This is a short story about James O’Neal. To you, James would be one of the dumbest kids you’ve ever met. Being human, the average person wouldn’t understand James. Although he is mentally retarded, people just don’t get him. Anyone who ever sees James always either feels sorry for him and crowds him with care, or avoids him like he’s some kind of freak. Although many people think James needs extra care, love and attention, he doesn’t. He’s just like everyone else, just a little slower.

However, in the real world James is an outcast, but in his mind he surpasses the levels of pretty much everyone he knows. You see, James has the most powerful imagination. The only thing that keeps him from sharing it with the world is his body. He can’t get his body and his mind to work together, they are like opposite sexes, they don’t understand one another but wind up being stuck together.

As I said, James has a powerful imagination, and his imagination creates the most vivid, and exciting dreams. James’ dreams are so detailed and, exact, they come out better than the real world. The dreams that James has are pretty much the only thing that keeps him going. Although the outside world doesn’t look at him as he would like them too, he can forget about the worlds, and all the other pains in life, every night when he went to sleep.



On the night of November 11th, James came home after a long day of ridicule at school, and fell into a deep sleep. In his mind, many colors started to appear, and from the colors came shapes, and from the shapes came images. This time James found himself lost in the wild, wearing a light brown safari hat, khaki shorts and a khaki shirt. James was surrounded with life, and nature. Blue and red flowers that smelled of honey, fruit bearing trees, and beautiful animals, hiding in the trees. James was amazed at the sight, until he realized he was lost in the jungle.

Remembering he was dreaming, James imagined a truck for him to explore in. The truck was solid green, with no roof, and an oddly large windshield. James started the truck and began exploring the beauty of the land around him. Everything seemed perfect until a cheetah started tailing the truck. Realizing the cheetah could not be out run James swerved to a stop and pulled a gun out of a bag he had imagined. The cheetah got closer, James took aim as the cheetah leapt and… James awoke from his dream, for his bullet had missed and the cheetah had killed him.

Realizing it was Seven o’clock James prepared himself for school. Although his beautiful fantasy was gone he knew he would have another that night. Your physical state of being only makes up a part of you and even if it’s a big part, it isn’t everything. Imagination is the key that will unlock the future. Even, if you have mental issues, bad hair, or even big ears, don’t be afraid to be who you truly are, even if you’re the only one who pays attention.