The Truth Really is Stranger than Fiction

November 21, 2007

When I was in high school my favorite book series were the Dune Chronicles by Frank Herbert. I even read the “prequels” by Herbert’s son and Kevin J. Anderson that came out while I was in college. The novels’ focus is on the desert planet Arrakis where the addictive spice Melange is produced, and Duke Paul Atreides. Paul’s family is exiled to Arrakis, where they fall in with the native “Free Men” or “Fremen”, and it is while living among the Fremen that Paul truly discovers his destiny. The reason I even bring this up is because lately I have begun to think that my life has become a little like the Dune books. True, unlike Paul, I cannot see the future, but my uncle does call me “Duke” every now and then, and I am currently living in the desert among Kazaks, and believe it or not, Kazak translates into "Free Man." As, for addictive substances, everyone develops a serious chai habit within two months of getting here. I drink at least 15 cups of chai a day, and they have even started my 6 month old host niece on the stuff. The only thing left to do is discover my destiny and take over the world with the aid of my Kazak comrades. Maybe then I too will be a Kwizatch Hadarach, or One Who is Many Places at Once.