Message In A Bottle

Memorial Day weekend, 2007 was the official beginning of the annual summer tourist season in the United States, but it was always summertime in Seaside, Florida. While others around the country marked this somber remembrance with the first barbeque, or the first lake weekend, it was just another day in paradise for the gang at Seaside High.

For one teenager this weekend was indeed memorable. Jason "JJ" Jeffries would be free! His cancer treatments had been terribly difficult, but they were over. The hoped-for remission had not materialized. There was nothing else his doctors could offer him. They told him he had less than a year to live.

That news had been hard to take for him, but it was torture for his Dad. "Dr. Mike", or "MJ" as he was better known, had done everything possible for him. But JJ had known for a while that the cancer he had been fighting for five years now was winning. He could feel it in his soul. When the word came that the exotic, and extremely painful treatments had not slowed down the disease, JJ felt a twinge of guilt. There was no option left. Everything that could be done had been done. He still had the disease, but the disease did not have him. He was, finally, free. He knew what was ahead of him.

The only thing that really made him mad was the effect this would have on his Dad. For his entire life, they had been a two-man team, facing all the challenges of life together. JJ knew this was tough on him, but it was murder on his Dad. He knew that his disease represented much more than a sick Son to MJ. His Dad was an Oncologist--a cancer doctor! This was not just defeat; it was personal. He had never seen such anger as his Dad displayed that day when they said the treatments had failed. His Dad just completely lost it. For the first time in his young life, JJ had seen his Dad afraid. That really scared JJ, who had always known his Dad to be a total Warrior. On that day, JJ had seen his Dad in a very special way. He had seen a frightened, angry man. JJ knew there was nothing he could do about his disease. He also knew there was nothing he could do to help his Dad.

But, on this Memorial Day weekend, he would finally get to be "normal" for a while. He would sail to Paradise Island to be with his school friends. He would fish, and bring home a trophy if he could. His Dad would be working at the hospital, trying to beat the disease with other people, just like he had done for JJ's entire lifetime. He was very proud of his Dad. He loved him completely, and they really were the very best friends. How many kids could say that? He was only seventeen, but JJ Jeffries knew he was one totally lucky dude.

Putting together his "Island" bag, which contained all the things required for the adventure of Paradise Island, JJ was more than ready for this weekend. Walking over to his desk, he punched a few buttons on his computer keyboard, and his printer began copying the words he had finished that morning onto 100 pages. He had been saving bottles for over three months, just for this weekend. If they had a twist-off top on them, JJ grabbed them. He found them at home, at school, and at local dumpsters. It had taken three weeks to collect the 100 bottles. JJ had carefully hidden them behind the garage.

He'd almost had a complete fit when his Dad found the bottles last week.

"What are all these bottles for, JJ?"
"They're for a special project, Dad."

MJ had accepted the answer. JJ didn't want to explain his plan to his Dad, thinking he'd be referred to the shrinks over at the hospital. Besides, this was personal to JJ. It was something he wanted to do; something he HAD to do.

The idea had come from a movie he had seen a couple of months earlier. Yeah, that had been about those little helium balloons, with the ribbons attached. Balloons weren't cool. JJ was very cool. His love of ancient maritime history was an important player in his plan. Who knows? Maybe someone would...well, you know. At least he could say what he needed to say, and get it out of his system.

JJ only had a little time. He knew the whole "year" thing was bogus. If there was one thing JJ knew, it was his own body. He had spent his whole life developing his six-pack, after all!

Gathering up his "Island" bag, JJ moved casually through his house and out to his truck. He slung the bag onto the front seat, and went to the rear of the garage, where he began schlepping box after box of bottles into the bed of the Toyota Tundra. Finally, he had everything he needed for this special mission. The weekend was here, and JJ was going to have a blast! He had left his Dad the ever-familiar note on the Kitchen table:

"Off to the Island for the weekend with the gang. I'll be safe. I love you, Dad. JJ"

Smiling conspiratorially, JJ felt his right side to make sure the cell phone was where it belonged. Fully charged, its shape on his hip comforted him as he dropped the manual shifter into first, and took off for the boat.

"How will I survive this?" The man screamed into the roaring surf.

Walking the beach near his comfortable home in Seaside Florida was once such a pleasure. But, for Michael "MJ" Jeffries, M.D., this day was torture. Today, he would bury his son. Jason "JJ" Jeffries, at 17, had finally finished the one battle his Dad could not fight for him. Leukemia had finally taken the very last ounce of life from his beautiful little boy. Years of study, and hundreds of patients in a successful practice had not prepared this father for such a moment. He was an oncologist, but there was no skill or medical procedure which could vanquish this cancer. Knowing that did not lessen his fear, his anger, or his loneliness on that fateful morning. He was a man in total anguish, trying to find one hope to keep from simply walking into the surf and joining his family in Heaven. Tears stained his cheeks as his tormented cries added salt to the surf.

Looking out across the water, MJ could make out the favorite destination of the local teenagers: Paradise Island. It was Paradise Island, MJ knew, that heard every story of life for the young, and the not-so-young of Seaside, Florida. Children played there. Teens fell in love there. School victory celebrations and bonfires took place there. The locals fished there. Paradise Island knew more secrets than the pastors, the doctors, and the lawyers of Seaside combined.

After making the original diagnosis himself, MJ had transferred his son's care to his practice partner. Together, they had created every possibility of hope to beat this disease. But, they all knew it was only a matter of time. JJ had fought valiantly, grasping every hope and every experimental treatment with the gusto of a young jock on a mission, but to no avail.

Not only an athletic stand-out at the local high school, Jason was also a 4.0 student. Friendly, and outgoing, JJ had never met a stranger. Even in the worst of times, the brilliant smile was always present on his face. He never complained about his disease, his treatments, or his condition. The worst thing anyone had ever heard JJ say regarding his own situation was "I'm okay today!" And, he would smile. His Dad, his very best friend in the world, could see the subtle traces of sadness, or fatigue, or pain in a smile that dazzled everyone else.

JJ never gave anyone the first idea that he was somehow a victim. His friends had gathered to him in his illness. They would gather again, today to say goodbye. MJ had no doubt: there would be one roaring bonfire on Paradise Island tonight. It would take a bonfire of gigantic proportions to survive the tears that would flow into it.

Blinded by his own tears, MJ walked aimlessly near the shore, allowing the surf to lap around his ankles--sometimes even up to his bare knees. At ten o'clock on a weekday morning, the beach would normally have at least a few locals sunning, or swimming in the main attraction to this backwater community. Today, MJ was alone on the beach.

The beach at Seaside was a private beach, covering several miles of the gulf coast of Florida. It was a reclusive, sheltered piece of Heaven. If you could afford it, Seaside was a perfect place to live a life--or end one.

People were proud of their achievements here. This was a community of truly independent people. MJ thought it ironic that his son would be buried on this day, July 4th, 2007. "You just don't get more free than that, JJ!" Michael thought to himself. "Now if only someone could free me!" That was the one truth surrounding MJ that morning, and not even the vast power of the Gulf itself could change that.

He nearly tripped. Something had banged sharply against his leg as the surf broke over his ankles. Looking down, MJ saw a green bottle. "Kids and their trash are killing this beach!", he thought to himself.

Reaching down, MJ angrily picked up the bottle. About to pitch the bottle toward a trashcan, MJ noticed a note rolled up inside the bottle, with a little piece of reddish-brown ribbon tied around it.

"Who would still do such a ridiculous thing?", he asked himself. Unscrewing the cap, MJ shook the bottle until the rolled page fell quietly into his hand. He rolled the ribbon off the note, and put the ribbon in his pocket. He unrolled a single piece of regular paper, and noticed it had been printed from a computer. He began to read the note. Suddenly, his hands began shaking.

Hello there, new friend! My name is Jason Jeffries, but you can call me JJ like all my friends do. I'm seventeen years old, and I live in Seaside, Florida in the United States.

I have cancer. Well, Leukemia, actually. I am dying. My Dad is Dr. Michael Jeffries. He's an awesome Dad, and a totally brilliant doctor. But, he's having a really hard time right now. It's just us in the world, and he is really scared. That's where you come in.

I need your help. I want you to do me a favor. You don't have to, or whatever. But, I'd really like it if you would write my Dad a note. Tell him that we met, and that I am doing just fine. I'm Home in Heaven with my Mom. I'm not hurting any more, and Cancer isn't allowed here. Tell him I'm happy, I'm whole, and I made it Home. He'll understand. And, would you tell my Dad that I totally love him, and thank him for walking beside me all this time? Tell him we beat the Cancer! And, tell him I'll always be with him, no matter what.

Send your note to: Dr. Michael Jeffries, M. D. , 203 Maple Street, Seaside, Florida USA 55555. Thanks a bunch, and remember: There really IS a Paradise!

Your new friend,

JJ

Contest Entry for July, 2007

ID: 1221635   (Rated: E) Short Shots: Official Contest  Use the photo to inspire your creativity. Write a short story and win big prizes! by Diane

Well, it didn't win the contest I placed it in, but it sure did win a nifty contest that I had no idea even existed, until I received this lovely present in my mailbox.

Needless to say, I like it.