As James got up he opened his curtains hoping for rain to cancel the golf, but it was very sunny especially for late January in Newcastle. James knew it was going to be another one of those days when he goes out to experiment new hobbies with his patronising dad who looks down on James. John is a very sporty man and wishes his son was a little bit more like him. James gets dressed and goes downstairs. "Ready then son" John shouts, "Yeah dad" James replies. See you in a couple of hours Mary" says John, "enjoy yourselves" she replies, "don't worry we will" John replies.
As John and James head for the car the weather had a drastic change. "Looks like rain now dad, maybe we should call it off" says James. "nar nar, it doesn't look too bad and anyway the umbrella is in the car" John replies promptly. Another failed attempt to get out of the golfing activity.
As they arrived at the golf course it looked unusually quiet. "Maybe its closed" James says, praying in his head that it is. "nar, nar, its definitely open, I was here last Sunday". The golf course was open. James and his dad were at the beginning of a long and dreaded course. As John was teaching James how to swing his club, the rain began. "Dad there are a lot of dark clouds in the sky, I think this could be just the beginning of a storm" James says. "nar, nar, this should clear up in a minute or two, get the brolly out" John says.
The rain carried on gradually getting heavier. John was taking his shot when suddenly there was a roar of thunder and then a flash of lightning. The brolly which James was holding had been struck by lightning and he was struck and unconscious. John picked him up panicking a lot, dropped his clubs and ran straight to the club house. "Ring an ambulance quickly, my sons been struck by lightning" John shouted, he could do nothing and wailed nervously for the ambulance. Eventually the ambulance arrived and rushed James and John to hospital.
John was in the waiting room nervously awaiting the fate of his son when suddenly a doctor walked through the door. "Apart from some minor injuries James will be okay", "I'm so relieved - can I see him" John says with an urgent manner. "Sure, he's right through there" the doctor says. "James, James, I'm so sorry, I should have listened to you, we should never have been playing in them conditions" says John. "It's OK dad" James says in a funny manner. "It'll take a lot to beat this accident, I thought that I'd never beat fainting at the chess club" says James. "You can say that again" replies John as he laughs.
There was a sound of thunder and there was a terrible accident. Every time John hears thunder it will remind him of how close he came to losing his only son. And every time James hears thunder it will remind him of how close he was to losing his life and should try to live his life to the full.
