dennis could feel their energy building up and their adrenaline rush. His breathing got heavier and his heart rate quickened. Everything felt so real. The stomach churning, the adrenaline rushing, the heavy breathing, his wife holding his hand—everything. And, with a final breath, Dennis smiled at his wife and let go.

Everything turned black.

He was gone.

Two cats

Two frogs

One hamster

One goldfish

One beta fish

That is what you get when you put 

four animal-loving college students

together in an apartment.

I want a bird!

Worked out...

...then went to In 'n Out afterwards.

-____-

What's goin' on here?

I've really been into watching sports lately.

It all started with the NBA Championships...

and now I'm really into the World Cup.

I'm rooting for Spain because it's the only country 

in the World Cup that I know is in my blood. Haha.

Too bad the Philippines aren't into soccer. 

It's such a fascinating sport.

Viva España!!