CROSSROADS

Crossroads

It was a Friday, rain drizzling in the air and he was sitting in his leather sofa chair, staring at the ceiling, thinking………What am I going to do now? He had no immediate family, just a cousin in Spain, whom he had not seen in almost 20 years. His father died when he was 7 and his mother passed away just a few years ago. Never married, no kids and no next of kin. All alone to deal with his new situation. What now? What now? His eyes finally ungluing from the ceiling, he started to scan the rest of his world. An elephant statue from his father’s travels, the university diploma received from the Brooklyn school of the arts, the frame full of photos with the guys, the armoire from grandma, all his possessions, so many stories, so many memories. He stood up to get the remote and sat down back again, turned on the tv and wept himself to sleep.

Saturday came and his life is not the same. Who could continue as if nothing has happened, after being told the time bomb that says your life is ending? What now? He slumbered up, changed his clothes and got outside to rake the leaves that settled around his car during the silent night. Inside his car, warm and ready, he finally remembers to go to the market. His friends were coming over that night for the monthly gathering of the gentleman’s club, it was book night. They would rotate houses and this time it was at his place. In no way, did he want his friends to know about his heartbreaking news. So, extra effort was made to make everything perfect, the cheese plate, the warmed olives, everything in its place so no one would notice what a different day it was indeed. Everyone started to arrive, the rain now entering into the home, resting on the hardwood, soaking into the carpet. Any other day the irritation would have got the best of him, but today nothing seems to bother him. He did his best to be normal, chatting, smiling, making small cracks for laughs but his soul was elsewhere, staring into the heavens, praying for a shooting star, something to provide an answer to the why, how, what and every other question running through his soul. The dinner party ran its course, the party ended as usual. Everybody said their goodbyes. And he slept away alongside a nightcap of a whiskey neat.

He was perfectly healthy, not even the seasonal flu. And now… his doctor has revealed to him that he has metastasized cancer and that it was so aggressive that he had a 50 percent chance to die in a year if he decided not to take the course of treatment recommended by his oncologist.

Sunday arrives, and he enjoy his normal stroll to his favorite park just a few blocks away. He sits at his usual bench and ponders upon the decision in front of him, do I fight for a few good more years or do I enjoy the last year of my life. Gazing away he notices a young man coming out from a tent tucked away in the trees. They crossed eyes and he nodded hello towards the young man. The old man, trying to get away from his thoughts, attempts to start a conversation with the young man only to find out that the young man is in a difficult situation as well. He just lost his job and girlfriend, wants to go to college but has no job or transportation to do so. The old man feels overwhelmed by the story, it puts everything in perspective for him, this young kid has his whole life awaiting whereas his is ending. It was right then and there where he decided he was going to enjoy his last days to the fullest.

Walking back to his house he sees an envelope on the chair sitting on his front porch; he picks it up and opens it. 20,000 dollars, just what he needed to start his treatment. Immediately he decides what to do with the money. The young guy he has just met, definitely needs it more than him. Forgetting to even question where the money came from, he runs back to the park to find his newfound friend. Luckily, he was still there. He calls him out and gives him the good news. He accompanied him to get a new car, helped him get a job with his colleagues and helped him find a small studio close to his college. The young guy couldn’t be more grateful. He was so happy to find such a caring person and friend. College season was about to start so they parted ways. The young boy still does not know of the old guy’s conditions so, they said their regular goodbyes and see you soon.

Back at the house one of the guys from the book club night was waiting for him. He wanted to know how the treatment he helped pay for was working out. The old guy was surprised! He never bothered to find out where the money came from. He just took the money and threw out the envelope. Inside this envelope there was a letter from his friend explaining why he was giving him the money. The old guy told his friend about his decision of not having the treatment and instead he used the money for a better cause. They just had a long talk.

Another Saturday came and he was happy, he had been traveling, visiting old friends, enjoying the countryside. In this closing of the final chapter of his life, here he was feeling good about his decision and ready to let go. Driving along his familiar streets, he stopped at a traffic light, gazed from the left to the right and there he was, his young friend, casually crossing the road. They crossed eyes again, waved at each other and suddenly he sees his young friend’s eyes open, feels a huge impact from behind, and instantly everything is white, all the noises ceasing to exist.

The young man rushed to the rescue but there was nothing he could do. It was an instant death. His hands hold this old familiar face, a gray-haired guy, a tender man, and then he sees a little black book peek out from his pant pocket. The golden foil reads Chapter 12. Impulsively, he grabs it and opens it, this little black book tells the story of why and how the man decides to help this young boy. As he reads through the pages, he discovers that there are other black books tucked away at the old man’s house. Another 11 books, each telling the stories of the saintly deeds he did throughout his lifetime.