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Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Sunset Superman
I looked in
the mirror and realized that many years have passed and I felt more alone with
each passing year. What was once whole now lies forgotten in the corner left to
waste away till the end. A broken shell is all that remains behind yet the
fires burn bright inside. I wheel myself to the window which faces the road.
The curtains are drawn, yet the morning sun was already burning away the
morning mist as it gently found its way into the room.
Drawing the
window curtains aside, I saw that the city life was in full swing as the yellow
school bus was picking up kids. A city bus wound its way through the streets
and finally to the intersection near my house. The people who were in a rush to
reach office hurriedly boarded the bus. The streets quickly became empty as it
rounded the corner and disappeared into the horizon. The few people who were
seen on the sidewalks were rushing through the open spaces either trying to
reach home after disembarking from the city bus or trying to clean out their
driveway of the debris thrown by the wild winds before the sun reaches its peak
and they turned into crispy taters.
It was one of
the hottest summers which we had in the decade. Even from inside the cold room,
one could feel the hot blistering winds whenever it used to barrel down
towards the plains from the western desert as it find its way through the trees
and shakes them till all the leaves on them had fallen down. The strong hot
winds used to shake the house so hard that it felt like it might crumble any
moment. Building a little courage, I managed to open up the window to see
what’s happening outside. Looking out the open window, I saw a clear summer
morning and a sun just peeking over the horizon. The dust and debris covered
city casting magical brown light upon the land. The street and homes wore a
deserted look even though it was very early in the morning.
It seemed
like one of those never ending journeys. The road called life had been long and
hard. Looking back over my shoulder, all I can see is a dusty winding road
broken every so often by an oasis. The hard journey has taken its toll on me as
I tried to carry the burden which seems too much for it. I felt like I was
another one of those mules which people sometimes run across in some nameless
town whose inner fire had died while navigating this parched land. I was
waiting for the one last gasp of breath before toppling off to the other side.
A knock in
the door brought me out of the thoughts I was in. Yellow light spilled into the
room as John peeked in to tell me that the breakfast was ready and asked if I
was coming down or not. I told him to head on downstairs and I’ll be there in a
bit.
Looking out
the window one last time before I left, I saw the town had become quite
deserted. After what seemed like a lifetime, I finally made my way downstairs.
The constant chatter of others at the table could not keep my mind from feeling
a little uneasiness I was feeling.
I am an old
man now and many countless years have flown by, yet the bygone age was so different
from the one I lived now. Time and age which might have dulled my memory yet I
remember some events like it was yesterday. Some events remain buried for what
seems like many long years, yet flood the mind when something happens to
release the memory. While I sit here in the bench under a maple tree of the old
people’s home, I will write down my story of how certain events changed the
course of my life.
It was a cold
winter night many years back. The winter chill seemed to seep into my bones no
matter how hard I tried to keep warm. I guess it had been snowing since early
morning. It had started with a light flurry and by the night rolled around, it
had turned into a medium strength blizzard. The icy cold winds from the north
were already rocking the city and hardly anyone was venturing outside. The
streets and the shops wore a deserted look and most of the shops were closed
even though shops usually stayed open late every evening to cater to the after
office rush.
I was pacing
back and forth across the window waiting for the taxi to pick me up at six o’
clock pick up. The taxi finally arrived though very late, yet I was glad to see
it arrive and didn’t bother to chew the driver out for making me wait in the
freezing weather as it was my own choice to stand there in the first place. I
checked my bags once more before I zipped them a final time and told the driver
to put them in the trunk of the car. The remaining stuff was either in the
taxis trunk or inside the moving truck. The storm damaged house was beyond
repair and I had finally decided to sell it off to some house development
company awhile back. Age had taken its toll and now I cannot even lift light
bags without some effort.
It took some
time to double check the house to make sure that everything was shut off,
windows closed, utility companies informed and the post office to route the
mail to our new house. Locking the door for the final time seemed the hardest
thing to do yet it felt like an old chapter had been closed. It was tiring and
stressful, yet I felt relieved leaving this old house and its surroundings had
just too many memories. The moving truck finally left for the new destination
and our car followed not very far behind.
Closing the
door behind me, I walked briskly towards the waiting cab. Looking back, the
warm yellow glow of the house beckoned me to come back yet I felt the urge to
go and I turned around before I changed my mind. The constant chatter of the
taxi driver kept my mind away from the sadness of leaving the house in which
generation upon generations of my family had lived. The man who introduced
himself as Tim talked just about everything under the sun and I really seemed
to enjoy the monologue which consisted of how awful the teams were, the food
joints, who bashed whom last night at the bar and how his wife always gave him
an ear full for coming home late. Pretty soon, the suffocating cluttered
feeling turned into a comfortable one and I must have dozed off and woke up
much later at my new destination.
It’s the last
house on the street and a huge park is located next to it. It is one of those
old fashioned neighborhoods and the house is as old as the town itself. A
cobblestone road runs next to the waterway which runs through the middle of the
town and it winds its way in front of the house and finally off into the
distance. The town always seemed to wear a deserted except for the drop outs
from the high school that used to frequent the Pops Soda and Chips store. They
always seemed to be in the midst of a pool game or a game of cards and at other
times they used to race down the main street in their souped up cars every so
often before quieting down once more. The trucks that used to stop at the gas
and food joint broke the monotony of the town even though it was for a short
while. The blaring horns and revving of the engines could be heard a mile away
and people eagerly waited for them to stop at the town with food, gossip and
the extra income it brought the town. Gossip was exchanged before they began
their journey once more.
As always, I
used to run up to the truck stops to see if there was any new job for me. The
sweaty, tired drivers and their mechanical beasts always made me nervous yet I
marveled at their beauty. The drivers seemed to know no fear and always stood
their ground no matter how big and unruly the town crowd. I had moved to a
strange new town and I really missed my family.
Each week I used to return back to my room head hung low, feet dragging
and empty handed. Money was hard enough to earn and I really hated the missed
opportunities. Despair grew in me with each passing week and I felt alone even
in a crowded room.
It was a
Wednesday when the sound of a long haul truck woke me up. Pretty soon the truck
wound its way under my window. A few words were exchanged with the mechanics in
the garage and Jack got off and headed off to the saloon. The truck was
separated from the trailer and led off to the garage. It wasn’t the regular
company truck which had a warehouse here and everyone wondered what drew him to
this town where these guys were a rare find. I was eager to know more as
anything new would help in driving away the maddening dullness of this town. As
soon as I entered the saloon, the smell of the food made my mouth water and the
stomach grumbled demanding its share. A smoked filled dimly lit room greeted me
and I could hardly see the crowd inside.
After looking
around a bit, I spotted Jim in one corner waiting for his food and drinks. His
hat was lying on the table in front of him as he wiped the sweat of his
forehead. The deep tan and wrinkled skin on a large built man seemed to tell
its own tale it seemed. He seemed to be in deep thought and I hesitated to
speak as I neared him. Gathering my wits, I said “Good to see ya here my
friend. So, how goes things in your end of the woods?””Alls well as can
be” He said. Looking past him, I saw that he had come alone. All I could
see was a dense forest cover across the street and the street was empty except
for him and his truck. After a moment of silence, I asked “What brings you to
these parts my friend?” I asked as an afterthought. I told him that I was
pleasantly surprised to see him as I had not seen anyone of my friends for many
long years I ordered my drink, plate full of the daily special and started my
hunt for a seat near Jim to plant my weary body on.
I had known
Jim since childhood, yet he was always the type that kept to himself and
mingled only when he wanted to. Today was one of those days which reminded me
of my childhood days when the fireside talks and camping trips used to last
from dawn to dusk. Time flew by as the food was finished, drinks ordered and
drained to the last drops and the food joint emptied out till there was no soul
in sight yet it seemed like we had not caught up on our lost lives.
I had come
here to forget my past and I had never expected anyone I knew to wander down
this long forgotten road which had drawn me like a street light draws a moth
many long years back. Time had moved on as I lost myself in one nameless town after
another until I finally found some peace here from my troubled past. It seemed
like everyone had forgotten about me as I grew up and went my own way, made new
friends along the way. Coffee was offered and gladly taken as we exchanged
stories of our travels around the country once more. Curiosity got the better
of me and I had to ask how I was located even though I tried my best not to
leave any trace behind. I was told how I was asked about in every bar, highway
stops and any other places that served travelers. He met a dead end at every
place until a few people mentioned that they had seen me around these parts.
Like a blood hound, he finally tracked me down to this place and it unlocked
those memories that I thought I would never experience again.
The old clock
hanging on the wall down in the hallway boomed as the hand struck ten. It
startled me out of the deep thought I was in and I only realized this by the
fact that the juke box had stopped playing the same old songs I had heard for
the last many years and the lights were shut off except for the place where we
were sitting. Looking out the window, I saw that there it was partly cloudy sky;
a full moon seemed to look down at the land as if looking for something. The
star lit night made me wonder what my future holds.
“You still
awake?” I asked. Shaking his head he replied in the positive. I walked around
the place to stretch my legs and find my way back home before I fell asleep
here. Looking out the door, I saw that the street lights showed empty streets
and the town seemed deserted except for the few drunks who weaved through the
roads and the stray dogs that were busy chasing a few cars that passed through
the town main intersection. The sounds of long haul trucks were heard humming
by one the interstate highway and the sound of a blaring truck horn as it went
flying past like a tornado woke me out of the half sleep daze I was in. The
moon was rising higher and higher and sleep was overtaking me. Looking over my
shoulder and saying that I’ll him in the morning, I somehow managed to make it
to my house and I fell asleep as soon as I hit the sack.
It had been a
long night and it felt good to be awake. Looking out, I see that it is going to
be another cloudy day. As I got out of the bed I ran my hand across my face and
thought of getting a shave and a bath before heading down to a hearty breakfast
for both of us. I needed some food to fill my empty stomach but that will have
to wait a bit. As the day progressed further, I noticed that the sky cleared up
a bit. In this lonely stretch of land, in some areas nothing could be seen for
miles upon miles except for an endless stretch of trees. The town activity was
in full swing and I could hear the sounds of people in the street as they went
about their daily activities. The sun still seemed to glare at the land through
the clouds and at other times through the tops of houses as it made its journey
through the sky.
It was hard
to imagine that it had only been one week. I only realized it when Jim’s truck
rolled out of the garage after a complete overhaul and a paint job. The beast
looked mighty fine and it hummed like a brand new truck. After fixing up the
trailer Jim finally asked me on a lazy afternoon if I could lend a hand in his
trucking business instead of doing odd jobs in the small nameless town. After
spending a little more time in the town, Jim told me that he had to go since he
had realized during the stay at my place that he had to wrap up some pending
business. I asked him several time what he meant, yet he kept mum.
One fine day,
he took his leave and I was saddened by his departure. Before he left, he give
me a set of keys and told me to open the garage if I am willing to take up his
offer. Life slowly yet surely resumed it normal course as I went to my regular
routine to see what bounty the day would bring in and heading down to the town
to spend my earnings to buy provisions. Life seemed a little emptier, yet it
was expected and I got used to the solitary life once more.
Time rolled
on as months upon months flew by. Summer turned into autumn and the seasons
repeated themselves till I lost track of time. I had all but forgotten about
Jims visit and the keys he had given until one lazy spring afternoon when I was
cleaning out the attic. As I emptied the cardboard box out onto the floor, I
saw a sight which not only startled me but took my breath away. After a few
moments, my hands reached out and picked up the key chain which contained half
a dozen keys.
Running down
the stairs and almost breaking my legs a few times, I finally reached the
abandoned garage located next to the old house. It took a few tries to find the
right key to open the lock and it took some effort to open the rusty lock. The
door creaked open as a startled bird flew out making me gasp out loud and fall
backwards. Looking inside, I saw cobwebs everywhere and a thick layer of dust
covering everything. I started to cough as a thin layer of dust started to
float as I started to walk across the floor. In the distance I saw a dust
covered truck coupled to a trailer. Walking across the garage, I saw tools
neatly stacked on the tool shelves, the spare parts stacked on the shelf next
to it and the floor bare. Everything was covered with a thick layer of dust.
The garage was dimly lit except for a few pools of sunlight that seemed to
flicker every so often. I eventually found my way to the truck. Wiping the dust
off the windshield so that I could peek inside, I saw a folded sheet of paper
stuck under the wiper. Opening the paper, I saw that it was a note from Jim
addressed to me.
“Dear Tom,
If you ever read this note, then it
means that you have changed your mind and decided to chart out a new destiny
for yourself. It must have been a hard decision as it takes awhile for a person
at times to make course correction in their life when they are set in their
ways. I am glad that you have decided to start a new life and accept the
responsibilities that it offers. New adventures await you at every turn and new
sights to see at every bend. I really don’t know where I’ll be or even if I’ll
be around when you finally decide to head out to reclaim you destiny. Yet, I’ll
be back to meet you one last time when the time is right.
I had found
this abandoned truck and the trailer it in a rundown condition in company
warehouse. I got thinking that I’ll never need it and yet at the same time not
wanting the company to sell it off either. It took many long years to get it in
a brand new condition. I’ve fixed it up for you and here the keys are hanging
in the ignition. The coffee pot should still be in the corner, though it might
be a tad dusty by now. So go ahead and grab some coffee before hitting the
road.
With best
regards,
Jim”
I sat there a
little stunned and it took me a few moments to come back to my senses. I looked
around wondering if Jim was still here and all I saw was an empty room. The
emptiness weighed down on me and it made me realize how much I missed the guy.
I had no idea where I’ll find him or where to look for him. It took me a moment
to find a bucket, a sponge, a water tap, some soap, water pipe and a towel. It
took awhile to clear the line of the rusty brackish water. Finally the truck
was clean and shining like new.
Time had
stood still in this place and I only realized that it had flown by the fact
that it was totally dark outside the only window and cold was creeping back
into the room. Somewhere out in the town, a watchman blew his whistle and the
town clock down in the city hall boomed and the hand had struck twelve. It
startled me out of the deep thought I was in. The tobacco in my own pipe had
burned to ashes and I got up to leave as it was late.
As I walked
off, I turned around a final time to look back and wondered what other
mysteries this place held. My mind was in turmoil as it seemed to be stuck in a
loop. The note made me think of the bygone era of what I had lost and what I
had found. The journey back to my home seemed longer than the start. The empty
dark streets devoid of all life sent shivers down my spine. My house was dark and only the hallway light
was on. I let myself in and went straight to the kitchen to see if there were
any leftover. A bowl of rice and some beans was all that I could find and I
finished both off in no time. Dishes were cleaned and put away. The sun would
be up soon and it was time to hit the bed. I found my way to a room upstairs
and took a long shower to wash off all the dust off me. The weariness fell off
me and I felt refreshed. I sat awhile by the window and smoked the remaining
part of my cigar. The sounds of long haul trucks were heard somewhere in the
distance. Sleep was overtaking me and I fell asleep as soon as I hit the sack.
It had been a
long night filled with dreams of trucks and strange new towns and it felt good
to be awake. Looking out, I see that it is going to be a cloudy day. As I got
out of the bed I ran my hand across my face and thought of getting a shave and
a bath before heading down to a hearty breakfast before planning out the rest
of the day. I needed some food to fill my empty stomach but that will have to
wait a bit till I got ready. As the day progressed further, I noticed that the
sky cleared up a bit. In this lonely stretch of land, in some areas nothing
could be seen for miles upon miles except for an endless stretch of trees. The
town activity was in full swing and I could hear the sounds of people in the
street as they went about their daily activities. The sun still seemed to glare
at the land through the clouds and at other times through the tops of houses as
it made its journey through the sky. As the day progressed, I realized that
deep inside I really wanted to be behind the steering wheel of a semi once
more. My body was tired yet my mind wanted to go on the road and reclaim my
past.
Time flew by
and days turned into weeks as my rig ate miles upon miles of road. Yet, I never
found Jim in any of my travels. It seemed like he had disappeared from the face
of the earth. One day, the dispatcher called to tell me that it was rumored
that Jim who was always fascinated by foreign lands had joined the shipping
trade as it was more lucrative and no one ever saw him again. The heart grew
heavy, yet I knew that I had let go of the past and move on with my life.
Promising never to forget the helping hand he had offered, I started up the rig
and headed around the bend.
After
travelling what seemed many long hours, my weary legs seemed to give out yet I
drove on as the distant town lights grew brighter with each passing mile. The
wind ruffled my hair and I pressed the horn to let out a long blaring sound as
I passed by dozens of cars. The early morning sun sped its way through the
horizon as I followed its path through one town after another. Looking over to
the side, I saw long haul trucks humming along the highway and blaring their
horns as they passed me by. Time flew by as day turned into night and once more
in day.
The jingle of
an ice cream truck me woke me out of the daze I was in. The house, truck and
everything else is all gone yet the nonstop writing had filled up the notepad.
I learned a lot in my journey through the wilderness and the towns. It made me
strong on the inside while helping me make quick decisions on the move. The emptiness never got filled even with the
passage of time though at times I felt like there was no one else to walk
besides me and the one who lent his support was gone. Those days will never
come back and the only things which I can hold on to are the memories which had
kept me going till now.
Looking
upwards, I saw that it was late afternoon already and the activity in the park
just down the street was in full swing. Alot of kids always used to come to the
park to play baseball, football or any other sports activity which caught their
fancy. Sometimes families used to come to the park for a picnic. You could
always tell when a picnic was going on because the delicious food smells used
to come our way at times. Usually I used to go up to the park and join a game in
progress if they were willing to let an old man like me in or if they were
short of a few guys. If I was feeling too lazy, I used to just sit on the
sidelines and watch. Sometimes, if a few of my buddies from the old age house
were there, I enjoyed my trip to the park even more. My buddies and I either
used to just sit under the shade of the huge Maple tree, munch on snacks and
just talk, play our own game or join a game in progress.
Looking down
the street, I saw the city life was in full swing. A city bus slowly wound its
way through the streets once more and turned left at the intersection to head
off to the town’s main center. People were in a rush to reach their destination
and they either hurriedly chased the bus like mad dogs or waited for the next
one. I really didn’t know how long I was lost in thought, yet a feeling of
dread started to bother me. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t pin
point the reason why nor shake this feeling off. There was something out there
and I could feel it in my bones. Not eaten anything since the early lunch, I
wanted to stop off at the deli located just down the street before going back
to my room. As I got off the bench and into the black top road, I saw a sight
which startled me to the extent that I gasped out loud. It seemed like a ghost
from my past had returned to haunt me once more. Jim was driving his truck
leisurely towards me. As the truck pulled up, I heard it purring and humming
just like a brand new machine. “I’ve been waiting just around the bend for you
and would you like to go for another ride.” was all he said as he handed me
some coffee from the thermos and a sandwich he had in the cabin. It seemed like
he hadn’t aged a single day since the last time we parted many decades ago.
I knew what
he wanted and I got up effortlessly without a word. Getting into the cab, we
went silent for awhile. My breath quickened and heart started to beat faster as
I realized that deep inside I really wanted to go once more on a journey that
never ends. The truck ate up the miles as quickly as the swift winds above as we
tried to make up lost time. The radio blared out same old songs as the radio
jockey moaned and groaned about the same old stuff as the night before. Looking
over to the side, I saw long haul trucks humming along the highway and blaring
their horns as they passed us by. Time flew by as day turned into night and
once more in day. The road was my new home and I felt alive as I searched for
new adventures every day.
Time flew by
as the afternoon turned into evening and finally into night. John went through
all the room to make sure all were asleep in their rooms. All were asleep
except for one room which was empty. Yet, no matter how hard he tried he could
not find Tom anywhere and no one remembered where he had gone off to. Giving up
his search, he turned off the room light, closed the door and went to his room
hoping that Tom will be back by morning. A siren was heard way down yonder and he
guessed someone needed help.
A new day
dawned as the sun slowly made its way across the sky. The city life was in full
swing as the yellow school bus was picking up kids and people were in a rush to
reach office. Numerous city buses wound their way through the city roads. The
few people seen on the sidewalks were rushing through the open spaces either
trying to reach home after disembarking from one of the city buses or trying to
find out where the paper boy had thrown the newspaper. On a park bench in front of the old people
home, a crowd had gathered in front of a bench where an old man who was
sprawled like he was fast asleep. A lone policeman making his rounds notices
the large gathering and makes way through the crowd to see what the matter was.
Something looks odd about the posture, yet he tries to wake up the sleeping man
up so that the he can shoo him away. An old weather beaten diary falls out of
the old man hand as he rolls off the bench and onto the grass. The paramedics
soon arrive and declare that this old man died many hours back, possibly in the
late afternoon. As the paramedics wheel away the body into the ambulance, the
detective who handled these cases flipped through the diary as he walked up to
the retirement home for old folks to see if they could either identify the body,
offer a few clues or maybe shed some light on who Tom was.
Friday, August 17, 2012
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