3 Chapter 3: Returning to 2001

Jeffrey always knew on some level the fantasy and fiction that he read was just that, fiction. Aside from entertaining him and providing on him some level of spiritual comfort from loneliness, perhaps it was a waste of time.

Jeffrey was not physically engaged in any sort of exercise. Years later this inactivity would catch up with him, however every day there were always more urgent issues to work on and Jeffrey did what he could handle. If there were things he wasn't able to deal with, he set it aside for later.

Rarely was Jeffrey ever contented or happy, his luxury consisted of being occupied and lost in thought when he had energy to spare. Happy thoughts, sad thoughts, just being able to have the ability to relax and ponder was something he cherished.

Jeffrey sat in a rocking chair near his desk.

The cushion cozily accepting the shape of him.

"The only story I know best is myself", Jeffrey thought.

"I wonder what it would be like to be in a do-over novel?"

Of course it was impossible, no amount of truck crashing, car accident, or sleeping would ever allow that logic to pass in a rational world. In a book perhaps, but if it was it certainly wouldn't be this one.

Jeffrey Zhang once recalled the quote from an observer novel, Omniscient Level Reader? Novel's Extra? Detective Training Manual? Trash of the Count's Family? He forgot the source, but the quote still stuck with him.

"In the story of life, everyone is a protagonist in the story they write for themselves."

Life may not have been fair, with some having a golden spoon, but that agency, free will, choice, freedom, or what have you. That was precious, to not know the future is the same as saying it was in your hands.

So why not create a world where that happened? He had a computer, pen and ink even.

In his head Jeffrey imagined a world where he returned to 2001. The memories and connections in his brain as if drawn from the ether started to take shape.

Where would he want to return to?

"Ahh, perhaps that would be a good place to start"

_______

2007 - 1 year before the 2008 Financial Crisis

At this time, a young Jeffrey Zhang would have still been in primary school. Elementary school actually, but primary school is probably more anglophile.

"heh heh~" Jeffrey thought to himself.

Sure Jeffrey could have started farther back as a child, but the exciting events and slice of life scenes are going to have to be skipped.

"Where were we?", Jeffrey asked himself

"Oh yeah... around 3rd or 4th grade."

Young Jeffrey received his first laptop. Usually he messed around with the VCR color TV and his parents work computers, desktops, and other devices like a Toshiba laptop. Fun brain, Poptropica, Coolmathgames, Miniclip, Kongregate, Addicting, Crazymonkey, Glowmonkey, Andkon and many many more.

That was the main source of entertainment for a loner primary schooler. Time passed, reading books, friends, after school programs and life experiences were things Jeffrey Zhang engaged in.

Both writer Jeffrey and Young Jeffrey decided to leave the circle of fools and youthful times to engage in more adult events.

This was Jeffrey Zhang's return to 2001, it was a story of this american life.