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Andrews UK - D.D. Mayers

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183 pages

English

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Description

This book tells the story of one man's journey from happiness to despair and back again. At thirty-two and at the peak of health, D.D. Mayers lived in a Kenyan paradise with his beautiful wife. Then tragedy struck; an accident left him paralysed from the waist down, destined to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.Mayers takes the reader on an emotional yet witty and amusing tour of his life, guiding us from his childhood (and the 'pointless' schooling he receives) through to his emergence as a young man who somehow finds himself earning money as a professional actor. One role takes him to Kenya, where we meet his wonderful wife, and we join the two for a trip through the Middle East, many years before war ravaged much of its warmth and beauty. After moving to London for a number of years, the couple return to Kenya - only for them to experience a life-changing event. The gripping storytelling throughout the book takes us from the author's despair and feelings of worthlessness all the way through to a final, peaceful contentment.You will laugh and you will cry - but you won't be able to put the book down.

Sujets

Philosophie et théologie

Memoir

Informations

Publié par	Andrews UK
Date de parution	26 août 2015
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781785382598
Langue	English
Poids de l'ouvrage	1 Mo

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0150€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

Extrait

Contents

îe Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . î Pubîŝer ïnormaîon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . îî Dedîcaîon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . îîî

Dîŝaŝer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 eo Babe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Bangaore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Suc Unkîndneŝŝ - Beŝŝed Oceanŝ . . . . . 19 Soke Mandevîe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 New York and Coorado . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Arîca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Roerîe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Sorm and Sugar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Prep Scoo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Kîdnapped . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Engîŝ Canne . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 e uor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 ondon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Naîrobî . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 e Mîdde Eaŝ - Par One. . . . . . . . . . 93 e Mîdde Eaŝ - Par wo. . . . . . . . . 107 Back o ondon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 Paŝŝîon or Kenya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 e Vîneyard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 Breakîng down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 Unce Peer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162 ome Aone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169

Acknowedgemenŝ . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176 Aŝo Avaîabe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177

YOU HAVE NOT A LEG TO STAND ON

D.D. Mayerŝ

Publiser Information

You ave No a eg o Sand On Pubîŝed în 2015 by Andrewŝ UK îmîed www.andrewŝuk.com

e rîg o D.D. Mayerŝ o be îdenîIed aŝ auor o îŝ book aŝ been aŝŝered în accordance wî ŝecîon 77 and 78 o e Copyrîgŝ Deŝîgnŝ and Paenŝ Ac 1988.

îŝ book îŝ ŝod ŝubjec o e condîîon a î ŝa no, by way o rade or oerwîŝe, be en, reŝod, îred ou or oerwîŝe cîrcuaed wîou e pubîŝer’ŝ prîor wrîen conŝen în any orm o bîndîng or cover oer an a în wîc î îŝ pubîŝed, and wîou a ŝîmîar condîîon beîng împoŝed on e ŝubŝequen purcaŝer.

ï dedîcae îŝ book o my wîe. You wî quîcky reaîŝe, or e aŝ 39 yearŝ, ŝe aŝ bo îeray and meaporîcay, carrîed me around e word and roug my îe. Sînce e momen ŝe ound me în a îe Arîcan oŝpîa în cenra Kenya a mîdnîg on e 29TH o June 1976, ŝe aŝ been my oer ŝe. Se îŝ my ear and ŝou and meanŝ more o me an ï can poŝŝîby expreŝŝ. ï woud aŝo îke o ank, rom e boom o my ear, bo our amîîeŝ and a rîendŝ or eîr unerrîng accepance o my pîg and never once ŝyîng away rom any ŝuppor we ave needed.

Disaster

e day ŝared of juŝ îke any oer day, a beauîu day. Every day în e Kedong Vaey waŝ a beauîu day. e Kedong Vaey neŝeŝ în e ŝîde o e Grea Rît Vaey a carveŝ îŝ way roug e Eaŝ o Arîca, ŝarîng în Sou Arîca and endŝ enguIng e Red Sea. ï waŝ 32, my wîe 18 monŝ younger. We’d been marrîed or eîg yearŝ. ï’ŝ a ong îme ago, aŝ ï wrîe îŝ, bu ï’m od we were an aracîve coupe. We îved ere în îŝ beauîu pace were e Kedong Rîver bubbeŝ up ou o e ground; mîîonŝ o gaonŝ a day o cryŝa cear waer. Wen peope ŝee e garden or e Irŝ îme, eîr brea îŝ aken away, and ey’d wîŝper ‘Sangrî-a.’ Bu by e end o îŝ beauîu day, e 29TH o June 1976, our îveŝ wî ave urned upŝîde down, and î woud be e ŝar o yearŝ and yearŝ o deŝperae, raumaîc deŝpaîr. e bucer arrîved on îme, and e ŝaîd ‘e’ŝ go în my car ŝo we can ak.’ ï waŝ a ŝpankîng new Vovo, muc nîcer an my poor od Peugeo. ‘Grea.’ ï jumped în. e’d ŝeen e erd beore bu e waned o ŝee em once more beore payîng în caŝ. e înended o obaîn e îcence o wak em rom eîr grazîng în e nor o e counry o îŝ ŝaugerouŝe în Naîrobî. ï waŝ a peaŝan drîve. We caed abou ow e’d become ŝo ŝucceŝŝu. Even en, ŝeveneen yearŝ ater îndependence, î waŝ unuŝua or an Arîcan, î e weren’ a poîîcîan, o be a ŝucceŝŝu buŝîneŝŝman. We arrîved juŝ beore Ive în e o, duŝy, ramŝacke îe wooden ownŝîp o Rumeruî, were e poîce ŝaîon waŝ e ony ŝone buîdîng. ‘eo, eo, ow are you a, îŝ e îcence ready?’ ‘Yeŝ, yeŝ, ŝîgn ere.’ ‘ankŝ very muc.’ ï jumped back în. ï waŝ now abou ree mînueŝ beore e craŝ woud appen. e road waŝ quîe good; î waŝ a murram road, a dîr road, wî ooŝe grave în e mîdde and on e ŝîdeŝ. You coud drîve quîe aŝ wen keepîng o e rackŝ bu needed ŝkî î you came ou o em. We were movîng quîe quîcky, a bî oo quîcky. We were

comîng up o a ŝarp bend o e rîg. e weeŝ caug e grave în e mîdde and e ŝîde on e et. e car ŝared o drît. e’d oŝ conro, ï înŝîncîvey reaced or e daŝboard, mîŝake, a ŝpî-ŝecond aer... obîvîon. *** Wî e împac o e accîden, a momen o obîvîon, ï coud eaŝîy ave dîed. Peope breezîy ŝay ‘you’re ucky o be aîve.’ ï uŝuay juŝ ŝay ‘Yeŝ’ bu ï înk, ‘wa e e do you know, you ŝupîd î-înormed îdîo.’ ey ŝay îŝ o me wîe ookîng a me ŝîîng în my weecaîr, knowîng ï’ve been bound o îŝ conrapîon ŝînce 1976 and wî be or e reŝ o my îe. No ony can ï never wak agaîn bu ï’m douby înconînen, împoen and în conînuouŝ, excrucîaîng paîn beow e eve o e break, meanîng norma paînkîîng drugŝ ave no efec. ï know îŝ muŝ ŝeem aŝ oug ï’m ‘bîer and wîŝed’, bu ï’m very aware o ow muc oerŝ can pu up wî, ŝo ï never gîve a împreŝŝîon. My wîe îŝ e ony perŝon wo aŝ any percepîon o ow ï înk and ee abou beîng aîve. ï’ve reread îŝ aŝ paragrap ï wroe ŝome monŝ ago, and ï înk ï ŝoud, a îŝ poîn, expand upon e devaŝaîng efec parapegîa aŝ on an îndîvîdua. No beîng abe o wak coud be deŝcrîbed aŝ reay e eaŝ o e probemŝ. ï î were a aone, en comîng o ermŝ wî uŝîng ŝome ŝor o conrapîon o move abou, woud quîcky be overcome. e coîce o weecaîrŝ o carŝ, and Inancîa aŝŝîŝance rom ŝocîa ŝervîceŝ îŝ overwemîng. Even împoence doeŝn’ neceŝŝarîy mean you can’ ave a uIîng, coŝe reaîonŝîp wî e oppoŝîe ŝex, or e ŝame ŝex or a maer. ï’ŝ înconînence a buggerŝ you up. ïnconînence and e conŝequenceŝ o înconînence are unaccepabe bo ŝocîay and îndîvîduay. ï’ŝ ony în e aŝ ew yearŝ a ‘urînary rac înecîon’ îŝ openy dîŝcuŝŝed. And ye beore e adven o anîbîoîcŝ, aŝ receny aŝ ater e end o e Second Word War, e average îe expecancy or a parapegîc waŝ abou ree yearŝ.

So now you’ îve and no dîe. Bu wa’ŝ e poîn o îvîng î, aŝ a uman beîng and no an anîma, you ave no conro over your boweŝ and badder. ï’ŝ a moŝ baŝîc o uncîonŝ a dîferenîae uŝ rom a oer anîmaŝ. Wen ï et Soke Mandevîe oŝpîa, my ŝoppîng îŝ or e managemen o urîne coecîon waŝ unuŝua. ï încuded one kîpper (a îck rubber urîne bag a ooked îke a kîpper, wîc you îed o your eg) and a yard o a-înc yeow rubber ubîng. ere waŝ aŝo a ŝpîgo, a ube o wîe rubber gue, a neede and a bag o condomŝ. owever careuy ï aŝŝembed îŝ exraordînary coecîon o dîŝparae îemŝ requîred o ŝîck e condom o my deLaed, Laccîd, uŝeeŝŝ penîŝ, ere ŝeemed o be a major ‘accîden’. aeuy îŝ occurred on average, abou once a week. For e record, ï’ deŝcrîbe o you wa an ‘accîden’ acuay enaîŝ. *** We were învîed o ŝay or a ew dayŝ wî a îeîme rîend o my wîe’ŝ amîy, a îŝ beauîu caŝe în Scoand. e waŝ bînd and ad been ŝo or moŝ o îŝ adu îe. Nevereeŝŝ e caŝe waŝ îmmacuae, bo înŝîde and ou, and e ran e vaŝ eŝae wî e moŝ up-o-dae meodŝ avaîabe or e day. e aîrd waŝ waîîng or uŝ a e op o e ong grey ŝone ŝaîrcaŝe. e waŝ a bîg man, no a, bîg, quîe a, bad op o îŝ ead wî wîe aîr above îŝ earŝ. e wore e Suar aran kî e awayŝ wore wen în Scoand, and e radîîona green weed ŝor jacke, and knee-eng wooen ŝockîngŝ wî îck eaer brogueŝ. e ŝaf were aŝŝembed o carry me up e baronîa ŝaîrcaŝe and îno e maîn a. ï waŝ magnîIcen. Juŝ wa you’d expec a a o a beauîu caŝe woud ook îke. e’d receny rewîred, ceaned and paîned e enîre înŝîde o e caŝe. We were ed o our room by e aîrd îmŝe, urnîng e îgŝ on and of aŝ we proceŝŝed rom room o room. e gave uŝ deaîed deŝcrîpîonŝ o a e’d ad done and ow î ooked beore e work ŝared. îŝenîng o îm, you woud never ave known e’d been compeey bînd or

more an îry yearŝ. We Inay reaced our room wîc e’d aŝo receny updaed. ï waŝ ŝunnîng; an enormouŝ our-poŝer bed acîng a roarîng og Ire and a magnîIcen vîew over ovey parkand. îŝ waŝ doed wî ong-orned, ŝaggy îgand cae, yîng or ŝandîng around among împoŝîng, ŝweepîng, a beec and oak reeŝ. A ŝcene you woud ave oug ad ong gone, or ony aŝ a ŝowcaŝe, no o îve în or every day. Ater ea în e ‘ong drawîng-room’, wî Ireŝ a bo endŝ, my wîe ook me aong o e roomŝ ŝe uŝed o ŝay în, aŝ a cîd and eenager, every Eaŝer oîday. e maîn împreŝŝîon ï go, aoug ï’d never been în a caŝe beore, waŝ ow omey î e. For gîanŝ, bu deInîey cozy! My wîe and e aîrd obvîouŝy ad muc o cac up on. ey adn’ ŝpoken ŝînce beore we were marrîed. e’d gîven er a weddîng preŝen o a dîamond îara wîc aŝo became a ŝunnîng neckace. A er nîeceŝ ave worn î or eîr weddîngŝ. e îme Lew. A ŝaf member came în and ŝuggeŝed we mîg îke o go o our room o cange beore dînner, no knowîng e enormouŝ energy and eamwork requîred. e aîrd’ŝ avourîe îppe waŝ a arge wîŝky în a ong gaŝŝ, opped up o e brîm, wî Guînneŝŝ. ï don’ know wy ï adn’ oug o î beore! We dîdn’ ave wîne wî our ood, we wen on wî e ŝame îng. ï can’ reay remember wa we ad o ea. ï ŝuppoŝe î muŝ ave been a aunc o venîŝon of e eŝae. ï waŝ a good îng ï waŝ ŝîîng în a weecaîr oerwîŝe ï înk ï’d ave dîŝgraced myŝe and aen La on my ace. Ater muc remînîŝcîng and afecîonae auger, o wîc ï, ankuy, waŝ no a par, we Inay wound our weary way back o our ovey warm room, me wî a u badder. ïn oŝe dayŝ, o empy my badder, ï’d ave o ap î wî my Ingerŝ or a mînue or ŝo. en my wîe, wî cenced Iŝŝ and armŝ ocked ŝraîg, woud ean on î, wî a e weîg ŝe coud muŝer. e urîne woud en ŝpur ou, îno e condom, down e rubber pîpe and îno e coecîon bag on my eg. A nîg, ï’d dîŝconnec e ube rom e eg bag and connec î o a

bîgger bag wîc ï’d ang on e ŝîde o e bed. A very romanîc you underŝand. Bu onîg ere waŝ noîng o ang e bag on, ŝo ï ad o eave î on e Loor. e bed waŝ a caŝe ŝîzed bed, or gîanŝ, ŝo ï waŝ a ong way of e ground. Camberîng, or perapŝ cîmbîng, îno a gîan’ŝ bed, waŝn’ on e agenda a Soke Mandevîe. Anyway, ï go ere în e end and wen ou îke a îg. ‘e accîden’ ï’ve been eadîng up o îŝ ony a coupe o ourŝ away rom appenîng. ï awoke wî a ŝar. ï înŝîncîvey e e ŝeeŝ, ey were ŝoakîng we. ‘O no,’ ï a ŝoued. ‘Wa wa’ ŝe ŝaîd. ‘ï’ŝ come of,’ ï ŝaîd în deŝpaîr. Se waŝ uy awake and ŝprang ou o bed în a ŝecond, ‘ge îno your caîr, ge îno your caîr.’ ï waŝ eaŝîer goîng down an î waŝ geîng up. Se pued e ŝoakîng boom ŝee of. e under banke waŝ juŝ aŝ we. ere waŝ anoer, no ŝo bad, and anoer, quîe a o eŝŝ. Mercîuy, e aŝ, juŝ a îe we, ŝe pued of ŝowy. We bo anxîouŝy peered a e mareŝŝ, ank God î waŝ dry. Se rew more ogŝ on e dyîng emberŝ. ere waŝ a paîr o beowŝ ŝandîng nex o e Irepace. ï ŝared pumpîng wîe ŝe coeced e ŝee and a e bankeŝ and ruŝed îno e baroom. e Ire began o cac. Wen ere were a ew înceŝ o waer în e boom o e ba, ŝe dîpped e urîne ŝoaked cîrceŝ îno e waer o rînŝe e aeu ŝuf ou. A ï coud do waŝ wrîng em ou aŝ ard aŝ ï coud. Se meanwîe ran back o e bedroom, coeced a e caîrŝ around e room, and pu em apar bu back-o-back, în ron o e Ire. ï adn’ noîced ow many caîrŝ ere were, wy were ere ŝo many? ï pu more ogŝ on e Ire and bew î up urîouŝy. Se en ung e ŝee and bankeŝ beween eac coupe o back-o-back caîrŝ. îŝ mîîary ŝye exercîŝe waŝ carrîed ou wî pracîŝed precîŝîon, wî ardy a word beween uŝ. e room waŝ ŝo o a ŝwea dampened our browŝ. Se ay La ou on e mareŝŝ, ŝo eegan, er ŝkîn gowîng ŝot bîŝcuî brown în e Ireîg. ï weeed ŝowy, ororn, ead down, back îno e baroom o ŝîck on a new condom o my Laccîd deLaed penîŝ.