Yes. I, Mr. Richard Roswald Jackson, am reliving my life. This is my second chance. A miracle unlike any other.
Not only did I travel back in time, but I came back to the day I was born in 1975.
I remember everything up until I died in 2020. Maybe it's the perk all 'second chance in life' members have, or it's simply exclusive to me. Anyhow, I am grateful for that.
Initially, I was utterly shaken by this mind-boggling experience. Dying to again come back to life, especially as a baby, was an otherworldly phenomenon that I believe would test anyone's sanity to its limits. It took some time, but an agonizing one, to regain my composure from the sheer shock of it all.
The mental stress I endured left me teetering on the edge of complete mind collapse, causing untold distress for my worried parents.
As I regained my composure, I felt a surge of excitement. Why? Now, There is the opportunity to change my life for the better and pursue the dreams that eluded me in my previous life.
I can create a much better life than the one I had before.Life loves to throw curve-balls, but my previous life was no better.The Jacksons are a well-known and successful family.
Being born into such an amazing family has both its pros and cons. You have to live up to the expectations of not only your parents but also your surroundings.
It's a huge pressure for anyone, incredibly so for a child.
If you don't live up to the expectations, becoming a laughing stock is small compared to disappointing your parents and pulling their honor through the mud.I couldn't bear the pressure...
I tried and tried a lot, but by the time I turned 18, I collapsed.Oh boy! I fell hard!!!.I was great academically, but it turned worse. I become rebellious. Arguing with my parents, keeping my distance from them, parting, fighting, drinking, drugs, etc. I became the very thing, I tried very hard to avoid becoming the most- problem child.
It turned out to be the worst decision of my life. Because by continuing the hedonistic lifestyle, my body deteriorated.
Finally, karma bit my back, I had an accident, and as a result, I became bedridden for life, and worse still, diseases started coming from left to right.
Being bedridden, you have all the time in the world to think. So, I contemplated and realized I was on the wrong path, and I regret all my choices and actions.
With all my free time in the world, I watched movies or series, read books, or worked on how to redeem myself.
My redemption arc started when I started helping my father with his work.
Due to his influence, I looked at the investment market and found out I had a knack for it.
The return I brought from the investments was appreciated by everyone, and slowly, I turned my image around.
But alas, at the age of 45, my body collapsed after fighting for a long time.
During my last breath, I wondered if I could have relived this life once again. And I don't know which supreme being heard my wish because I am forever grateful to him.
Months have passed since the kitchen discussion.The children's column in The New York Times began to gain attention. Every week, intriguing short stories are published under the pen name R.R Jackson. The column may not have been popular in its first few weeks, but the readership grew afterward.
One day, a family of three in Zionsville is having breakfast in the living room. The 9-year-old girl is reading a newspaper. This unusual sight caught her parents' attention.
Normally, a child of her age would play with toys, spend time with friends, or simply read storybooks if the girl is smart enough."
The dad noticed his daughter totally into the newspaper and asked, "What's got you so hooked, sweetie? I've never seen you this into a newspaper before."
Slightly annoyed, the daughter complained, "Dad, I'm trying to concentrate on this story. I just got to the best part. It's tough to read in the newspaper, you know."
Unfazed, the dad stayed curious and said, "Okay honey, I'll just wait for you to finish the story, and then you can fill me in." He flashed a knowing smile as he spoke.
Meanwhile, the mom, intrigued by the interaction, also joined in, eager to find out what had captured her daughter's attention. After a few moments, the daughter finished reading with a mix of emotions on her face, prompting her dad to encourage her to share the story with them.
"Mom, Dad, I just read the best short story! It's so exciting and funny," she replied with excitement. Then she added in a rapid-fire manner, "But Dad, what's a stingray? Does it look like a large butterfly? It's too bad there's no illustration of it. Can we go to the Aquarium to see a stingray, Dad? This story has a continuation, but it won't be released until next week. I'm worried that I won't get the next part because the newspaper story is usually different each week."
Seeing her frustrated but hopeful face, the girl's dad laughed "Hahaha... Don't worry dear I will send a request mail to the editor of the NY Times and of course, I will take you to the aquarium to see a string ray"
"Really Dad!!! Ya!!!!" the girl became excited and hugged her dad.In countless households across New York and beyond, whoever has the subscription of NY Times, this exchange unfolded. This happened not only because the stories were good but also the clever tactic used by Richard himself.
When he wrote his stories, they were often too long to publish in one go, so they had to be split into two or three parts for the newspaper. It's here where he cleverly divided the story. Each part would leave the reader frustrated and eager for the next installment, greatly increasing the story's popularity.
As the short stories became more popular, the sales and subscriptions of the NY Times also increased. Consequently, they urged Richard to write more stories for them, even offering to pay him $200-$250 for each article written in their children's column.
In the following months, Richard's short stories not only gained popularity among children but also among their parents. The author R.R. Jackson became a topic of discussion at dinner tables in many households.
This caused the New York Times to sell like hotcakes. Moreover, there were significant numbers of visitors, especially families with kids aged 6 to 12, at many water parks and aquariums throughout the country.
During this frenzied time, a book named 'My Ocean Stories' by R.R Jackson was published. It contained the compilation of the short stories released in the newspaper and also the illustration of different characters. It was like a lit candle fell into the oil.
The book not only sold more than 150,000 copies throughout out US but also took 10th place in the bestseller list.
And where is the boy who caused such a scene? He is dancing away in a practice session for an upcoming stage show on the Broadway.