Acceptance Bridge: Crossing the Great Divide

By STEVEN KAYSER

Charismatic Highland "Hi-Riser" Risert, a regally handsome multi-millionaire, former NBA-All Star, and a successful entrepreneur, has it all. A booming hi-tech company, a beautiful family, a blessed life.

But not for long.

Highland's company goes belly-up, and He's involved in a horrific accident that kills his wife and kids. He survives but is disfigured and crippled for life.

An accident? Maybe, maybe not.

Highland vows to prove it wasn't. But how, he has no money, no job and is confined to a wheelchair. Destitute, Highland takes a job at a poor rural school. There he meets a fourteen-year-old deaf kid named HOMER- a boy that awakens gentle stirrings of the soul that may breathe life into his soul again.
 

Homer's only goal is to make the basketball team. Highland takes Homer under his wing and an Odyssey of unexpected emotion, discovery, and drama unfolds.

Highland searches for the answer to his nightmare while being drawn into Homer's battle to capture a dream.

A heart-rending journey plays out against the backdrop of acceptance, redemption, and spiritual rebirth.

Acceptance Bridge is a story about overcoming insurmountable odds, humorous turns, and a spiritually uplifting climax.

And... it's a story where a Homer steals your heart.

"This story has everything needed to be a smash success. It will make every single reader happy." - FredericK Marx, producer, Writer, Director - Hoop Dreams - Named film of the decade by Roger Ebert

"What a fine story and screenplay. Acceptance Bridge will make a memorable film!" - Mark Miller, legendary leading man, producer, writer of "Walk in the Clouds"; "Savannah Smiles"; " Christmas Mountain"; and "Differn't Strokes." 

Acceptance Bridge is so entertaining and exciting I could not put it down. It's  "Glory Road";  'Hoosiers"; and "Rudy" combined as teams and individuals overcome roadblocks and handicaps on all levels. Inspiring is not a strong enough word - but it certainly works. - Donn Burrows, Director, Producer, Writer of "The Big "O": The Oscar Robertson story."

• Language: English
• Publisher: HRP
• Release date: Dec 11, 2018
• ISBN: 9781790281046

STEVEN KAYSER

Steve Kayser is the author of  “Acceptance Bridge: Crossing the Great Divide”;  “The Greatest Words You’ve Never Heard: True Stories of Triumph”; an award-winning writer, former radio host, public speaker and the Founder of Kayser Media. In addition, Steve is also the co-author of “Margins and Missions…Not Moonshots: Pathways to a Better U.S. Higher Education”; and editor of “The Surgeon and the Spirit: A Panoramic View of a Journey in Academic Medicine.” Contact: Email: [e-mail] Website: Http://www.stevekayser.com Website: Http://www.kaysermedia.com Twitter: @SteveKayser LinkedIn:  http://bit.ly/1bYft8n

Book preview

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Epilogue:

About the author

Chapter 1

HIGHLAND RISERT, LATE 30's, tall, solid, regal, a face finely-sculpted with a charismatic rugged handsomeness, looks out the window from the top floor of his finely regaled corporate office. In another place, another time, a King. But not today.

A tow truck followed by a police car enters the parking lot. Two SUV’s are the only vehicles in the cavernous lot.

Highland’s office has success written all over it. Plaques of recognition, magazine articles, trophies, and newspaper clippings. He is impeccably dressed, but looks curiously disheveled. Highland has been up 48 straight hours. It shows. He turns—

We need one more month. 

Jim Roget, mid-‘40s, silk-suited viper-headed venture capitalist, shakes his head ‘no’. He shows some papers to Highland. 

Highland holds up his hands. The prototype with the NSA is being tested. Think about it. A neural network coded with human moral values intelligence. Contracts are pending. One more month...

The office door opens. Chuck Hapgood, 31, scraggly beard, geek extraordinaire, backs in, trying to slow down the entry of a repo crew.

Roget hands Highland court orders to vacate the premises.

Chuck shouts, Highland! I couldn’t keep them out. 

Highland is still focused on Roget and the court documents. It’s only another million dollars.

A repo crew rolls a desk out and starts to empty the office.

Jim, it will revolutionize...

No. We’re done. Money’s gone. 

Highland looks intently at Roget. How much money have I made you in the last five years?

Highland, I know you can’t accept this, but the best and brightest don't always win. Aren’t always the victors.

Roget and the Repo crew march out leaving the office empty. Highland sports the stoic look of a shell-shocked veteran. He turns to Chuck. Our stock assets? Chuck rips desperately through a well-worn report. Less than a penny a share. You have five hundred thousand shares."

Anything else? 

No. Your NBA retirement fund was the last thing we had to pledge.

Highland’s eyes gaze back out into the parking lot. He points out the window. Chuck turns, looks down into the parking and sees the tow truck hooking up to an SUV. Chuck's eyes widen. His SUV. He races out of the office.

The tow truck barrels out of the parking lot with Chuck chasing fast behind on foot, screaming obscenities.

Highland watches from the office. Soon Chuck comes roaring back in, shouts, AHHH! They Repo’ed my Jeep! He freaks. Rips off his shirt and throws it at Highland.

Highland watches his shirt go wildly off mark and hit the desk.

Everything I have is in this frigging company Highland! I have 10,000 shares that I borrowed on when they were $200 a share!

Highland’s cell phone rings. 

Chuck continues his frenzied tirade driven by the knowledge that he’s lost everything, all his money, his SUV, his job. "I'm ruined! I believed in you! The best always win! Remember you telling me that? And winners are victors. Always!"

Highland answers the cell phone. His wife starts speaking,   

You're late. We're supposed to be on the way already. It is Christmas Eve, she says with restrained exasperation.  

Chuck hurls some papers at Highland. I'm thirty-one frigging years old. Ruined! You ruined me! Who would hire an old guy like me now?

Chuck races out of the office. Highland watches through the window as Chuck runs into the parking lot. A police car still sits in the lot. Chuck runs by. Police lights come on.

Highland takes one last sad look at the empty office and leaves.

Chapter 2

THE RISERT HOUSE IS an atypical mansion. It’s low-key, but luxurious. The well-trimmed lawn sets off an immaculately trimmed lawn. It smells of sophisticated money. Highland pulls into the driveway in his SUV.

Kimmy and John Risert, twelve-year-old twins, race out, dragging luggage. Highland’s wife Maria is a dark-haired knockout. Late thirties, elegantly attired, she carries a handbag, locks the front door. The Risert family loads up and pulls out.

Highland looks in his rear view mirror as they leave. A familiar tow truck pulls into their driveway. The Repo-truck.

Hours later the Risert family pulls into a gas station. The kids jump out and tear off to use the bathroom.

In the car Maria looks at him anxiously. You look like shit. Highland smiles, reaches for a provocative touch. "That sounds like foreplay to me. Maria stops his hand gently. Caresses it.

Another all-nighter?

I napped on the office couch.

Maria shakes her head. It's too much Highland. Too much.

Highland acknowledges it. Won't happen again.

Maria looks deep into his eyes; This is the time of our lives when we're supposed to enjoy our success.’ Highland nods. Looks away. It's what we've worked so hard for all these years."

Highland's head droops a little.

I've barely seen you Highland, for the last year. You've missed every one of Kimmy and John's games.

Highland grabs the steering wheel intensely. I won't miss another game. Promise. Maria rolls her eyes. How many times have I heard that? She looks out the window, Can this Christmas vacation be a new beginning for us? Please?

Highland softens, smiles, Yes, I'd like that... I want that. Highland pats Maria on the knee. When we get there we need to talk.

Maria turns and eyes him questioningly. Highland looks away too quickly.

Hours later, in the diminishing dusk light, a road sign appears ahead of them: ‘ACCEPTANCE BRIDGE MEMORIAL - 100 MILES.’ Maria points up at the sign. "Good, two hours and we'll be there.

Why's it called Acceptance Bridge? Kimmy asks from the backseat.

Highland glimpses back at her through the rearview mirror. This used to be Shawnee Indian land. When the Shawnees realized they could never stop the settlers from taking their land they signed a treaty and crossed the bridge at that point.

John looks up from the back seat. "So?

They never looked back when they crossed the bridge. The settlers knew that was the Shawnees way of accepting their fate.

Dad, you're so full of it, said Kimmy.

The highway approaching Acceptance Bridge is dark. The SUV is silent; everyone has fallen asleep except Highland. And he’s fighting sleep. The SUV strays left of center several times.

Highland blinks his eyes rapidly, tries to stay awake. He undoes his seatbelt, cracks the window, stretches.

The ‘ACCEPTANCE BRIDGE MEMORIAL - 1 MILE’ sign flashes by. Highlands’ head bobs. Acceptance Bridge is a majestic, old-time bridge spanning a narrow, winding river trickling three hundred feet below. Heavy brush thickets pepper both sides of the river.

Suddenly headlights appear ahead, the vehicle obscured by a foggy mist, chased by a police car way back with lights flashing.

Highland’s SUV sways back and forth, barely over the centerline, then back. Highland's head droops. BLACK - then a - BRILLIANT FLASH! Highland jolts awake to an oncoming bright ball of light that quickly morphs into bright headlights.

The headlights swerve left of center toward Highland, he death-grips the steering wheel, eyes wide open now, alert, in control. Highland looks left, right, and then back, into the rearview mirror where the kids bolt up. Wide-awake. Sheer instantaneous terror as they realize that the headlights are zooming straight at them. Highland swerves as far right as he can go without hitting the bridge. CLINK -