Dead Run

My name is Radu Olimpiu Gherghel, I was born in the city of Timisoara, Romania in 1943 a dubious time in my native country’s history.   What was once a free and sovereign nation Romania found itself in the grips of a foe far stronger, more capable and certainly able to destroy the little country of my birth and so our king abdicated the throne, capitulated sovereignty to the communist nation and our seemingly idealistic way of life ended.   I believe in our present time of political and social change the very real events of my life would be compelling reading. As the social, economic, political and governmental structures of the Soviet Socialist Block of nations encountered whirlwind changes, and as free sovereign countries were dominated and forced into the Soviet Socialist Block, to the civil up risings and social protest bringing with it the dissolvent of the Soviet Block of nations and sovereign governments once again taking control of their own countries all happening within the span of little more than a generation, “my generation”.
In the summer of 1955 a twelve year old boy sat on the stone wall surrounding the entrance to the park in downtown Timisoara, Romania.  The boy glanced up at the clear blue sky watching the birds flying into the beautiful skies.  The child of twelve knew that he was witnessing a freedom few creatures in this world could ever experience let alone a child from the city of communist Romania.    His heart would burst as the birds flew higher into the clouds then landing on the branches of trees along their flight path.  How he yearned to be free to go where he wanted, to be what he wanted, to fly like the birds, to be free.  As a child of twelve he knew the difference between being controlled and being truly free.  He had heard stories of a place where people were free, a place where people could do whatever they wanted, and go where ever they wanted, become whatever they wanted.   His dreams and hopes take hold of his imagination,  his adventures are real,  his experiences unforgettable and  his story  true, for the next ten years each day of his life is a page in his life as his quest begins!