Rerouting Our Course, Consequences? Pt. 1

One of my favorite video game franchises I've played over the past couple of years, is Ninja Gaiden. Lots of action, pretty graphics, cheesy storyline. At certain moments of the game, you'll enter a corridor or large room with multiple doors. For the sake of example, lets say this room features 5 of them. 1 of the doors leads you to an item of some significance, the other leads you forward to the next section of the level. The other 3...just dummies. They do nothing, and are just there for all intents and purposes, decoration. Obviously this is by design to help streamline the experience to the end user. Another scenario of what I am eluding to, would be a lab mouse traveling through a maze. Although the mouse is presented with alternative paths, usually, only one leads to the cheese.

Many moons ago, well, not many, more like 2 months ago I spoke about living out our lives (unknowingly) traveling down a pre-determined path. Unfortunately for us, we don't have the luxury of streamlined game design to guide us to the final boss. However, I strongly believe we are given subtle clues to help light the way.

February 4th, 200x was an exciting day for me. It was Saturday, I had 4,000 American dollars on hand for a down payment on a car I had been researching for the past 3 months or so. I arrive to the dealership, ask to check it out, test drive, the usual - then quickly cut to the chase. "I have 4 thou, will that that be enough down drive away today?" The dealers eyes lit up, as he promptly made his way back to his office to draw up paper work. After all the signatures are signed, the next step, obviously was s to let the money exchange hands, except there was one problem - I didn't have any. I reached in my left sweatpants pocket. Keys.  I reached my right pocket. Nothing. I check my back pockets, I doubled checked my front. Nothing but my keys again. Feeling a tad embarrassed, I explain to the dealer that I (apparently) left my money at home. I get my brother, and my cousin who accompanied me to scrape up whatever cash they have on them to give to the dealer as a sign of good faith that I'll actually come back. We rushed back home, I jet out of the car to get inside the house, when I reached in my left pocket to get the keys to unlock the door, my hand runs into a wad of cash.

The money was in pocket the whole damn time. I suddenly had this real eerie rush of...I dunno, but I felt like this was a sign deterring me from getting this car. If this was a movie, the camera probably would have gotten close up to my face, while a cliche' ominous instrumental played in the background. To my audience of 2, (brother, cousin) waiting for me in the car, it would have appeared as though my puppeteer took a lunch break, and left me motionless, but the behind scenes look of this of this particular take would have showed that I was actually having a discussion with a friend of mine. Myself.

Refusing to acknowledge the utter eeriness of this whole situation, I pull out my keys, unlock the door, turn the knob and walk inside the house. I counted to 10, then walked back out. Obviously this was a farce to conceal the fact that my dumbass went all the way back home for nothing, but only you know that, and I'm sure you won't laugh at me for it. I returned to the dealer, finalized the paper work, and me, my younger brother Jerome, my cousin Zeus returned home +1 vehicle.

That car has brought me so, so, sooooo much trouble. but I'll discuss that later, its a quarter to 6 AM, and this submission is long enough as is. To Be Cont...