Contextual Analysis Essay about The Vietnam in Me

Contextual Analysis about The Vietnam in Me - Essay Example Throughout the narrative, readers are introduced to O’Brien’s lingering feelings of intense despair and sorrow over the fact that the most horrid experience of his life was due to his own personal need to find and secure love. This contextual analysis will analyze how O’Brien used his trip back to Vietnam to discover what imprint his war experience truly left on his heart and if he could ever learn to trust love again. In order to establish the connection between love and Vietnam, this analysis will center on O’Brien’s views on his war experience and their impact on his personal life, his driving need to seek out love and how the guilt over his desire for love led to his contributions as a soldier in Vietnam and continually destroy the author’s chances for true happiness. In beginning this contextual analysis, the first area to analyze is how O’Brien viewed his time as a soldier in Vietnam and how this experience impacted his life. As he began his narrative, O’Brien sets an immediate tone for how he felt about his time in Vietnam. â€Å"On Gator, we used to say, the wind doesn’t blow, it sucks. Maybe that’s what happened - the wind sucked it all away. My life, my virtue† (1). Although O’Brien has obvious despair over the events that unfolded during his time in Vietnam, he was not alone in these feelings. Despite the over two million men who were forcibly deployed to Vietnam through the draft, as well as those who voluntarily enlisted, American society forgot their efforts to further democracy as these men were essentially treated as outcasts upon their return. According to Harvard Sitikoff in â€Å"The Postwar Impact of Vietnam,† the after effects of fighting in Vietnam were more dangerous than being i n the war itself. â€Å"Although most veterans did succeed in making the transition to ordinary civilian life, many did not. More Vietnam veterans committed suicide after the war than had died in it. Even more - perhaps three-quarters

Zara Strategy Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Zara Strategy Analysis - Essay Example The chain offers a diverse clothing lines for women, men, and children, legions in latest designs. It operates through â€Å"The Cube† under the command of the giant Inditex Corporation. The corporation has been on the rise since 1996 recording massive sales ahead of its competitors like Gap. Thus, the firm became the world’s largest fashion retailer in 2008 with its eight brands. However, the corporation’s growth rate attributes to the success in Zara sales, which amounted to two-thirds of the corporation sales. Zara is venturing in fast expansions all over the world with new markets in over 68 countries in the globe. It is the most innovative and devastating fashion retailer in the world with immense profits though its products are relatively cheap. The chain relies on latest blend of technology to devise its market strategy. The chain has unleashed a strategy that shuns advertising, does not run sales, and keeps its huge investments of production at home. In a field where almost all firms outsource their manufacturing processes to low-cost countries, the Zara Company seems to negate all the fashion industry rules thus remaining vertically integrated in the market. However to analyze the success of Zara strategy in the market, we will need to consider various factors in relation to technological advancements. The analysis will consider the internal and external perspectives and use strategic models and theories in drawing a conclusive decision. The analysis will focus on critical issues that would guarantee long-term success. The analysis will also look into the sustainability of the strategy, its feasibility, and acceptability in the fashion industry. ... marise the key findings from the analysis and make informed recommendations in an effort to maintain the growing success of the company.  The paper will use the SWOT analysis to summarise the analysis and reach a defined conclusion. The paper will apply the Igor Ansoff Matrix models, seven s analysis, and pestle, in the analysis. Igor Ansoff Matrix model (Ansoff, 1988, n.p) Existing markets New Markets Existing New In using this model, I will try to show the market penetration of Zara products in the existing markets. I will also highlight the market development of Zara products in new territories in both new and existing markets. Additionally, the model will note diversification of Zara products in new markets using the existing capabilities. The model will henceforth highlight Zara product development in both new and existing markets using the existing capabilities. External analysis PESTLE (Johnson et al, 2009, n.p) PESTLE Summary Zara Company is subject to political stability a nd attitudes to competition. This rises from its major establishment and dominance in one country. In case of political instability and change of attitude in competition, Zara market advantage will crush. Factors of global recession and economic growth will equally affect the company since it has stores in many countries. Changes in lifestyle and social mobility will jeopardize the company sales since it concentrates mostly on two stores located in the same country. Changes in technology will significantly affect the company since its operations rely on technology and machines. Competition, employment laws and difference in laws between nations has a great significance in the mode of competition, recruitment of staff, and the running of the company in various nations it plans to invest. The

Violence in the office Essay Example for Free

Violence in the office Essay Review This assignment required me to find an article on violence in the office and write a brief overview of the article using the university library. I will discuss different types of violence that lead to office violence. I will then discuss ways in which a company can control the influences that incite office violence. After reviewing a few different articles I have decided on an article from the university library called† Out of the Shadows,† by Dori Meinert. This article talks about 2 different stories that both deal with physical and mental violence. The stories were not actually based in an office setting, but were based in a home setting (Meinert, 2011). Though once the violence in the home setting was bad enough it spilled into the work place and eventually put the other employees in danger. The article also discussed the role human resources played and discusses how important this department is in any company. It goes into how human resources resolve problems such as domestic violence, and how they can be a great resource in these kinds situation. Human resources have the training, skill set, and ability to keep issue private that helps in instances where there is violence in the work place (Meinert, 2011). With avoidance programs, employee training sessions, and employee assistance programs these will help train and coach employees through and also help them avoid issues such as office violence. Forms of Bullying in the Workplace When it comes to offices violence that could result in bullying there are many different types. In an office setting violence might include a group or person against a peer or someone who reports to another. The violence can be continuous or just conduct that is unreasonable. The majority of the documented instances were management or the administration who perpetrated a number of offenses. The major types of violence include: nonverbal, verbal, embarrassment, physical, and psychological abuse. Examples of verbal abuse  would be name-calling which happens more often than not. A simple phrase calling someone out of there name and cursing are the quickest way to verbally abuse someone and not realize it (Meinert, 2011). In the second story told in the article a women who is abused in her home life seeks refuge at work and tells her co-workers. She felt like she needed to tell someone to get assistance, which in some cases can help. It can actually backfire in some cases. Telling someone your personal business can lead to peers discussing your personal business behind your back spreading rumors, criticizing, or gossiping about your business. Ways to avoid violence in the work place Training employees on office like conduct, creating avoidance plan, and having a zero tolerance policy in place are the main methods to control, avoid, and protect employees against violence in the work place. Keeping the workers trained on up to date procedures and processes is very important. Also making sure managers and human resources are trained on effective communication is also very important. An employee has to trust their manager and if not their manager, than human resources to feel comfortable to talk about issues like violence. Making sure the employees understand that there is an open door policy and that any kind of violence in the work place in not acceptable and will not be tolerated. Most importantly there needs to be an immediate response and rapid results to create a secure environment for all employees.

Social Change In Pakistan

Social Change In Pakistan Pakistan enters the second decade of the 21st Century as a majority middle class society, indicating an increasing social and economic mobility  [1]  and therefore demand for new services and for global relationships. This process of social change from Feudal to Civil society is fraught with complications creating institutional vacuum that distorts the social change process and makes the change slow and reducing societys competitive advantage vis-à  -vis other societies. One of the major impact is that about 60% of the middle class comprises of low income households who earn between Rs.5000 (US$60) and Rs.25000 (US$300). The low income households are highly vulnerable to slipping below the poverty line, have little or no citizenship rights and political voice and depend on informal sector for housing, employment, finance, transportation and social services. The second impact is the massive environmental degradation and pollution due to unregulated production and exploitation of natural resources. Now with more than 70% of the population below 30 years of ages, and the ever increasing demand for services and low level of energy production and infrastructure development, Pakistani society faces a crisis of competitiveness to benefit from the social change process. Also Pakistan has been carved out of the Indian sub continent where the Central Asian Tribal society and the Indian Caste based society meet. On right bank of the Indus River, especially in the North Western Frontier Province (NWFP) and the upper reaches of Balochistan, bordering with Afghanistan, the society has a strong tribal nature. Of the 9% of Pakistans 168.8 million persons living on the right bank, 23% are middle class and the urban proportion is 20%. On the left bank of the Indus River where the caste societal structure is crumbling, 64% of the population is middle class and the urban proportion is near to 40%. The violence accompanying the societal change evident in 16th century Britain, and in 18th and 19th century Europe and America that ushered in a constitutional government and abolished slavery and fiefdoms, is now taking place on the right bank of Indus River. One reason for the delayed change is the existence of the tribal institutions that is strongly conservative i n nature, values survival, and has the capacity to maintain subsistence economy based on natural resources and wars to capture neighboring resources. The closing in of the borders is forcing the tribal society to change, but there is a strong resistance given the foreign aid it receives. The Caste based society; mainly feudal in nature has undergone considerable change since British colonization of the Indian subcontinent triggered the change from Feudal to Civil society in the Mid-Nineteenth century. The British were able to trigger the change because the Civil society structure they brought was more advanced  [2]  than the Feudal, and it was in an advanced stage of development in Britain  [3]  . The Colonization process started a process of capture of resources (restraining the locals from its use), its massive conversion into capital, and its transfer to Britain for its Industrial development. This process was facilitated by technological innovation and marginalized the local communities directly dependent on them. To help the British in this process they created a cadre of people i.e. educated them, gave them political and administrative powers and enabled them to become economic agents. The English Speaking elite that emerged through a century of British rule continue to play key role in the transfer of resources from Pakistan to global market at the cost of local population. These elite hold key position in Government, academia, businesses and military. They create nexus to marginalize other sections of the society from developing and partner with external forces to exploit the countrys human, financial and natural resources. They influence government policies and prevent low income groups from legitimizing their social, economic and political assets. And therefore, restricts the society from developing new services and institutions and keeps the low income dependent on mafia for services. This process like virus corrupts all new reforms and innovations and kills them before they can institutionalize. To maintain the status quo, they capture benefits from development projects and malign citizen organizations from bringing about social change. After the Aryans invaded the subcontinent and pushed the Dravidian society to retreat, they established the Caste structure that gave the highest position to the priest class, secondary positions to warriors and traders, and relegated the non-Aryan to a position of slavery and outcasts. This society grew and developed and consolidated the feudal mindset. Muslim invasion of the subcontinent created a historical schism in the existing society and divided it into two nations. Being invaders and rulers, the Muslims could not be relegated to the slave status and at the same time the Muslims coming from a tribal society could not enforce a new structure on the existing more advanced social structure. During the Moghul rule, attempts were made to bring the nations together but to no avail. As the British opened doors to social and economic mobility, the secondary castes were quick in entering the elite circle, while the Muslims because of their elite nature alienated themselves from the dev elopment process and even opposed the process. Within the Muslims developed orthodoxy and conservative forced entrenched themselves as leaders. During the British rule, the caste system began to weaken but the Hindu-Muslim schism widened. On the eve of partition, Bengal and Punjab were divided and mass migration took place. The violence that took place during Partition and the forceful capture of Muslim states and part of Kashmir further heightened the Hindu-Muslim divide. Governance in Pakistans therefore developed as a reaction to Indian hostility and gave legitimacy and support to Conservative rule in Pakistan. In Pakistan, conservative forces created a nexus between Pakistans Muslim identity and security issue to oppose liberalizing civil society. With the setting in of the Afghan War, Pakistani conservatives received massive support that went into strengthening conservative elements and strengthening sectarian differences. The conservative elements weakened the governance structure through creation of sectarian politics, support to militancy and suppressing all other forms of political and cultural forums. They marked development as threat to Muslim identity and supported violent means to distort development, especially education, population planning and political participation. The conservatives saw the educated and emancipated young women aggressively seeking social and economic freedom and creating new aspirations, connections and symbols of expressions as a major threat, and have launched a movement to contain and regulate the emerging new woman. The backlash has been in the name of r eligion and to maintain family honor and social values. The conservatives have put up all sort of hurdles to block womens mobility, education, employment, freedom of expression (especially public appearance) and decision making. The reactions range from domestic tensions to honor killings and to preventing new women from voting and participating in political activities. Conservative forces at all levels have tried to keep the women domesticated and out of public realm to the extent of engaging in terrorism and creating human insecurity. The new women, not to be contained are sacrificing her life, honor and property to realize the new found dreams and freedom. Her greatest assistance comes from Civil societies in more advanced stage of development, and presently with more than 70% of the population below 30 years of age in Pakistan, she is poised to overcome the conservative forces with the help of foreign institutions to establish Civil society in Pakistan. In Punjab, after Independence, the immigrant Muslims settled in cities and small towns and today forms the backbone of the middle class. Even though large number of migrants was from rural areas or carried a Feudal mindset, but the migration changed them and they were forced to accept a middle class lifestyle. The Punjabis therefore participated in the market based process and took an edge given the historical discrimination facing other communities. The lower castes because of the historical discriminations began entry as the agricultural revolution mechanization, financing of agricultural inputs, land reforms, road and communication development, etc forced the feudal to release stranglehold. Coupled with Industrial production and development of urban services, agricultural revolution also set into motion rural to urban migration and the centralization of political power in cities. The middle class started developing in cities, but with Feudal order sustaining the values and mindset, the new middle class remained Feudal. The change process manifested itself in the political agenda of the seventies and in the Pakistani constitution of 1973 that recognized the people as citizens with rights and stimulated the growth of working class. It tried to decimate the edge enjoyed by the elite through nationalization and encouraging the peasants to participate in the emerging construction, transportation and communication industries. Subsequently, the low income group or working class earning a monthly household income below Rs.25,000 (US$300) and above the national poverty line of Rs.5000 (US$60) emerged as force. In addition to new migration to urban areas, the low income group also comprises of a middle class in rural areas. This group even today however has little or no access to formal sector services and citizenship rights. Consequently, they acquire these services housing, finance, transport, employment, etc. through informal sector and collaborate with mafia and interest groups to access citizenship rights and seek protection from law enforcing agencies. The low income households over time has improved its income and status with the help of informal sector and in the process strengthened the mafia and created new interest groups transporters association, informal money lenders, land mafia and land grabbers, etc. The low income households are estimated to be more than 60% in Karachi, Pakistans biggest city and in higher proportions in other urban and rural settlements. These households are most vulnerable to edging below the poverty line because of dependence on a single earner who is susceptible to health risks, human rights violations and accidents. Conclusions Summarily, the social change in Pakistan from a tribal and caste based society to Civil society is reflected in the rise of the low income groups. And this most obvious in the left bank of River Indus where rural and urban middle class are in majority. The new women are leading the social change process at a very high cost. The process however is not complete and fraught with violence. In the process of change, though middle class are in majority and increasing in number but their aspirations and demands are not finding a political expression. Three complications in the social change process have created an institutional vacuum  [4]  : As a result of the complications in the social change process, development remains small and scattered. Big development projects marginalize the target groups, lead to elite capture of development benefits and destruction of public goods and formation of duplicate institutions. Small pilots develop into models but fail to scale up. Institutional vacuum maintains the demand for social mobilization, awareness raising and training, making development inefficient and unsustainable.

Are Leave No Trace Principles Effective? Essays -- Environment Environ

Are Leave No Trace Principles Effective? Leave No Trace is philosophy of seven concepts that help minimize human recreational impact on wild lands. As wilderness recreation has become more popular, and the National Wilderness Preservation System has increased its wilderness lands from 9.1 million acres in 54 wildernesses in 1964 to 104 million acres in 628 wildernesses in 19991, the need for guidelines to help reduce degradation of these lands has become increasingly important. In 1979 Jim Bradley wrote about the need for an educational approach for managing recreation impacts instead of regulations that antagonize the public rather than win their support2. Teaching good practices is more effective than imposing strict regulations because most harms done to the wilderness by recreational activities is due to lack of knowledge of a less impacting technique, and because it is very difficult to enforce regulations in large tracts of wild and remote lands. Leave No Trace Principles: 1) Plan ahead and Prepare 2) Travel and camp on durable surfaces 3) Dispose of waste properly 4) Leave what you find 5) Minimize campfire impacts 6) Respect wildlife 7) Be considerate of other visitors Some of the concepts have effects that are less tangible or less able to be empirically evaluated, such as: ?be respectful of wildlife, and ?be considerate to other visitors. However, these two concepts have far reaching implications, and in a sense embody the other five guidelines: ?plan ahead and prepare, ?travel and camp on durable surfaces, ?minimize fires, ?leave what you find, ?properly dispose of waste. If one is respectful of wildlife, and considerate of other visitors, then they will plan ahead and prepare so that they ... ...ore aware of the consequences of littering, and also more aware of the positive effects of treating everything with more care and respect. Sources Cited 1 http://leopold.wilderness.net/research/nutshell/database 2 http://www.lnt.org (History of Leave No Trace) 3 Leave No Trace North America booklet (P. 10) available at www.lnt.org 4 www.lnt.org (History of Leave No Trace) 5 http://leopold.wilderness.net/research/nutshell/llama.pdf 6 Professor Ralf Buckley, â€Å"Breakdown of Human Waste in Three Sub-Tropical Australian Ecosystems† available at www.nols.edu/resources/research/abstracts.shtml 7 Professor Michael D. Ellis â€Å"The Fate of Feces and Fecal Microorganisms in Human waste in Alpine, Temperate, and Arid Environments and the Impact of Disposal Methods on Surrounding Environment† available at www.nols.edu/resources/research/humanwaste_Mt.Rainier.shtml

Stages of Nien Chengs Life :: essays research papers

Nien Cheng is the author of the autobiography, Life and Death in Shanghai. This book takes place in Shanghai, China, starting around the first few days into the Cultural Revolution. Nien Cheng was a widow in her 50's working as a senior partner for Shell in Shanghai. In late 1966, Nien Cheng was arrested and her house lay looted and vandalized. She was sent to the No.1 Detention House, where staying for six and one-half years, she was punished and pressured for a false confession that she was a spy for the imperialists. She consistently to confess refused and as a result, was tortured many times. She had a daughter named Mei Ping who, refusing to criticize about her mother, was murdered by the Red Guards. Nien Cheng was released in 1973 and was relocated to a house that had 2 bedrooms. (Which she had to live in with another family who spied on her) She stayed in China until 1980, and when she applied for a visa to the United States. She was accepted and she emigrated to Canada and v ery soon, Washington D.C. When Nien Cheng was transferred to the No. 1 detention house, she went through a big change in her way of living. Before going to the prison, she and her daughter, Mei Ping, had a lifestyle in which only a few dozen out of 10 million back in that time could enjoy. They had a three-story house filled with all sorts of antique furniture, books, and works of art. There was a piano, much entertainment, and three servants. In the prison, however, it was a single-celled room, very old and dirty. All that was in the room was a dirty toilet, a hard bed, a dusty window, and a tightly bolted door. Even with her efforts to clean the room, the room gave off an aura of depression and loneliness. The only companion she ever had during her six and one-half years was a pea-sized spider living on the rusty bars of the cell. As a result of these years, she became more conservative to what she uses, and even when she lived a good life in Washington D.C. many years later, she never bought more than wha t she would need or use. Before being sent to the No. 1 Detention House, Nien Cheng was a woman who didn't really care about the Cultural Revolution or people she didn't know.

The Intruder – Creative Writing

‘It's always best when the light is out, I am the pick in the ice Do not cry out or hit the alarm, you know we're friends 'til we die' – Thom Yorke (Radiohead), ‘Climbing Up The Walls' ‘Alone. The most awful word in the English tongue. Murder doesn't hold a candle to it and hell is only a poor synonym.' Humphrey had read this somewhere, probably in a Stephen King book, he couldn't remember exactly which, but he agreed with the passage then and he sure as hell agreed with it now. Though Humphrey was not alone, he was anything but alone. Humphrey was crumpled into the corner of his bedroom, his arms covering his head, his entire frame trembling, his pores and eyes unreservedly discharging sweat and bitter tears. He sat there in his darkened room with Dread, who poked him mischievously with his cold fingers. With Sorrow, who warped his heart and ate him alive. With Darkness, who shrouded Humphrey and the entire room under his tattered cloak. But worse than any twisted emotion, worse than any mutual deception of the eye and the light, worse than any melancholic betraying thoughts Humphrey may have had, was Death, who came in the guise of an Intruder that occupied the downstairs of his house, ravaging his house in a relentless chaotic frenzy. Despite Humphrey's feeble efforts to block out the noise, he could still hear everything. The crash of the tableware and glass, falling and ultimately exploding into pieces as they collided with the floor and the walls. The loud bang as his television was thrown across the room, smashing into a wall and the sizzle of the circuits bursting. The scornful cackle of the Intruder. It was a hair-raising, vulgar, sharp screech that penetrated Humphrey's delicate ear-canal-walls, went straight to his brain and exploded, the shrapnel of the explosion cutting his soft organ. It took a moment for Humphrey's mind to register that all sound and movement had ceased downstairs. Gradually his brain escaped from the cycle of fear and earthly senses returned to him. He realised his pants were drenched in urine, which made him click his tongue disapprovingly. Humphrey's aged brain was working overtime attempting to process what had happened. Most of the day was a nauseating blur to him and passed by rather uneventfully, but he remembered dozing off, and he remembered Sleep's grasp on him loosening and faltering to the hostile sound of his back door crashing in. That's when the Intruder broke in. But the dust has settle and the Intruder has departed now, probably satisfied with the destruction caused and the items burgled. Humphrey picked up his walking stick and with immense effort he managed to summon the strength to get up. He intended to go downstairs and phone the police, but only managed two steps before he heard a bang on his door. The Intruder was still in the house. The Intruder was right outside his room. Humphrey's legs collapsed right on the spot, and that frosty familiar feeling of numb helplessness enveloped him again. He shrunk back into his corner and broke into a fit of hysterical sobbing. Outside the Intruder was pounding at the door. ‘Open up,' the Intruder said hoarsely, ‘open up, man, you've gotta open up. I need her back, man, open up!' The Intruder proceeded to pound at the door, slowly at first, but then he snapped and broke into a violent fury of pounding. ‘OPEN UP!!' After what felt like an eternity to Humphrey, the Intruder ceased pounding at the door and fell to the floor and, to Humphrey's great surprise, began to weep. ‘Open up,' the Intruder wailed, ‘I can get her back, he said I can, just open up.' For a brief moment a spark of pity for the Intruder lighted up in Humphrey's mind, but the spark dimmed as soon as it appeared, and Humphrey was back in his hopeless state of terror. Silence slithered around the room, but his tyranny was brief and hastily retreated when Humphrey's bedroom door collapsed in with an earth-shattering BANG, rattling Humphrey's brain inside his skull. The Intruder got in. He was a tall man, of medium build, in his mid-thirties with moon-pale complexion, as if the sunlight had only a nodding acquaintance with his skin. The Intruder stood there, looking down at Humphrey with the look of absolute discontent on his face, a sandwich in his hand. And a gun in the other. The Intruder's eyes were dim, with a hint of triumph in them, and Humphrey noticed that he was salivating. ‘I find you at last, demon!' the Intruder exclaimed with triumph. He fiddled with his gun, groping it with his index finger. It was not point directly at Humphrey, but it was dangerously close. The Intruder made a slight a motion, which made Humphrey recoil and defensively position his arms in front of his face, as if trying to defend against an incoming strike, but the Intruder merely took a giant bite of his sandwich, the rest of which he tossed away, along with his gun. ‘I have been lookin' for ya' for so long,' the Intruder grunted, ‘you ‘ave taken away that I hold dearest, you ‘ave taken away my light. Where is she?' Dread glumly retired his post behind Humphrey and was replaced by Confusion. Humphrey was flabbergasted, ‘what is this madman talking about?' he thought, but out loud he said, ‘I- I'm afraid I have no idea what you are talking about.' ‘Ya' know damn well wha' I'm on about. I wan' her back.' The Intruder spat. ‘I think y-you're mistaken, s-sir,' Humphrey murmured, ‘I'm just an innocent ol-‘ ‘WHAT DO YOU WAN' FROM ME?' The Intruder snapped, his eyes budging and his breathing getting heavy. Dread cheerfully resumed his post. ‘Listen, man, I'm begging you to give her back to me,' The Intruder got down on both knees and clasped his hands together and tears gathered in the corner of his eyes, ‘I'm an empty shell wiv' out her. An insect, I'll do anythin'!' Humphrey was cornered; he had not a hint of how to proceed. The Intruder was utterly insane, fragile, and capable of cracking at a moment's notice. He was a danger to himself and, more importantly, a danger to Humphrey. Humphrey's eyes desperately scanned the room, looking for something, anything, he could use against the Intruder. Time, that's what he needed. Time. And a damn miracle. In the past, time and time again, Humphrey's mind had failed him. Whether it was through an examination when he was young, an important job interview, when proposing or just during everyday endeavours. And today it was no different. Humphrey couldn't even move, he felt like a spectator observing through the eyes of someone else's body, he could only watch and not take party. ‘Fine. He told me you wouldn' cooperate. He told me you wouldn' give her back to me, he told me everythin'. But there's another way, if I kill you now, she will return to me. He told me.' The Intruder said through gritted teeth, as he progressed towards Humphrey. His teeth bared, his eyes filled with contagious madness and his veins popping out, on the verge of bursting. His bare, cold hands made contact with Humphrey's neck, which made Humphrey shiver, and squeezed. Humphrey's eyes started seeing shades of black, then stars and then no more. *** Humphrey woke up, rubbed his eyes, and then wearily scanned the environment. He had been here before, he couldn't remember when but he was certain he had definitely been here before. ‘Good morning,' a cheerful voice said, ‘are we doing alright?' Humphrey looked to his right and saw a young, pleasant man in a uniform. ‘Who are you? Where am I?' Humphrey asked, dazed. His eyes were burning ‘I'm officer Peter, just call me Peter, and you're in Worthington Hospital, you were brought in last night,' Peter replied in his cheery manner. ‘What happened last night?' ‘Well, we got a call from your neighbour reporting a break-in, and we came over as soon as we could and came just in time and the intruder is in custody now.' ‘What did the intruder want with me?' Humphrey questioned. ‘His name was John Gates, and he recently lost his wife in a car accident. Poor man was mad with grief, and was only last week taken into an insane asylum, from which he miraculously escaped and came for you.' Peter nervously answered. ‘He†¦' Humphrey trailed off, ‘he kept referring to a third-party who told him to come for me. Are you sure there was no real motive after coming after me?' ‘I can only speculate on who he was referring to, but Gates was mad beyond help. That person could have just been a persona, driving him to psychotic acts, which seemed reasonable to Gates.' Peter responded. ‘Oh†¦' They had said their goodbyes and Officer Peter left, leaving Humphrey alone. All alone.