HOLIDAY ASSIGNMENT 2011 HOW I MET MYSELF BY DAVID A.

HILL

NAME FORM

; MUHAMMAD AJWAD BIN HASHIM ; 2 (2011), 3 (2012)

DATE OF SUBMISSION ; 10th of JANUARY 2012 PARENTS SIGNATURE ;

( )

Content

No 1 Title 2 Author 3 Setting 4 Themes 5 Characters

Topic

Page 1 2 3 4 5 6-12 13 14

6 Synopsis of each chapter 7 Moral Values 8 Did you enjoy the story?

Title

HOW I MET MYSELF

BY DAVID A. HILL

Author
David A. Hill is a freelance author of educational materials, teacher trainer and lecturer on English language and literature working out of Budapest, Hungary. He worked for the British Council for 18 years and has had long associations with Pilgrim School of English in Canterbury, United Kingdom. He typically works in about 12 countries around the world each year, and also gives poetry readings and musical (blues/folk) performance. He is currently with Norwich Institute for Language Education (NILE), Norwich, as a summer school teacher trainer.

Setting
Time Present day

Place The story was set in Budapest in Hungary. The main character, John Taylor and his wife, Andrea, lived in a flat in the Hollan utca. His office was located at Vaci utca. The incident of him stumbling upon his doppelgnger happened in front of number 7 Felka utca. After the incident, he used to spent time at a bar located at Gergely utca owned by Zsolt. John with his wife and daughter spent their Christmas holiday with his family in a village near Swindon in England. The family often visited the island park in the middle of the River Danube, to get some fresh air and to relax. John went to the Budapest City Library to read up on every incident that happened in Budapests Thirteenth District every 18 January.

Themes
Determination in solving problems John was determined to solve his problem of meeting with his doppelgnger especially to know the message he was bringing to him. As the saying goes, it is better to light the candle than cry in the darkness.

Family support and love Andrea showed her love and support for John and in his quest to find the truth as much as she could. She felt that John should be reasonable and support her and look after the family.

Positive approach to problems John and Andrea were positive in their approach to their problems. John did not allow his unusual situation to spoil the family holiday and allow it to become a family crisis. Andrea was helped as much as she could. When she lost an important teaching job, she was willing to work at Zsolts bar.

Characters
Main Characters John Taylor An English computer programmer 34 years old, nearly two metres tall Light brown hair with a moustache Working in a multinational company in Bristol Sent by company to head a young Hungarian team at Budapest office, Hungary Met Andrea, a pretty teacher and married with her 18 months later. Met his doppelgnger - initially had difficulty understanding the phenomenon Feared for wife and daughter but finally relieved they were safe.

Andrea Taylor Johns wife and a teacher of Hungarian Pretty with dark brown hair, blue eyes and a beautiful smile. Taught John and fell in love before getting married 18 months later. Did not understand Johns problem feels John too obsessed with the phenomenon - eventually understand message of doppelgnger grateful

Minor Character

Kati Taylor John and Andreas cute baby daughter, born on 16th September Saw Johns doppelgnger at Zsolts bar Recognised and told Andrea it was not John who was blocking their way to the cellar bar.

Synopsis of each chapter

Chapter 1; A STRANGE MEETING In the Thirteenth District in Budapest, a strange thing happened to John on Monday evening in January. John was walking home from office and was deep in thought about an office problem. From building came sounds of a door shutting and someone run out and straight into John. The man apologized and John saw the man had his face. It was a strange and fearful meeting.

Chapter 2; GETTING TO KNOW ME John introduced himself. He worked as a computer programmer and worked in a multinational company in Bristol. He was offered to lead a young Hungarian team. He had attended one-to-one Hungarian language lessons with a pretty teacher named Andrea. Finally, they fell in love and got married 18 months later. They lived in the Hollan utca and Thirteenth District on the Pest side of the city. John met himself in one of the streets there.

Chapter 3; A SEARCH John took some rest before following the man that had face like him and reached the entrance to a bar cellar. He then realised that only his footprints seen while that mans footprints did not. He entered the caf and asked the caf owner about the man but he did not saw him. John stayed for an hour and had a few drinks. He had to lie to Andrea the reason he came back late. He flashed back to the incident of meeting a man like him. He cannot sleep as he could forget the image of the man.

Chapter 4; 7 FELKA UTCA The following day, Tuesday, John was distracted at work. He thought out carefully the time he should be outside the building where he had met the man yesterday. The man had come out from flat 7 Felka utca. John waited the opposite to number 7 Felka utca but it was a useless wait. Then, John went to the cellar bar at Gergely utca. The barman asked whether John had found his friend. That night, John dreamt of himself running out of the buliding and into someone who fell down. He saw that it was himself lying on the ground. That dream made him awake.

Chapter 5; I TELL ANDREA Starting that day, John would wait outside 7 Felka utca, go to the bar and then went home after work. Every night he had the same nightmare and woke up feeling fearful. He became grumpy and impatient even with Andrea due to tiredness and lack of sleep. He began to lose focus especially at work. One evening, Andrea questioned him with tearful eyes and he had to tell the truth. She laughed with relief that John was not having an affair. She suggested that they did investigation.

Chapter 6; TALKING TO THE HOUSEKEEPERS On Saturday morning, John and Andrea walked to Felka utca. John felt happy and relaxed because not having the nightmare last night. They questioned the housekeeper, a lady who had there for 21 years. She cannot help them very much. John was disturbed by the fact the man had left no footprints. Then, they asked the housekeeper at Gergely utca but got the same answer. They went into the cellar bar and had drink. Andrea cannot believe that the man could be the spirit of a dead person such as being told by John.

Chapter 7; DOPPELGANGER Johns life had returned to normal. He was not having the dream and visited the caf again. He got baby news as Andrea was pregnant that time. However, Andrea had lost her biggest job, fifteen hours a week at an international bank. Zsolt offered to take in Andrea as a helper in the cellar bar. She agreed and managed to make changes. This attracted more customers. John found that what happened to him was called doppelgnger. However, he did not know the reason why it appeared.

Chapter 8; A HOLIDAY John and Andrea had a baby girl on 16th September and they named her Kati. They went to England for the Christmas holiday. John and Andrea went into Swindon town to do some Christmas shopping. The following day, John went to the village pub hoping to meet some old friends. He met Paul, one of his closest friends at school. After exchanged news, John told him about the doppelgnger. Paul said that phenomenon did exist and warned that they also were the messenger of bad news. His family returned to Hungary and spent New Year with Andreas family. Andrea wanted John to be more focused on the family but he was distracted.

Chapter 9; THE DATE GETS CLOSER AGAIN On 11th January night, John suddenly had the fearful dreams again. He read his diary and realised that he met with the strange man on 18th January of last year. He had to find out what happened at Felka utca and Gergely utca on 18th January in the past. He persuaded Andrea to follow him to Felka utca on 18 th January. She agreed but that that was her last involvement. This time he dreamed of hearing a loud noise in the street just before the man came out of the door.

Chapter 10; 18 JANUARY On Sunday, John and Andrea prepared for their trip to Felka utca with uncertain feelings. They left home at 3.00 p.m. as they were supposed to attend a tea party. They spent time a Margaret Island but not in a happy mood. By 6.30 p.m., they were standing opposite number 7 Felka utca. Andrea stayed there while John stood outside the door of Felka utca. Suddenly, there was a loud noise. A man ran out into John causing John to fall. He ran off and saw he had Johns face. John ran after the man until Zsolts bar which was closed. Andrea said that she did not see anyone other than John. John had the dream again that night.

Chapter 11; A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY John asked for some time off work as he must take care of Kati. He was given afternoons off for a week or two. John secreted his arrangement from Andrea. For the next few afternoons, John went to the Budapest City Library. He read news about Budapest starting from ten years before then. On Saturday, he attracted to a headline, YOUNG MOTHER AND CHILD KILLED AS FIGHTING ENDS IN PEST. The story was of a Mrs. Szabo and her daughter who were killed in a cellar in a Gergely utca building that was destroyed by a bomb on 18th January. When John got home, Andrea knew that he was lying and wanted to know the truth. He explained it and seeks for her help. However, Andrea refused to help him anymore.

Chapter 12; LOOKING FOR THE TRUTH John knew that Andrea had the right to be upset but he needed to solve his problem. John met the housekeeper at Gergely utca and asked about Szabo family but got useless answer. He later went to Gergely utca and asked the housekeeper

the same answer. He was told that a Szabo family was at the third floor. That person was unfriendly and not the one that John looking for. John talked Mrs. Fischer and got the information needed. He lost his wife and daughter in the incident of the Russian bomb that destroyed the cellar in a Gergely utca building. Janos himself died in the street fighting in 1956. John was happy because knew the truth.

Chapter 13; PROBLEMS AT HOME John was both interested and worried by Mrs Fischers story about Janos Szabo. Although he knew that Andrea was not interested, John took the risk and told her about Janos. Andrea thought that John was ill. John was disappointed with Andreas attitude. Their relationship was not as close as before. John memorised back the fact that he got.

Chapter 14; ANOTHER YEARS GOES BY John and Andrea were not close anymore. However their relationship started getting better as they took Kati to England for the second time in August. This made him forget about meeting himself. The rest of the year was good as Andrea and John spent time on their work and Kati. They spent a quite Christmas at home and New Year with Andreas family. John had his dream again as 18th January was around the corner. He felt that his doppelgnger was linked to Andrea.

Chapter 15; I DISCOVER SOME MORE FACTS As John walked home from work, je wondered if he should go to Felka utca on 18 th January. From a sign in a tailors shop, he made the connection between his name

and the doppelgnger. Feeling uncomfortable, he had a drink at Zsolts bar. Then, he went to see Mrs Fischer in Felka utca. She told him straight off that he looked like Janos. She went on and told that Johns wife was called Andrea and his daughter named Kati. John felt sick after hearing that. The final frightening fact was that he and Janos had the same birthday which is on 23 October. John believed his doppelgnger was trying to tell something and hoped he could meet again on 18th January.

Chapter 16; IT ALL HAPPENS AGAIN John had the dream every night with all different aspects in different degrees. The same was the sound of a mans voice shouting for help and calling out Andrea and Katis names. John woke up feeling afraid. On Saturday, 18 th January, John reached home at half past six but Andrea and Kati was not at home. A note from Andrea mentioned that they were in Zsolts bar. John panicked when he saw the note and immediately ran out into the street to get to the bar but turned into 7 Felka utca. Just then, there was a loud explosion in Gergely utca and followed by shout for help. John ran out and into his doppelgnger with worrying about what would he found in Gergely utca.

Chapter 17; WE MUST GET THEM OUT! The street at Gergely utca was full of smoke. Car alarms were ringing and broken glass were scattered. Zsolts bar looked completely destroyed and a terrible thought struck John. He shouted that his wife and daughter were in the bar and needed to be rescued. The people managed to cooperate and formed a team to get rid of wood and stone. Soon, rescue fire, police and ambulance team arrived and persuaded him to leave. However, he insisted that his wife and daughter needed

help. He was helped to the ambulance and had rest. He slept for a few minutes and woke up. The police told him that they did not get any news yet. John has to answer before being asked to go home and wait. John realized that nobody can survive with the explosion. He regretted not having a deep thought about what the reason of his doppelganger to appear. He also regretted not telling Andrea about his dream and the information he got from Mrs Fischer.

Chapter 18; UNEXPECTED HELP John walked alone along Gergely utca, feeling hopeless. He walked into somebody and looked up saw his doppelgnger. The doppelgnger pointed at something. He saw Andrea and Kati. They held each other and Andrea told that they were saved by Johns friend, his doppelgnger. Actually, when Andrea and Kati wanted to get into the bar, they were stopped by Johns doppelgnger stood in front of the door and refused to move aside. Kati cried that the person was not John. Andrea remembered that the book had said about being seen by someone else if it had an important message. She understood that the man wanted her to leave and so she went home. From the flat, she heard the explosion and quickly went to check it out. She was afraid John might be in the bar. Andrea and John concluded it was a strange story.

Moral Values
Thinking positive about problems We must be positive and not afraid to face our problems, Like John, when we have problems of whatever nature, we should be positive and face up to them.

Honesty We must be honest with our family members about ourselves and our action. Although John had a white lie with Andrea about coming home late, it still not wise. If he told the truth earlier, he would not suffer that problem alone.

Believing ourselves We must believe in ourselves and what we see with our own eyes. We may have witnessed something unusual and people will say that we are mistaken. But, we know what we have seen and so we should stay strong and have faith in ourselves.

Did you enjoy the story?

Andrea should believe John, her husband about his dream and his incident meeting a person looks like himself! She let John suffered it alone. It was lucky for her and the baby, Kati was saved from an explosion by Johns doppelgnger. However, that does not mean that I hate the story. I love it, a lot. Through this story, I gain many moral values to be adapted in our real life such as believing and taking care of each other. In directly, it gives us information about the existence of
doppelgnger which I never heard before. Sometimes, we have to look the

past for being a better person in the future.