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Flushing Fish
Ebook Description
A non-fiction work depicting the life and experiences of a boy turned teenager in violent West Africa. Humor alongside brutality and survival. The story moves on to recovery from alcohol addiction, discovering lost faith, and looking at failed relationships.
20,000 words. This book contains mild adult content.
The Man on the ground lay just below me some 15 feet down. He’d been shot thru the pelvis, paralyzed, a river of black slowly meandering away from him, rounding rocks on its way to lower piss soaked ground. I was told “he is a rogue” whatever the hell that means. The dictionary definition probably wouldn’t Some poor f*, in the wrong place at the wrong time, placed in a grave situation for the entertainment of those at the show. An actor in a black and white film, dying soon at a theatre near you.
His dark eyes held me as he pleaded for help. I couldn’t move if I had wanted to. “Help me now” wasn’t a statement or a demand, but a pleading question, he was begging for his life. A look toward my father brought me an answer “NO, He’s a rogue” to my unasked question. I thought I was a cocky big boy capable of making my own decisions in life. I was wrong. I was as paralyzed as the man on the ground.
A non-fiction work depicting the life and experiences of a boy turned teenager in violent West Africa. Humor alongside brutality and survival. The story moves on to recovery from alcohol addiction, discovering lost faith, and looking at failed relationships.
20,000 words. This book contains mild adult content.
The Man on the ground lay just below me some 15 feet down. He’d been shot thru the pelvis, paralyzed, a river of black slowly meandering away from him, rounding rocks on its way to lower piss soaked ground. I was told “he is a rogue” whatever the hell that means. The dictionary definition probably wouldn’t Some poor f*, in the wrong place at the wrong time, placed in a grave situation for the entertainment of those at the show. An actor in a black and white film, dying soon at a theatre near you.
His dark eyes held me as he pleaded for help. I couldn’t move if I had wanted to. “Help me now” wasn’t a statement or a demand, but a pleading question, he was begging for his life. A look toward my father brought me an answer “NO, He’s a rogue” to my unasked question. I thought I was a cocky big boy capable of making my own decisions in life. I was wrong. I was as paralyzed as the man on the ground.
57 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 15, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 16, 2011
I give Andrew's story three stars. His is a very condensed account of the defining character forming experiences from his childhood and adolescence that brought about his abusive relationship with alcohol, the resulting - and maddening - consequences of that relationship, and the ultimate realization of the importance of maintaining a conscious connection with spirit/a higher power.
His description of the compulsion to drink (something nearly impossible to fathom for the non addict) is excellent, comparing it to holding your breath until you think you can't hold it anymore - and then holding it longer - finally exhaling so you can swallow that enormous gulp of air. I love it. It's totally spot on, yet completely different from the way I describe it.
Ultimately, Andrew's story is the story of his own evolution. He shows us that evolution must be consciously sought-after, that it's attainable through an on-going, persistent connection with/relationship to spirit, and that it's a painful path because it involves minimizing ego, which doesn't appreciate - at all - being minimized. It's all extremely encouraging.
I encourage him to be more patient with his story, and to spend more time with it so that it might unfold fully for his readers. He has something to teach us - those of us who have experienced addiction personally, and those of us who have been touched in some way by the active addict.
His description of the compulsion to drink (something nearly impossible to fathom for the non addict) is excellent, comparing it to holding your breath until you think you can't hold it anymore - and then holding it longer - finally exhaling so you can swallow that enormous gulp of air. I love it. It's totally spot on, yet completely different from the way I describe it.
Ultimately, Andrew's story is the story of his own evolution. He shows us that evolution must be consciously sought-after, that it's attainable through an on-going, persistent connection with/relationship to spirit, and that it's a painful path because it involves minimizing ego, which doesn't appreciate - at all - being minimized. It's all extremely encouraging.
I encourage him to be more patient with his story, and to spend more time with it so that it might unfold fully for his readers. He has something to teach us - those of us who have experienced addiction personally, and those of us who have been touched in some way by the active addict.
October 16, 2011
This story is quite sad, but very inspirational. It tells how the author went to Africa with his parents at the age of two. It's quite a tough life and the boy goes through a lot and later becomes an alcoholic, no doubt because of the things he's had to live through. There are some humorous parts to the story as well as the sad ones and it moves along at a fast pace. I had to keep reading it until the end just to see what had made him become addicted to alcohol. The only negative thing I have to say, is I would have liked more detail about some things, but of course Andrew is a gentleman and was obviously protecting certain people.
I really admire Andrew after reading his life story. He is an inspiration to other alcoholics, and very brave to write about his addiction and his life and then to come through it sober. Not many would. It took courage. Though I guess it must be still quit hard for him, but I wish him all the luck in the world.
This story will make you cry, but also smile, and it gives the reader feel-good moments too. I highly recommend it to all adults and teenagers and I give it top marks.
I loved reading about life in Africa. It gave an insight of how life was back in 1970. A great read.
I really admire Andrew after reading his life story. He is an inspiration to other alcoholics, and very brave to write about his addiction and his life and then to come through it sober. Not many would. It took courage. Though I guess it must be still quit hard for him, but I wish him all the luck in the world.
This story will make you cry, but also smile, and it gives the reader feel-good moments too. I highly recommend it to all adults and teenagers and I give it top marks.
I loved reading about life in Africa. It gave an insight of how life was back in 1970. A great read.
October 7, 2011
Well, i wrote it... so im giving it 5 stars :)
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews