Heeding the Parliament

My family went to significant risk to save the life of Uncle Charlie. He was different. That did not matter. Rules are rules. My ancestors came from a place where political upheaval was profound, and often deadly. Every choice made was dangerous. Following the rules one day seemed simple. Adhering to those rules the next, had far greater consequence. Having their own autonomy became a recipe for danger. Now they had to find a way to save Uncle Charlie from becoming an unfortunate victim of a life he could not mentally comprehend.

They lived in a country that experienced great political upheaval. A socialist leader had overthrown the despot. He employed cartels to administrate the government. Each cartel had autonomy to set their own rules if they could produce results. What was once a village where folks thrived became a village overrun by corruption.

At twelve years old, Charlie was not technically qualified for conscription. However, the cartels decided to start training young minds to enter the service as early as age twelve. A local faction of the cartel had taken over the administration of several villages. They would use the roll books to go around to each family and “encourage” young boys to join them in training.

It was late in the afternoon, the first time they showed up at the farm. Eva was showing Charlie how to make a cake from scratch. The other family members were out in the fields, working on the crops, readying for another harvest. Eva felt a sense of dread as she saw the car pull up to the house. Her intuition told her that Charlie must hide. She sternly ordered him to the closet in her bedroom to hide all the way back underneath the blankets. They inquired to the whereabout of Charlie, eluding that his service was quite important. His civic duty was paramount to the nation, and he needed to start training.

Somehow, Eva persuaded the government officials to come back. She informed them that her son was sent to live with cousins up north a while back. He was helping them out during a labor shortage. They agreed to come back. She felt a sense of relief, but knew it was only temporary.

Of her three children, Charlie was unique. His frame was sturdy and strong, capable of farm work. His nature quite the opposite. Bothered by large crowds, flashing lights and high-pitched sounds, Charlie would experience a sensory overload. This resulted in full blown panic. Social cues we take for granted were often difficult to navigate. He liked to care for animals, forming an instinctual bond with them. It was the only time his anxiety quelled. Wielding a weapon and serving a corrupt master would never endure. Charlie would not come back alive. Sturdy legs ensured he could run, and strong arms allowed him to carry a weapon, but his decision-making process would make him a target.

Eva went to her father, desperate to find a way to protect her son. They produced a plan that Charlie could follow to keep him hidden and save his life. His attachment to the animals would help save him and give him the signs he needed to keep him alive.

“Charlie, listen to me carefully.” Eva and her father sat him down.

They asked him to remember that as a little boy he liked to play in the barn. He named each farm animal, insect, wild animal, and bird. His favorite were the two barn owls. Belly-laughing as they hooted, hissed, and clacked, he would talk to them for hours. While most would fear the owls expanding their wings and flying off, Charlie would clap and giggle and follow them out of the barn to watch them fly away. Whenever someone new visited the farm, he would show them the owls and explain how they got their names.

His grandfather gave him a reminder that owls are different than most. You cannot keep them as pets. Their intuition, a means of protection. They notice the energy of all life forms around them, giving them a level of wisdom unparalleled to most animals. Their parliamentary nature protected them when they settled and when they traveled. They asked him to be aware when he was on the farm, of where he is and what needs to happen now. They needed to make it look like he was not there, that he was up north. They asked him to listen for the barn owls, and to follow the plan no matter what.

The next day Eva found several spots on the property to build hiding spaces. Places Charlie could get to. When the barn owls sounded off, he needed to always assume it was time to hide. Pretending he was not there was the only way to save him from a detrimental fate. Asking the neighbors or family to hide him was not possible. The cartels incentivized most families with tax breaks for squealing on any disloyal neighbors. They went through all the hiding spots repeatedly. They went through the plan until Charlie’s response became automatic. The rest of the family was coached on how to respond if the government officials returned.

For weeks, the family went through their day on high alert, while keeping the farm up and running. Each night they gave thanks to God for the ability to have Charlie at the dinner table. They loved on him as much as possible. They wondered if the coast was clear and if anyone from the government would return. Over time they started to let down their guard and allow Charlie to stay outside more often.

One day as the sun started to set, Eva was on a solitary mission to feed her large family. Engrossed in the task at hand, she did not hear the car. Startled by the knock on the door, her heart stopped. Her first thought was Charlie. The cartels resumed the search for young men still eligible for loyalty training.

As the door opened, Eva heard the barn owls. Their hooting was exponentially louder than normal. It was so loud the government officials covered their ears and turned around. Her father appeared at the door, gasping for breath. They welcomed the officials into their home. The hooting continued with veracity. Wanting to ask her father where Charlie was, she held back and pushed back tears of fright.

“Can you shut the birds up! What is that?” They asked.

“No, we can’t. We have an owl infestation. Papa is trying to eradicate the problem.” Eva said with a nervous laugh.

“Where is Charlie?”

Eva and her father went into detail about how Charlie stayed up north. The officials stood up and declared that the lies are unacceptable. They spent a few hours searching and re-searching the farm, and surrounding property. One of them went into the barn and threw rocks at the owls to get them to stop making noise. They levied threats against the family, telling them their rations would stop, the monthly taxes would double, and they would pay the neighbors to spy on them. They finally left, making it clear that they would keep coming back, any time of day, every day and to expect more consequences.

Now the search for Charlie began.

They found him tucked inside the metal frame of the diesel truck bed. Charlie kept telling them he followed the plan. He heard the owls and found a place to hide. They celebrated him for following the plan. Then they told him those officials would keep coming back. He could never waiver from the plan. They hugged him again and again, reminding him to stick to the plan.

The cartels continued to reign with an unmatched brutality. For the next three years, government officials showed up unannounced at any time of the day and night. Charlie managed to evade them by finding a place to hide. Ironically, the owls behaved uncharacteristic to their nature. It was as if they knew Charlie needed protection, they knew there was danger arriving at the doorstep. Regardless of when, those barn owls would begin to hoot so loudly, it would reverberate across the property. The decibel level of the parliament would catch the officials off guard. Those few extra seconds gave Charlie an advantage, allowing him to come to attention and figure out where to hide.

Even today, when I hear the hoots of the owls at sunset, I am reminded of Charlie. I take solace in knowing that where I am, where I live, the life I lead, is not consumed by that level of dysfunction. I am grateful that my family survived. They managed to thrive under oppressive conditions and found a way to make it to this country. Here my family has the power of choice.

When I am frustrated by an impossible situation, I can hear the voice of my ancestors telling me to think about Charlie. What he had to do to survive. The relentless drive inside of him to keep going while hunted daily. I use this story to remain inspired.