Тонкое искусство пофигизма

           Afterall,ifhecouldn’tovercomehisownproblems,howcouldheeverhopetohavetheenergytohelpotherswiththeirs?Aftertouringapsychiatricfacilityoneday,Jamesmusedinhisdiarythathefelthehadmoreincommonwiththepatientsthanwiththedoctors.

           Afewyearswentbyand,againtohisfather’sdisapproval,Jamesdroppedoutofmedicalschool.Butratherthandealwiththebruntofhisfather’swrath,hedecidedtogetaway:hesigneduptojoinananthropologicalexpeditiontotheAmazonrainforest.

           Thiswasinthe1860s,sotranscontinentaltravelwasdifficultanddangerous.IfyoueverplayedthecomputergameOregonTrailwhenyouwereakid,itwaskindoflikethat,withthedysenteryanddrowningoxenandeverything.

           Anyway,JamesmadeitallthewaytotheAmazon,wheretherealadventurewastobegin.Surprisingly,hisfragilehealthheldupthatwholeway.Butoncehefinallymadeit,onthefirstdayoftheexpedition,hepromptlycontractedsmallpoxandnearlydiedinthejungle.

           Thenhisbackspasmsreturned,painfultothepointofmakingJamesunabletowalk.Bythistime,hewasemaciatedandstarvedfromthesmallpox,immobilizedbyhisbadback,andleftaloneinthemiddleofSouthAmerica(therestoftheexpeditionhavinggoneonwithouthim)withnoclearwaytogethome—ajourneythatwouldtakemonthsandlikelykillhimanyway.

           ButsomehowheeventuallymadeitbacktoNewEngland,wherehewasgreetedbyan(evenmore)disappointedfather.