Saturday, October 2, 2010 >>7:46 AM

I never should have taken the dare. It was stupid, ridiculously planned, and miraculously, I took up the offer.

Now, as I stood atop the bridge, around 50 storeys, perhaps, above ground, it seemed more breathtaking than I thought. The mountains surrounded me, engulfing me into their embrace, and I was their one and only; where the waters, as I looked below, were bellowing and inviting; the sunset, orange and haze-like, was mesmerising; but I looked back, only to realise that I was facing the glares of 5 other friends: to jump.

There were no cars, just me, and a dare to jump.

Thinking of all the foolish things I did in the past, perhaps this was the most stupid thing I have regretted deeply in my life.

"Come on, Joe, you're not unprotected, you'll survive," One of them behind me was lamenting on the time I was wasting. Yeah, right, as if I would believe his whole Heaven's-looking-above-you thing. I'm not against any religion: Just look at the slim chances I've got of surviving a hundred metres of air pressure and breathlessness? Me? Forget it.

As my name suggests, I'm just an ordinary Joe. I used to work at a bank, now I'm fired, jobless, with 2 kids and a lovely wife to feed. I'm put in a kiln, burning and raging furiously with 1000 degrees Celsius of heat; doesn't that sound helpless enough? When I was first confronted with ten thousand dollars to be left behind after I jump, I thought: Cash, or one life; 3 lives versus one; I chose one.

I stretched open my arms, with my eyes closed gently, embracing the cool sea breeze, as I thought of all the things that surfaced in my mind: my first job as a clerk, then an accountant, then a financial analyst, finally a manager, then *kaboom* the merciless timebomb leaves me jobless.

"We're beginning to doubt your capabilities, Joe" says my boss. "We believe that he," pointing to the tall, young, handsome man standing and smiling at me sheepishly. "would be a more suitable candidate for the job." The next part comes as "I'm sorry, Joe, I'm sure you'd be able to find a better job." And he hands me a white letter. Of course the man's way younger than me, and probably born with the gift of the gab, but I'm just an ordinary Joe! What do you expect from one? To earn more than 10 million a year? To drive the most expensive car to Florida to have a terrific one year holiday with my family in a mansion? Come on, you could already tell I was dreaming. No money, no job, no life, just 2 children, and a loving wife. I'm ready for that ten thousand dollars. Now.

I edged forward, letting my heels take the lead, inching towards the blue depth less sea. "I LOVE YOU ANGELINE" and there went me.

The sudden cool rush of wind you would never get from standing in front of a fan, as the air brushes violently against your face, and your eyes are unable to open no matter how much strength you summon, as you flail your arms haplessly, and these were the few seconds that passed so slowly that suddenly you bounce back right up where you came from, and then back down, and up, and down, and up again.

"WHOA! That was fun wasn't it Joe?" I could hear my friend screaming in bewilderment from above. "Yeah right," I couldn't be bothered with him. "Again."

My legs were tired from being tied to a bungee rope, and I was bobbling non-stop; I was dangling in mid- air, where the mountains were upside down, and the sun had already set.

While I counted the ten thousand dollars cash in my hands, I beckoned "Goodbye" to my 5 friends from afar as I looked out of the window of the taxi. What a great deal, 2 thousand dollars from each friend for a bungee jump. A wonderful stress reliever and a sumptuous meal waiting back home.