Number

What do numbers mean to you? Is it math? Cash? Or, it could be lottery numbers. Numbers have different meaning to everyone and I’m going to share a very interesting story about “Numbers”. Yet, instead of reviewing this story, I want to point out interesting voice that’s projected by its author.

This story is obviously about numbers, but interestingly, this story doesn’t make numbers equal to cash, math or lottery numbers. The story is about a fatalist called Frederick Ronald Fulton. Freddie had a misery life when he reached adolescent from anticipating his own death. He knew that his life will end on a certain date and as he grew older, he become more nervous about the arrival of this day. The anxiousness made him scan all kind of papers for clues.

In the past, Freddie had a few attempt suicides, yet all of them failed. He tried to hang himself on a loose rope and leaped in front of a train which he is later rescued from beneath the mighty train engine. The hope of resting for eternity never came.

Until one day, he is brought into the police station because two constables found him saying the same word over and over again, “Today”. The police must have thought Freddie is going to suicide again, so they brought him back. The constables later found out that Freddie is holding onto something, tightly. They took the paper and found out that it’s a lottery ticket which was 251987. After checking the newsletter, they found out that Freddie was the luckiest winner. The police ran and told their sergeant the wonderful truth. However, the sergeant immediately realized that the numbers were same as the date, the 2^nd of May, 1987. With the shocking discovery, they ran back and found Freddie sitting there with both eyes open. Yet, not breathing.

I think from reading this story, I can see the voice this author might sound like. The story is obviously about black humors. Its rich use of adjective made this story more gripping and I think this project the author’s personality. The way this story is planned also showed me that the author must be a very organized and funny in the same time. Obviously, he is very creative and coherent. He is definitely someone that I want to meet with.