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  • Writer's pictureBODHIANS

Never forgotten

The following narrative is about the life of a waiter, Erik, who is going through a financial crisis and mental trauma because of his past experiences.

A dark and depressing evening was what Erik opened his graved eyes into. With those unhurried rolling of his eyelids, he wholeheartedly pleads the almighty to turn his harsh reality into a state of utopia, where he makes his own story, alongside his wife Maria, and two twin daughters, Audrey and Jennifer, whose faces will always be lit up with radiant smiles; but that is not so much the case.

It was all the same old crappy lifestyle for Erik Rivera, a 34-year-old tall man. He was a waiter by profession, who worked double shifts, burning the midnight oil every day to make both ends meet. Erik wanted to give a decent childhood to his daughters which he was deprived of. His father, Benjamin, was outrageous towards him after Erik’s mother succumbed to a long fatal disease; all he cared for was himself and his drinks. Erik grew up all by himself.

Erik was 15 years old when Benjamin brought another woman home; he couldn’t bear the sight of some random lady rushing in and taking place of his mother, so he RAN away.

Since then, he had rare occasions to be happy. Going down the memory lanes, Maria remembered him being happy was when she conceived.

One fine day, after ages, Erik finally had a day off on the pious occasion of Easter. He was lying on his old fashioned crimson couch where he received a call from a loan granting agency.

The company personnel politely said-

“Good evening! I am Joseph from ‘Loan for life’, Am I speaking to Mr Rivera?”

Erik remained numb. He had no reply to give, his savings this month were as small in size as of a quark, so he simply decided to disconnect; the agent tried calling him many times again but then stopped. However, by then Erik was fairly annoyed by the string of phone calls!

Later, after a couple of minutes, the telephone rang again. This time Erik couldn’t hold back and yelled on the person the other side-

“Hey buddy, I am super busy right now and these constant calls from you are really bothering. Why don’t you simply hold your tongue and get used to the fact that as soon as I have money to give, yours will be the first loan I will pay off.! HAPPY?!”

The man on the other side replied in a gracious tone-

“Sir Erik Rivera?”

Erik felt as if he had heard that voice before and it was definitely not of some agent- it was somebody else.

“May I know who am I speaking to?”

The person on the other end decided not to respond. Erik asked again, in hope of a reply, but still nothing. For the last time, Erik asked, but now with rage and irritation in his voice. The man replied in a subtle voice-

“Hello, Erik Rivera…it’s me here!”

Erik-“me...WHO?”

“I am the one who owes you an apology. I am your well-wisher. Meet me at Central Park in 25 minutes, I have a surprise in hand.”

Erik “but, but who are…..”

And the anonymous hang the line.

The young man had a series of questions lined, but no one to ask them to…the only way to reach the destination of those answers was -CENTRAL PARK.

“I will be back soon, I am going for a walk”, he told Maria and left.

He steadily walked his way to the park and reached there in 15 minutes. He gave the park a quick scan to see if there was somebody for him-no.

In some time, somebody called his name from the back, “EERY! My son!”

Benjamin, an aged man with ropy tendons and veins, stepped forward to hug his long lost son. Benjamin felt a high tide of emotions, but what Erik saw was only his selfish father who never bothered for him.

“My son!…How are you, my child?”

“Better than how I was with you, surely!” With this curt reply, Erik turned back and started walking away. Benjamin tried to persuade his only child into talking to him but was not successful, so he decided to tell him something.

“I am dying”.

Erik stopped but did not turn back.

“I am living in the last few hours of my life. I am diagnosed with blood cancer.”

Erik turned.

“I know I am a sinner; your culprit. Please forgive me. I won’t be able to die peacefully without your forgiveness.” Benjamin fell down on his knees and cried bitterly.

Erik spun and dashed toward his dad with saddened red eyes and cried-

“Why…why did you do this to me? I loved you, I wanted to be with you, my only companion after my mother……”

Benjamin held Erik tight to his chest and said-

“I want to redeem myself. Erik, when I realized what wrong I did to you, you were already gone. I gave up drinking and began saving money. I could save some amount; I want you to use that money and pay off the debts. These are the papers of the property; you own it now.”

Erik was stunned. He looked at the blue and thought, “What good is this? I remain a loser.”


-Mehai Singh Charan

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