The Man Who Wandered the World

Isolation, Never a good thing for a person. This is the story of Jason. Jason likes to draw.

Now Jason was never the popular kid. He got bullied, a lot. Even the nerds would beat him up. And the fact that he had an overprotective Christian mother. And a preacher father. Didn’t help, not at all. He had one friend though, Eve. The girl next door. Eve was always nice to him, shared her cookies at lunch time and always knew what to say to cheer him up. One day the parents decide that the world is to sinful for Jason to live in. So Jason was to be homeschooled no contact with the world that would defile him.

But homeschooling didn’t work well for Jason. The social isolation and the constant indoctrination made him feel trapped. But every time he asked to go outside the parents would get furious and the father would beat him till he was “clean” Again. At some point Jason was confined to the basement. By that point Jason was 14. It was in that basement Jason found a treasure that the old inhabitants left behind. A television set. Books lots of books on all kinds of subjects. He kept it all hidden from his parents under the floorboards. Knowing they would just take it away. He the following 4 years reading, watching the TV. Learning all he could. And drawing he loved to draw. And his parents didn’t mind him drawing. Although some drawings they did find disturbing. To his parents Jason acted like the perfect child. He could act well.

But a few days after his 18th Birthday. His parents found out. Jason had fallen asleep with the floorboards still open. And a book in his arms. He was right they took it all away and burned the books. He was broken. He never rebelled again and did everything they said. Until one month later there is a tap at the basement window. He had looked through that window for the last 4 years of his life each moment longing to get out there. But there where bars before the window. He goes to look. It’s a young woman. She says hi Jason remember me?. He does, it’s Eve. Sweet Eve. Eve starts to tell him what went on outside after he left.

Apparently Jason’s parents had told everyone Jason went to live with family in New Zealand. Even gave a fake address . But this summer Eve was in New Zealand when she remembered her old friend. She went to the address but when she got their Jason didn’t live there. Though his aunt did. After some intense questioning the aunt cracked. She told her what her brother and sister in law believed. But she didn’t know where Jason was. That was when Eve remembered the window that on a certain day had bars in front of them. So when she got back she went straight to his house.

As happy Jason is to see her. He warns her not to call the police cause that would probably result in his death. Because his father had said before. I rather kill you now. Then see you fall in the devil’s grips. Eve understands. They make a plan…..

One week later. At night time, Eve breaks in and unlocks the door to the basement. They grab whatever they can and get out. They drive out of town. They get out of the car. She asks him:” So where are you going now.” He looks up with a smile and says: “well I heard New Zealand’s nice this time of year.”

Sunset: The parents go check on their little baby. He’s gone nothing left but one drawing. A cross being pulled in the ground. With the Inscription: “I’m on a Highway to Hell See you there”

One year later Jason finds himself sharing shelter from a storm with a fellow wanderer. He tells the wanderer his story. And heads out to the road after the storm. Moving Forward…wandering the world.


On some stormy nights I still think back to the time I shared shelter with the "Basement Dweller"