Have you ever wondered what life would be like if you could die for a day and then be brought safely back to life, just to see what people say about you? By people I mean, friends, family and co-workers.

At present we cannot always afford the reaped rewards that are consequences but when we do they not only makes fools of us, but they teach us a lesson – which is what happened to me.

One morning sat at my kitchen table, coffee in one hand and television remote in the other, I flick through the channels to find nothing but re-runs of chat shows and the occasional telesales advert on. Switching off the television I sit and listen. Nothing. Complete silence. Since when was my life this boring? No friends around, I’ve seen no-one for days – not even my own mother who is at my door at 10am sharp regardless to the fact I may not even be out of bed yet, let alone dressed for the day.

Anyway I get up, get showered and changed for the day head, lucky for me my job meant that I could sleep in most days.

En route to the office that morning I am a nervous wreck, as is tradition when one has a board meeting to attend with no idea what to expect from my fellow co-workers. As I approach my seat in Conference Room C, I can hear people talking – about what? About me? About the bald man with the plainly obvious toupee that sits right next to the door just in case there is a fire drill. What ever it is it MUST be important as the meeting is ten minutes late.

Eventually everyone piles in a starts making notes; work is pretty quiet for the rest of the day – so much so I decide to give my self early leave – only to hear ‘we should give her a raise!’ Not me surely?

I try calling my mother to tell her the possible good news. No answer. So I travel to her house; where I see her and Alf, her elderly neighbour engrossed in conversation; as I move closer hear what they are talking about – careful not to interrupt as my mother found this extremely rude I decide to wait until there is no speaking to announce my arrival – “Ohhhh, she was naughty lass in her youth, I tried everything and yet she turned a blind eye,” My mother announced with a clearly sombre tone in her voice,

“Ahh yes” Alf continues “however, she has turned into a fine young woman, has she not?”

My mother blushes “Indeed.. She is a model daughter.”

As I let out a giggle, they are saying their goodbyes; I realise this is my moment to announce my arrival and be greeted with the bribery of coffee and cake. “Helll–” shocked, I find myself being shut out of my mother’s house.

So I bang on the door; after half an hour I realise she’s not going to answer and give up – after all her hearing is not what it once was. I start to saunter down the drab driveway, the flowers half dead – we have had no rain for days.

I look to the sky – so bright and blue, no clouds in sight and the grass, crisp and green, however the view is spoilt by the eye sore that is the landfill and why my mother had chosen to live here by choice is a mystery.

Not to far down the road I spot my best friend, Chase and his dog CoCo, crossing the road I am greeted by CoCo, but not Chase. CoCo’s greeting causes a stir and a passer by approaches Chase. I shout a friendly “hello” to my friend however he does not hear me, but I blame that on the rush hour – this is a busy road at four in the afternoon. Suddenly Chase snaps “STOP IT COCO!” grateful for his hasty interference, yet saddened that I would not be able to pet this mad animal, I thank him – but my efforts unnoticed. By now the passer by is in light conversation with Chase.

I listen.

“Yes, I am on my way there now; her mother wants to see me. Something to do with Lex.”

Lex? LEX! That’s me. He continues.

“Her mother only wants to see when she’s in trouble…”

Trouble, what trouble?

“I did hear that he poor girl had got herself in to a spot of bother” the passer by – who I have never met – croaked.

Even though I am itching to find out what is going on, I know it’s starting to get dark; I am about to walk away when..

“Lex is a stupid bitch, I wish she would get someone else to sort out her problems or even better – sort them herself.” The tone in his voice upsets me greatly.

I walk away.

Where? Home and as I do so, Chase’s comments ring in my ears, I imagine our next encounter to be quite hostile.

As I walk up my driveway, I realise the car is still at my mother’s house, it will need picking up tomorrow. DAMN.

Drifting into the kitchen, I open my favourite bottle of wine, and put on my favourite CD – 1997 Black Tower and Jackie Wilson, oh what perfection! – I kick off my shoes and start to relax enjoying the fabric of the sofa on back of my legs.

“Such a hectic day” I think to myself.

I finish my wine and drift off to sleep.

“Ms. Matsui, Ms. Matsui” I can hear in the distance. Someone is gently shaking me as I start to wake up.

“huh.. what.. where am I? I slur.

“The trial is over Ms. Matsui, it was successful, we managed to literally bring you back to life.” The white-coated man announced.

“I was never dead” I protested confused and still drowsy from sleep,

“Yes Madam, you were. For twenty four hours.”