World civilizations in eighteenth century Term Paper

World civilizations in eighteenth century - Term Paper Example Therefore the workforce required for agriculture decreased and this led to a migration of this workforce to the field of industry, which in turn led to the industrial revolution. Before the industrial revolution, goods were manufactured using basic hand tools or machines in homes. The introduction of powered machinery that could mass produce goods in factories, led to the need for new markets for these goods, as well as new means of transportation to carry them. Mechanization of the textile industry coupled with improved techniques for making iron, and the invention of the steam engine, that revolutionized the transport system, in turn led to improved systems of trade and finance. Engines and machines that could do away with the physical labor of man, besides cutting down the time taken to accomplish it was a blessing indeed! Britain was the first to begin mechanized spinning and weaving because she was blessed with the moist weather conditions that helped in this industry. Besides, the fast moving streams supplied hydropower for these mills. As the economy moved from manual to machine based manufacturing, the manufacturing time was slashed and new markets were needed for these goods. The mechanization of spinning was followed in quick succession by the development of techniques for making iron. The introduction of the steam engine was the final triumph that revolutionized the transport system and increased the use of refined coal to power these steam engines. Britain being an island nation, her ports enabled her to trade in these goods and at this time Britain indeed ruled the waves. The efforts of British entrepreneurs were rewarded due to the fact that they had a large and ready market for their goods. Growing trade and commerce in... This paper shows that the thinkers wanted to bring about changes in society through the promotion of education and scientific thinking. In some European countries, a system of government called â€Å"Enlightened Despotism† came into being. Later, we are shown the need to feed the growing population, which led to a transformation in agricultural systems like improved machinery, scientific methods of breeding and introduction of new crops and crop rotation. Throughout the paper, we are given more and more information on the introduction of powered machinery that could mass produce goods in factories, led to the need for new markets for these goods, as well as new means of transportation to carry them. This paper also focuses on trade. Trade systems were dominated by those who held sway over the seas, and expansion of trade depended on the acquisition of colonies and the superiority of naval power. Swiftly from trade, the paper talks about the banking. For example, the Bank of En gland that worked as a government bank as well as a commercial operation, led to the setting up of a number of private banks throughout the country. In conclusion, we see that this industrial revolution transformed the lives of people in every stratum of British, European and American society. Building on the ideas of enlightenment of thinkers such as Voltaire and Rousseau, the eighteenth century saw the overthrow of despotic rule through the American and French revolutions and sowed the seeds of many more such upheavals in the centuries that followed.

Business Strategy Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business Strategy Assessment - Essay Example (Clark P. 2007) b) Ryan Air decided to buy aircrafts of the model Boeing 731 only. This reduced the company's inventory volume as less stock of spare parts was required to store. The pressure on crew training was also less and the maintenance staff could easily repair the aircrafts resulting into quick service. c) In order to reduce the landing costs, the company used airports like, Alghero (Sardinia) and Dinard (Brittany), which are not at all popular airports. These airports were looking forward to grow their business and thus offered competitive landing charges to Ryan Air. d) The company reduced the cost of outsourcing its services to third parties like travel agents for booking their flights. This helped the company to reduce cost by 10%-15%. So far the company facilitates only its official website and its own call center service for booking of the flights. e) Advertising is a vital part of growing business. Ryan Air reduced this cost as well by writing its low airfare captions on the aircraft body and relied more on the word-of-mouth advertising of the customers. 2. According to Michael Porter there are two basic kinds of competitive advantage- Cost advantage, where a firm delivers the same benefits as that of its competitors but at a lower cost, and differentiation advantage, where the competitive advantage of a firm lies in providing benefits that exceed those of the competitors. Among the positional advantages Ryan Air focused on cost advantage for reaping higher profits. Ryan Air's rival firms were British Airways and Ager Lingus and both airlines possessed higher financial position than Ryan Air. Moreover the company went into a rapid loss that called for its restructuring during 1991. Hence, focusing on differentiation advantage for increasing the firm's profit would have been a major mistake by Ryan Air. The company used its capability of rigorous cost minimization and introduced the surprisingly low airfares in the market. Thus the various measures of cost minimization by the company formed its distinctive competencies and helped the firm make a better place for itself in the industry. (Competitive Advantage, n.d.) Part 2 1. The decision tree above shows expected long-run profits of Lynne taking into account its decisions (square boxes) and the uncertainties (circles) in the economy. Lynee has two options before it: Staying in the present location Relocating to cheaper premises Hence both the decisions have a probability of .5. In both the situation it is faced with three different conditions of the economy and they have their respective probabilities of occurrence. In the aforementioned case, there are 6 distinct situations Lynne can face, Situation 1. Lynne stays in its present location and there is a downturn in the economy. Situation 2. Lynne stays in its present location and there is an upturn in the economy. Situation 3. Lynne stays in her present location and the economy remains the same. Situation 4. Lynne moves into a cheaper premise and there is

Memoir of American Sniper Essay Example for Free

Memoir of American Sniper Essay Growing up in a small southern town, Kyle always loved the thrill of hunting, the adrenaline of a rodeo and the adventures of cowboys. Little did he know that his career would include each of these elements. Through his four tours of duty, Kyle served in many major battles of the Iraqi war and ranked over 160 confirmed kills. His first kill came in late March 2003. His Seal Team was tasked to assist the marines as they marched toward Baghdad. Set up on the roof of a run down building, he observed through his scope a woman yank a Chinese grenade from beneath her clothes. As ordered to, he opened fire and consequently saved several Americans’ lives. Over time he increased his accuracy and lethality. One day, he spotted a group of three insurgents 1,600 yards away. Though they believed they were a safe distance away, Kyle incredibly dialed up his own solution, and killed one of them; that shot resulted in his longest confirmed kill in Iraq. I liked this memoir because Kyle demonstrates his patriotism and his selflessness through his perilous adventures. Kyle enlisted in the Seals to honor America, and to protect her people. Chris â€Å"risked [his] life for [his] buddies, to protect [his] friends and fellow countrymen† (267). Furthermore, even though he had a newborn baby, he sacrificed his responsibility as a father in order to serve his country. His extreme patriotism and selflessness allowed him to become a legend.

A Study Into The To Petrochemical Industry Information Technology Essay

A Study Into The To Petrochemical Industry Information Technology Essay The petrochemical industry has been one of the fastest growing industries. This industry not only has an immense importance in the growth of economy of the country but also in growth and development of manufacturing industry .It provides the foundation for manufacturing. The petrochemical industry is oligopolistic in nature. At a large extent there were only four major companys viz. Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Ltd. (IPCL), Gas Authority of India Ltd. (GAIL) and Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd. (HPL) who used to dominate the industry. The recent amalgamation of IPCL with RIL has made the industry more concentrated further, as they jointly account for over 70% of countrys total petrochemical capacity. Characteristics The petrochemical industry is a cyclical industry. This industry is dominated by volatile feedstock prices and sulky demand. India consumes one of the lowest per capita consumptions of petrochemical products. Growth During 1970s, the petrochemical industry came into existence. The rapid growths for this industry were seen in 1980s and 1990s. The actual reason for this growth was there was a huge demand for petrochemicals in India during that time at an annual rate of 13 to 14%. It is also known for rapid expansion of capacity. In India the average annual growth is 14 to 16% over 2007-2011. However, the industry suffered setbacks in 2008 due to change in the price of crude oil . It will be tough for Indian petrochemical industry by 2012 to plug the deficit of 5mn TPA of ethylene and 4mn TPA of polymer. Presently India has three gas-based and three naphtha-based cracker complexes which has capacity to produce 2.9 MMT of ethylene annually. What are petrochemicals? Petrochemicals are products which are derived from petroleum . Many chemical compounds which are derived from petroleum are obtained from fossil fuels like coal or natural gas, or from renewable sources such as sugar cane. Two petrochemical classes are olefins and aromatic. Olefins include ethylene and propylene, and aromatics includes benzene, toluene and xylene isomers. Oil refineries produce olefins in chemical plants by steam cracking of natural gas liquids like ethane and propane and aromatics by fluid catalytic cracking of petroleum fractions. Aromatics are produced by catalytic reforming of naphtha, Olefins and aromatics are the building blocks for solvents, detergents, and adhesives. Olefins are also the basis for polymers and oligomers used in plastics, resins, fibres, lubricants, and gels. Primary petrochemicals depending on their chemical structure are divided into three groups: Olefins include ethylene, propylene, and butadiene. Important sources of industrial chemicals and plastics products include Ethylene and propylene . Butadiene is used in making synthetic rubber. Aromatics include benzene, toluene, and xylens.. The raw material used for preparing dyes and synthetic detergents is benzene, and that for preparing isocyanates materials used are benzene and toluene. MDI and TDI are used in making polyurethanes. Manufacturers use xylenes to produce plastics and synthetic fibers. A product of carbon monoxide and hydrogen can be used to make ammonia and methanol. Ammonia which is further used to prepare urea which can be used as a fertilizer. Methanol is used as a solvent as well as a chemical intermediate. ANALYSIS : Manufacturing and production Manufacturing is a process which uses labour and machines to produce goods for use or sale. It is usually applied to industrial production where the raw materials are converted into finished products. Manufacturing and production information system A manufacturing system is a system which facilitates for a quicker and an efficient change from making one product to another product, using often robotics and other automation. Usually the change is computer-controlled. Manufacturing MIS This consists of 3 steps Material requirements planning (MRP) It determines when finished products are needed It determines the deadlines accordingly Manufacturing resource planning (MRPII) Network scheduling Improves customer service improves productivity Just in time (JIT) inventory system inventory and materials that are delivered right before usage Production system A production system is a computer program which provides us with some form of artificial intelligence primarily consisting of a set of rules about behaviour. These rules which are termed as productions are a basic representation which is useful in automated planning, expert systems and action selection. This system provides us with mechanisms which are necessary to execute productions in order to achieve some goal for the system. South Asian Petrochem Produces Management Reports in Minutes with New ERP Solution South Asian Petrochem which is Headquartered in Kolkata, India, manufactures and markets polyethylene Terepthalate (PET) resins which is used in the packaging of mineral water, carbonated soft drinks, edible oil, and pharmaceuticals. The organization operates a 200,000-ton per annum (TPA) processing plant which is export-oriented at Haldia in West Bengal, and records a 43% increase in profit in the last financial year before tax. On July 26, 2008, Petrochem discussed to contribute around 70% of the initial equity required to establish a 315,000 TPA PET plant in Egypt at its annual general meeting. Haldia plant is going into commercial production in September 2003 to support planned growth. The Petrochem needs to implement an enterprise resource planning package. The organization engaged PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) India to develop a strategic information system plan and undertake an enterprise-wide business transformation exercise based on Oracle E-Business Suite. New PET Plant Delivers Product Quality Zimmer AG Germany has designed and built a system for South Asian Petrochems Haldia plant using leading-edge technologies. The PET produced by the plant which is bottle-graded is clear, strong, and they can be easily moulded to various complex shapes, that give customers scope to customize their designs to meet the brand and the market requirements. With continuous polycondensation lines, it has started delivering a broad product range and operational flexibility. A DCS which is distributed control system optimizes the process line performance, and an uninterrupted supply is ensured by a captive power plant. The Haldia facility ensures that the product quality meets the exacting customer standards. With the organizations professional marketing team and technical services staff that are available around the clock to respond to customer requirements controls the quality. South Asian Petrochem has migrated from its existing Tally business accounting and inventory management software to a system which is highly functional, scalable, and powerful enterprise resource planning system to take full advantage of the potential of the products and quality of the staff. ERP Provides Platform for Growth South Asian Petrochem has opted to implement a system which is based on modules from Oracle E-Business Suite after reviewing a range of competing solution like one of which includes SAP to undertake preventive maintenance that has tremendously reduced production losses from equipment failure. If proper maintenance is taken into account then the costs incurred would be in fixing the equipments rather than ensuring that the parts are maintained and replaced in line with a proper schedule. Oracle also gives the system the controls that are necessary to optimize the equipment maintenance and usage throughout the plant and it also meets the customers demands. South Asian Petrochem has planned to integrate the Oracle Fixed Assets with the Oracle Enterprise Asset Management to ensure that it can not only track its assets but it can also identify the costs incurred in maintaining the individual items. . Timely Reporting The Oracle system allows South Asian Petrochem to prepare management reports which gives critical updates on the inventories ranging from raw materials to finished products within minutes and also on those areas which affects the commercial operation of its plant. It is reported that using this system a report can be prepared that combines month to date production, dispatch, finished stocks, and orders that can be produced in a minute to 90 seconds. Before implementation of Oracle, the reports were not obtained nearly as quickly or in as much detail. Using oracle discoverer better-informed and quick business decisions reports can be prepared which improves the customer service. Streamlined Processes South Asian Petrochem has the ability to closely monitor its dispatch schedule, quality control and stock position that allows the organization to adhere to its customers commitments. Any grievances caused to the customers can be attended quickly by identifying the lot which was dispatched can be isolated and dealt with any quality aspects. The Petrochem is also planning to integrate the DCS which is governing the plant with Oracle to ensure proper production schedules and information which can be shared in an automated way between the systems. This would help the organisation in further reducing the work and time which is required to reconcile the jobs and to manage the consumption of the raw materials effectively. Why Oracle? South Asian Petrochem has selected Oracle E-Business Suite as a foundation for its new system after undergoing detailed evaluations of alternatives from Navision, Ram co, and SAP. Oracle has a strong philosophy and business model, as it delivers greater value compared to the other competitors. Also the solution modules can be implemented in phased fashion. Implementation Process As the manufacturing plant at Haldia is charged with implementing Oracle E-Business Suite to improve process control, PwC has divided this project into two phases. The first phase which had been started in May 2003 was completed in September 2003 included spanned purchasing ,management of orders , inventory and financial modules like fixed assets ,accounts payable and receivable , general lodger and cash management. The second phase was commenced in January 2004 which covered the entire Enterprise Asset Management and the suite for process manufacturing, including the Formula Management, Production Supervision, Quality Costing, and Manufacturing Accounting Controller. The first phase was over in just four months which highlighted PwCs sound project management and gave an effective solution for delivery .The phase was completed in October 2006 and it has allowed South Asian Petrochem take full advantage of the stability of the database. This software has not only enhanced functionality of the newer applications suite but also has ensured continued support. This software is being used by a huge range of staff that is located both at the plant as well as at the headquarters, including also the senior management and accounts employees. Conclusion and Findings The increased stability of Oracle E-Business Suite has given the confidence to proceed with the integration. The company is determined that the accuracy of the records would increase and our staff resources could be redirected to higher value jobs. They would be a lot more efficient and would also achieve faster reconciliation of information and reduce the consumption of raw materials by integrating the oracle software with the control systems located at the plant. With this software the company has started producing management reports within few minutes giving all the important details about production, dispatch and information regarding the finished stock. It has also reduced the outages due to breakdown of the equipments by improving the preventive maintenance scheduling.

The Price of Objectivity :: essays research papers

The Price of Objectivity   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway is one of the pre-eminent works of modernist literature. It set the tone for the several decades of literature that was to follow. It delves deeply into the 'lost generation' that was created after the first wold war. A generation that lost any idealism that their predecessors had. A generation that lost any emotional attachment to the world around them. This is a trait that is predominant throughout Hemingway's novel as the narrator, Jake Barnes, remains clinically detached from the events that transpire around him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jake was an ambulance driver in the first world war and as with many of his peers, his experiences left him with a severe emotional disillusionment with the world as a whole. Not to mention the lack of functioning genitalia which certainly didn't help him identify positively with the world. Essentially, if it didn't involve Jake, he couldn't care less. For example, Jake watches a man get gored through the back by a stampeding bull and die, then waits for the rocket to go off signaling that the bulls were coralled and then simply walks off. He doesn't concern himself with the health of the (then) wounded man, he doesn't contemplate whether the running of the bulls was a worthwhile risk in the name of fun and games. He simply watches, then leaves without the slightest tint of subjectivity to his narrative. He remains perfectly objective, simply a watcher in the grand scheme of life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  And what does Jake watch exactly? He watches as everything goes around in circles, always ending up in the same place as it started. The group as a whole heads out drinking, only to wake up the next morning to repeat the process with nothing changed. Brett, although engaged to a man who loves her, is hopelessly in love with Jake. Jake is forced to watch as she passes along from Mike, to Cohn, to Romero and then back to Mike before finally ending up right back where she started with Jake. Jake watches as every event he witness returns full circle. A cycle that the title, 'The Sun Also Rises', refers to. Just like the sun also rises only to hasten to the place where it arose, so do the events of the characters in the book, giving off the image that life is futile and nothing ever gets accomplished.

The Naturalist Ideas Essay -- Literary Analysis, Societal Structures

Important aspects of naturalism are the ideas that people are essentially animals responding to their basic urges without rational thought, and the insignificance of man to others and nature. In The Jungle, Sinclair portrays Jurgis as a man slowly changing into animal as well as a man whose actions are irrelevant to the rest of the corrupt capitalist world of Chicago in order to show the reader the naturalist ideas of the struggles between man and society. Jurgis's struggle between human thought and animalistic tendencies are evident in several major events in the book. In the beginning of Jurgis's life in Chicago, he can disregard most of the obstacles thrown at him by the corruption of man and keep his rational thinking dominant of his animal-like instincts. However, when Jurgis finds out that Connor has violated, harassed, threatened, and raped his wife Ona, he reached his breaking point. Jurgis was so overwhelmed with rage, he reverted back to his primal instincts and "sunk his teeth into the man's cheek" (153). We again see Jurgis "animal instincts" when he escapes from the city and lives in the countryside from a while. He has given up on being rational and has resorted to use his survival instincts like stealing and scavenging to survive. Sinclair shows us how these instincts will not help us survive in the end. Whenever Jurgis behaves like an animal, he is punished in some kind of way like an animal. When he attacks Co nnor, he is sent to prison and when he is in the rural area, he does not get any money to help him survive. Moreover, Jurgis does everything he can to help his family and himself survive, but regardless of his actions, the corrupt society plows through him without remorse or regret. Jurgis's op... ...te the flawed example of muckraking by The Jungle, the main reason for the use of muckraking was and still is an effective way of revealing the corruption of politics and businesses. Although The Jungle may not have served Sinclair purposes for social reform, it brought reform to the way food is handled. Without the enlightening view of the meat-packing business, even if false, the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act may never have been created. We still see examples of muckraking today from Morgan Spurlock's Super Size Me to magazines like People, Time, Cosmopolitan, and National Geographic. Muckraking is one of the few ways that the average person can find out about information quickly and easily. In certain cases, it even connects the nations together in order to fight a common enemy, whether it is political, social, natural, or supernatural.

The Secret of Ella and Micha Chapter 5

Micha There she is, the girl I used to know. It's visible in her green eyes that she's getting turned on. She was always weird like that, the speed, the danger always got her own engine burning. Then I have to slow down and all the fire dissolves. She puts on her seatbelt and mutters something about the Ella I know being gone forever, but I'm calling her out. I have big plans to bring my best friend back, whether she likes it or not. She's wearing a short skirt and tank top that's tight enough to show off her curves. It's driving me crazy that I can't touch her. â€Å"What happened to the turnout?† she asks as we drive by the spot we use to park at during small town cruising. â€Å"It looks like you can't even take the road up to the cove anymore.† â€Å"You can if you walk or have four-wheel drive and ramp the hill.† The turnout is blocked off by a large fence so that no cars can reach the dirt road that leads to a secluded area near the lake. â€Å"They blocked it off after they busted a bunch of people for drug and alcohol possession.† â€Å"Anyone I know?† she inquires, feigning indifference. I thrum my fingers on top of the steering wheel. â€Å"Yeah, you're sitting next to one of them. But mine was only for alcohol.† Her friend gasps in the backseat and I catch Ella secretly rolling her eyes. â€Å"What'd you get?† she asks nonchalantly. â€Å"Probation and anger management classes.† I return her indifference. Her head turns toward me. â€Å"Anger management classes?† â€Å"I also punched Grantford Davis in the face,† I explain. â€Å"Pretty hard. Broke his nose and everything.† Her friend gasps again and I wonder how Ella could be friends with her. She seems like a naive princess. Ella studies me acutely with her beautiful eyes that always give away what she's really thinking. â€Å"Why did you punch him?† â€Å"I think you know why.† I carry her gaze forcefully. â€Å"I asked him to drive me to the bridge, Micha,† she says it like it strangles her. â€Å"It wasn't his fault. He was just doing it as a favor.† â€Å"He should have never left you there alone.† I flip the blinker on, making a turn down a dirt road that leads into a field of tall, dry grass. â€Å"Not in that condition. You could barely think straight. In fact, do you even remember anything about that night?† She fiddles with a band of bracelets on her wrists. â€Å"I'm not sure.† â€Å"Are you not sure?† I accuse. â€Å"Or do you not want to admit it?† She starts to open her mouth, but then clamps her lips shut, and turns toward the window, dismissing me and the conversation. Ella The night I went to the bridge, I had been in a weird funk the entire day. My mom died a few weeks earlier and I couldn't seem to get rid of this vile feeling in my chest and I wanted it to go away. Badly. So I took drastic measures and decided to walk in my mother's footsteps for a night. My mom wasn't awful. She had her good moments, but had a lot of bad ones too. When she was up, she was great – a lot of fun. At least that's what I thought when I was young. However, when I got older, there was a painful realization that it wasn't normal to go on huge shopping sprees, take off in the middle of the night for a road trip, pretend she could fly†¦ But the night on the bridge wasn't the worst night I'd ever experienced. It was just the last push to my rapid decline toward the loss of control over my life. â€Å"Ella, where are you?† Micha's voice snaps me out of my own head. â€Å"You were dazing off on me there.† We're parked in front of Grady's single-wide trailer located in a field, near a junkyard and an abandoned apartment complex. I unbuckle my seatbelt, climb out of the car, and flip the seat forward to let Lila out. â€Å"No thanks.† She shakes her head, cowering back in the seat. â€Å"I think I'll wait in here.† â€Å"You're much safer inside.† Micha points to a crumbling shack in the middle of the field. â€Å"That's a crack house over there and trust me, if they see you sitting in here, by yourself, they're going to come over and harass you.† Micha's messing with her, but I let him be because this place isn't that safe of a spot. Her face pinches and she scrambles out of the car. â€Å"Who is this person's house we're at? It's not a drug dealer, is it?† â€Å"No, it's just an old friend.† I trade a secret glance with Micha and feelings rush through me like the sun and the wind. Grady was once Micha's stepfather. His mother and Grady were married for a few years and most of our happy childhood memories consist of him, camping, fishing, working on cars. Between the ages of eight and nine life was solid, not broken to pieces. I meet Micha around the front of the car and when he takes my hand, I don't object. Being here is like traveling through time and it hurts to know that the man who showed me that life can be good is dying. Lila tugs the bottom of her dress down self-consciously. â€Å"Are you sure I'm okay going in here?† â€Å"Relax,† I tell her as we reach the rickety front porch. â€Å"Grady is a good guy, he just likes living an unmaterialistic lifestyle. He chooses to live in a place like this.† She forces a tense smile. â€Å"Alright, I'm relaxing.† Micha squeezes my hand and then knocks on the door. A few knocks later and we let ourselves in. It's like I remember, and it makes me smile because it's comforting. Grady was a big traveler when he was younger and his walls map his destinations; petite nesting dolls from his trip to Russia on a small bookshelf, a painted Bokota mask from Africa hooked to the wall, a large hookah from Nepal sitting on a small fold up table. It overwhelms me and tugs at my memories. The trailer is small with a narrow kitchen connected to a boxed in living room and the three of us nearly fill up the space. Micha slides his hand up my arm and draws me to him. â€Å"Are you going to be okay?† I nod, forcing the tears away. Micha kisses my temple and I don't retreat this time, allowing myself one small moment. â€Å"It'll be okay,† Micha says. â€Å"And I'm here for you.† Time's up. â€Å"Where is he?† I take a deep breath, move away from Micha, and smother the old Ella away. He points over my shoulder. I turn around and my heart drops to my stomach. The medium build, tall man, with bright blue eyes and a head full of hair, has shifted into a frail, skeletal figure, with sunken eyes and his head shaved. His plaid jacket drowns his body and the belt around his jeans has holes added to it. I hesitate to hug him. â€Å"How are you? Are you okay?† â€Å"I'm always okay. You know that. Not even a little cancer can bring me down.† He smiles and it's just as bright as it was. Using his cane, he hobbles toward me. I meet him halfway, in front of the tattered leather recliner and give him a gentle hug, afraid I might break him. â€Å"How have you been, my little Ella May?† He steps back to take a look at me. â€Å"You look different.† I self-consciously touch my hair. â€Å"I changed my looks a little. Thought I could use a change or two.† He shakes his head contemplatively. â€Å"No, it's not that. There's something else. You seem sad.† â€Å"I'm fine,† I deny and not very well. â€Å"I feel great.† He offers me a tolerant smile. â€Å"You've never been a good liar, you know that. I always knew it was you who broke the vase.† From behind me, Micha nods concurring. â€Å"It's her eyes. They show way too much. Although she thinks differently.† â€Å"If you knew I broke the vase,† I say, â€Å"then why didn't you call me out on it?† Grady laughs and exchanges a look with Micha. â€Å"Because the elaborate story you made up won my heart over, I guess. Besides, it was just a vase.† The tension resolves, except with Lila who looks like she doesn't know what to do with herself. She dawdles near the door, fidgeting with her watch and her hair as she glances around the snug trailer. â€Å"Grady, this is Lila,† I introduce, motioning her to come closer. â€Å"She was my college roommate.† Lila steps forward and gives him a small wave. â€Å"It's nice to meet you.† â€Å"Same here.† Grady nods his head welcomingly and then arches his eyebrows at me. â€Å"So college? That's where you ran off to.† â€Å"I'm sorry I didn't tell you when I called,† I apologize. â€Å"I just needed a break. From everything.† â€Å"I'm not going to lie and say it didn't hurt a little.† He rests his weight on the cane, and his arms and legs look too thin to be moving. â€Å"You're like a daughter to me and I thought you trusted me enough to come to me if you were going through something.† His eyes dart to Micha and I wonder if he's told Grady about that night eight months ago on the bridge. â€Å"I need to make a phone call.† Micha holds up his phone as he backs for the door. â€Å"Lila, why don't you come outside with me?† Lila gladly obliges and the door swings shut behind them, rocking the house. Grady collapses into the recliner, sighing with relief. â€Å"We need to talk.† Preparing myself for a lecture, I drop into the concaved sofa across from him. â€Å"I'm in trouble, aren't I?† â€Å"Do you think you need to be in trouble?† He props his cane against the coffee table. I pull a throw pillow on my lap and slump back into the couch. â€Å"I don't know. It's hard to tell what's right and what's wrong anymore or what's up and what's down even.† He rocks in the recliner. â€Å"You've always had a good grasp on what's right and wrong. You just have a hard time admitting that sometimes you choose the wrong.† â€Å"I know that.† I gesture at myself. â€Å"That's why I changed into an Ella who doesn't do any wrong and who can keep control of her life.† â€Å"That's not what this is. This is you running from life and you can't control everything. Even if you want to.† His words send a chill through my spine. I pluck at a loose thread on the pillow. â€Å"Did Micha tell you about the night before I left†¦ did he tell you what happened – what I did?† He presses his cracked lips together. â€Å"He did.† â€Å"So then you understand why I ran away. If I don't change, then I'll turn out like her – I'll turn out just like my mother,† I admit aloud for the first time and a weight lifts from my chest, but falls right back on it, seeming ten times heavier. â€Å"I'll lose control.† He hunches forward with a sad expression on his exhausted face. â€Å"You know I knew your mother really well.† â€Å"But only because you always had to come fix everything after she had one of her episodes.† â€Å"Sweetie, you're not her. Your mother was sick – she had a mental illness.† â€Å"Bipolar Disorder is hereditary,† I say quietly. There is a higher chance that I have it just because she had it.† â€Å"But it doesn't mean you will.† With unsteady legs, he pushes up from the chair and sits down next to me on the sofa. â€Å"I think you're so afraid that you'll end up like your mom that you're hiding who you really are, but you can't control everything – no one can.† â€Å"But I can try,† I mutter and sit up, tossing the pillow off my lap. â€Å"You remember what I was like. All the crap I did. The stupid, irresponsible crap. I was a wreck waiting to happen and that night proved it. I almost†¦ I†¦ I almost killed myself.† â€Å"No, you didn't. I heard the story and you would have never gone through with it,† he says confidently. â€Å"You were just trying to sort through some stuff. You still are.† â€Å"No, I was going to do it,† I tell him, but it's a lie. â€Å"My mind may have been hindered, but I remember enough to know that when I climbed on top of that bridge, I was going to jump.† He shakes his head. â€Å"Then you don't remember what happened afterward with Micha.† â€Å"Yeah, I do.† I take a faltering breath. â€Å"I kissed him and then left him on the bridge. Then I went home, packed up my stuff, and ran away.† â€Å"No, something else happened that night.† His forehead scrunches. â€Å"Micha took you somewhere else. At least that's what he told me.† I scratch at my wrist, trying to recollect, but the events of that day are hazy. â€Å"I don't remember this at all.† â€Å"From what I understand you were out of it and pretty upset. Those two are not a good combination. Trust me, I've been there.† His fingers seek his cane. â€Å"Micha saved you from jumping, but there's more to it than that.† â€Å"When you say you've been there, what do you mean exactly?† â€Å"I mean, I've been at the place where it seems like the only way left is down.† I sift through his words. â€Å"You know, I came here to see if you're okay, and somehow all we've talked about is me.† â€Å"And that's exactly what I need,† he says. â€Å"I'm sick and tired of everyone wanting to talk about my death.† I open my mouth, but the front door squeaks open. I expect Micha, but a middle-aged woman in black sweat pants and a white t-shirt walks in. Her bleached hair is woven into a braid and she's carrying a large black bag. She grins at Grady as she shuts the door. â€Å"You're being bad again. You know you're not supposed to get out of bed.† Grady rolls his eyes, but his face lights up. â€Å"Yep, I've been bad. I guess you'll have to punish me.† I try to ignore their disturbing comments the best that I can, but it's ridiculously awkward. â€Å"Ella, this is Amy.† His serious demeanor alleviates as he says her name. I stand up from the couch to shake hands with Amy, noticing there's no ring on her finger. â€Å"Are you his nurse?† Grady starts to balance to his feet and she moves to help him, but he waves her off. â€Å"I got this. I'm not crippled yet. â€Å" She sighs and moves back. â€Å"Yes, I'm his nurse and I'm supposed to be taking care of him, but he's a stubborn man and refuses to let me do my job properly.† He growls and then chuckles. Using his cane, he heads toward the hall, his feet dragging along the orange shaggy carpet. â€Å"Ella, can you stop by tomorrow? I want to talk to you some more.† â€Å"Okay, I'll come back,† I promise as he vanishes down the hall. I turn to the nurse. â€Å"How bad is he?† She drops the bag on the counter and unzips it. â€Å"What did he tell you?† â€Å"That he has cancer,† I tell her as she takes out some baggies from the bag. â€Å"But that's all. He doesn't like to open up about himself.† Reaching into her bag, she extracts a handful of prescription bottles. â€Å"No, he doesn't, does he?† She shakes a bottle filled with clear liquid. â€Å"He has stage four bone cancer.† I nearly fall to the floor. â€Å"Stage four, but then that means that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It means that he has a hard, short road ahead of him,† she says frankly. â€Å"You're Ella Daniels, right? And your father is Raymond Daniels?† My fingers grasp the fabric of the recliner like it's a lifeline. â€Å"Yeah, why?† â€Å"No reason,† she says with a shrug. â€Å"Grady just talks about you sometimes.† â€Å"But you know my father,† I state warily. She zips up her bag and shuffles to the kitchen sink with the medication. â€Å"I was the nurse on call the night he was run over.† Because he was drunk out of his mind and decided to ride his bike in the middle of the highway. â€Å"So you take care of Grady, here at his home?† She turns on the faucet and fills up a glass of water. â€Å"I'm the home nurse he hired after he decided he didn't want to spend his last months in a hospital bed.† He only has months left? I need to regain control of the spiraling situation. I stumble for the door. â€Å"Tell Grady I'll see him tomorrow.† I trip down the steps and nearly eat dirt. Luckily Micha is at the bottom and he drops his phone to catch me. He steadies me to my feet, his fingers digging into my hips as he looks me over with concern. â€Å"Okay, what happened?† â€Å"He's dying,† I whisper, staring out at the dry field. â€Å"He's really dying.† â€Å"I know.† Micha holds onto me forcefully, the tips of his fingers touching my bare skin. â€Å"I told you this before we came over here.† My lungs restrict oxygen. â€Å"I thought when you said it†¦ well, I don't know what I thought, but not this.† I wave my hand at the door without looking at it. â€Å"Not a nurse. Not a few months left.† His hands move around to my back and he enfolds me against his chest. I rest my head against him, breathing in his comforting scent. I start to ask him what happened that night, but my fear of the truth shushes me. What if it's bad? What if it pushes me over the edge? â€Å"What do you want to do today?† he whispers. â€Å"You name it and it's done.† I pull away, blinking back the tears. My gaze travels to Lila sitting in the car, reapplying her lip gloss in the rearview mirror. â€Å"I have to take her to the shop and get her on the road.† Against my protest, Micha cups the back of my head, and lures me against him. â€Å"You could just ditch her.† I slap his arm. â€Å"Since when are you mean to girls?† â€Å"Since they keep complaining about the sheer drabness of the town,† he says in a mocking cheerleader voice. â€Å"And the bugs. It's ridiculous. Ten minutes out here with her and I want to lead her into the crack house over there and run.† â€Å"That's not a crack house and you know it.† I shake my head, forcing back a grin. â€Å"And I know you better than that. I'm sure you want to get in her pants.† He pauses, and then slowly his hand explores my back and sneaks to my ass. He grabs it, and bows my body into his, firing a heat deep inside my core and fumbling a moan from my lips. For a second, I forget where I am. â€Å"The only thing I want to get in is you,† he murmurs in my hair. I regain control and shove back. â€Å"Seriously? You're going to start this? Here of all places.† He swings a hand at the trailer. â€Å"Why not? Because of Grady? He'd be happy to finally see us together. He's been saying for years that you and I will end up together.† I cover my ears. â€Å"I can't listen to this.† In three long strides, he's in my face, nearly stepping on my toes. â€Å"You think that just because you left, it would change how I feel? Well, guess what? You're wrong. I can't help how I feel. I'm still in – â€Å" â€Å"Don't say it.† I point a finger at him. â€Å"Don't you dare, Micha Scott.† He holds up his hands, wide-eyed and derisive. â€Å"Oh, now I'm in trouble. You used my last name and everything.† I glance at the car, checking if Lila's eavesdropping, then whirl back and hiss, â€Å"You are in trouble. I've been back for less than a day and everything I've worked on concealing is falling apart because of you.† His aqua eyes are a fierce blue. â€Å"Good. You're fucking crazy if you think that you can run off and change your identity. This unfeeling, preppy girl thing you got going on,† he motions his hand at my tank top, white frilly skirt, and curly hair, â€Å"is nothing but bull shit. You can't just change who you are on the outside and expect it to change who you are on the inside.† Anger bubbles through me and I shove him. â€Å"You're wrong.† His boots scuff the dirt as he catches his balance and smiles haughtily. â€Å"Am I? Because right now that fire I love so much is burning pretty bright.† He reaches for my cheek, to touch me – entice me. â€Å"Micha, this is who I have to be otherwise I can't breathe. Please just leave it alone. That damn fire might exist, but I want it gone.† I spin my back to him, praying he'll listen to me for once, because if he keeps it up, sooner or later I won't be able to resist. But Micha has never backed down on a challenge in his life.