The Sum Total of Me

Ever ask yourself the question, how in the
world did I get here to be situated in such
a time and place? Some will claim God
had a hand in their creation; others will

say mother and father conceived the whole
bright idea biologically one night with lust
and passion on their minds. It could be
said that arguably evolution was the root

cause of all which began long ago with a
big bang detonation. These, most assuredly
are factual, supernatural and theoretical
explanations which may have placed us

where we have come to reside in our
particular place and time. At birth, I
surmise that I opened my eyes, took a
deep breath and cried…What on Earth

have I gotten into? And, finding myself in
this unwitting dilemma, I decided to take
directions, what I came to believe as sensible
advise from those who preceded me.

Go straight ahead, and when you get to the
four-way stop, pause and take a left. Miles
ahead there will be a water tower marked
Destiny, proceed with care at a cautious rate

of speed. Take the on ramp at the highway
headed East. We were once told by Horace
Greeley to go West, but things have changed
a lot since way back then. Confused and lost,

I told myself it would be wise to turn around,
head back home and start over again. It would
take years for me to get to know who Horace
Greeley really was. First, I had to learn about

that déjà vu thingy playing over and over again.
Yogi Berra gave some sage advise I took each
time I was faced with a fork in the road. (And to
boot, soothsayer Yogi was a damned good ball-

player too.) I must admit, however, that I do not
find myself in this day and age exclusively from
the directions given to me by others. Indeed, I
have made many choices on my own for all

they’re worth. I could blame mother and father,
an omniscient creator I have known only through
chapter and verse (biblically speaking), or perhaps
that provocative Big Bang Theory which got me

going in the first place. Nonetheless, here I am,
steeped in the nescient stuff of which I have
come to be, writing this to you...herein, my not
so fantastical soliloquy.

Chris Hanch 3-19-18