Freedom before tomorrow

“No, please stop! Don’t throw my book!” I was screaming at the top of my lung, they were going to take my life, they were going to erase my memories. “Please… I will do it. I will get your money back. Please don’t throw my book!”

“You are pretty easily terrorized for a thief Johnny! We are used to scare people by threatening their loved ones, all it takes with you is one stupid book,” said the mobster from the Company, holding Johnny’s notebook in the air. “At least your ex-wife was not lying, you are a sucker for your books!” he added with a ridicule laugh for his huge size.

What did they know about me? What did they know about my memories? What did they know about my books? Even if they knew, they would not understand. My notes are all I have left, they are more precious than my life.

“This is our deal for stealing from us Johnny. You have five days to bring back 20.000$. If you don’t do it, we will burn your books and all the notes we find in your house. We will stay here until we get our money back. I’m sure you will be a respectful host.”

At this point, Johnny had no other choice than agreeing to the terms of the Company. After a despiteful nod of the head, he left his house as fast as possible and started walking on the street in a haze. He needed to think of a plan.

All I must do now, is to get these 20.000$. I really didn’t expect those freaks staying at mine. I always heard stories about the Company and their indelicate methods, but I thought I would slip off their records, 20.000$ is nothing for them. But that is enough to chase me apparently… Should I sell everything I own? This will not get me far, my old sedan is barely roadworthy. I have no saving, I have lost all my friends, I’m isolated in this big city. I can barely claim to own the dust in my pockets.

“I need a drink”, he thought loudly. Masterpieces are created under influence, right? Johnny tried to convince himself this was a good idea.

After zigzagging through small streets and back alleys of the city, Johnny arrived at the Chunky Bar.

“Give me a reserve rum, straight,” he asked Amberta, the Italian barmaid. She knew him as he was often coming there to write.

“You look exhausted Johnny, do you sleep enough dear? You have this look, the same than when you pass out writing on your book.”

The book, my book. My memories, my past, my stories, my adventures, my friends, my low, my high, my songs. All was in it… I need it back… Johnny was rambling to himself.

“Hey Johnny, I don’t want to step in your private life but I found a way to cheer me up when I’m down: I meditate. You should try meditation and breathing exercise. It did me good,” Amberta slightly moved on the side to show her curvy hips. “Look, I think I even lost a pound or two. If it works for a barmaid, it will work for a writer, right?” she asked him with a naïve tone and a teasing face. “Another rum Johnny?”

Johnny could not focus on her words, the plan to get the money will not come magically he thought.

“My book, my stories, my memories,” he whispered before refusing the offer. “Uh, no Amberta, I need to, I don’t know… I need to go. Bye now, can you add this to my tab?”

“It’s always a pleasure Johnny. Just try breathing with your nostrils, one after the other, it does make you feel better, trust me. See you whenever, my favorite writer.”

Johnny left the Chunky Bar without any plan to get his books back. His thoughts were racing again, he could not help it.

My life is going down the drain, I was used to that, but I always had my sweet memories written in my books. I would read them and remember my past, my happiest times. Writing about people I met, writing about my adventures, about each place I visited, my life living on the beach, my past life as a nomad. I also wrote when I was at my lowest, in my darkest days, during the spirals of depressions, when I fought sickness, when I lost friends and family… I wrote my songs, my music, I wrote my love, my love for life. This is all I have right now, I can’t let it go. Not to the Company.

At this moment, out of nowhere, Johnny saw a very unusual sight for this part of town. A young woman was walking on the street with a bird on top of her shoulder. The bird was graceful, with a fair size, it had a majestic appearance. It was white with a marine blue beak. A beautiful blue, as if the bird took a sip in the deep water and the colors of the ocean tainted its beak forever.

It must be an exotic bird, thought Johnny in his lost mind. He did believe in signs, he was as superstitious as a wanderer can be. This had to be a sign from the universe or was he still tipsy from that glass of rum?

The young woman was walking in his direction, looking straight, not having a glance at him. He had to make a move, this was too unusual not to be investigated by his curiosity. He knew he must be looking very gloomy, but he was too intrigued by this beautiful bird to let it go. He had to say something.

“Excuse me, that’s a jolly bird!” he almost screamed. He was scared not to be heard and ended up yelling at the young lady.

She turned her head surprised. Her face sketched a defensive smile at first, but as the bird was continuously staring at Johnny, she felt compelled to reply and she whispered, “Thank you, his name is Pao.”

Johnny and the bird were gazing at each other. The beautiful shades of the animal were piercing our poet’s eyes.

“Hi Pao!” he said still staring, as if he knew the bird or could really talk with him.

As if he wanted to reply, Pao started to stretch its wing few times. They were seemingly connecting, and it started to intrigue the young woman. She decided to share Pao Story with Johnny.

“I found Pao few weeks ago, I don’t know his real name. He was injured and could not fly. I took him with me and took care of his wounds. Now that he is healed, I want to let him go, but only where I found him. It was just there, on the roof of that building,” she pointed to the town hall, few blocks away. “If you like birds, you can come with us,” she added, not too sure why she asked him to come with them.

“Pao is so majestic, I will follow you, I want to see what he chooses. Can I ask how you tamed Pao in such a short time, how is he able to stay on your shoulder if he’s a wild animal?”

“He probably was in a home before and escaped, or maybe from a pet store. As I see it, Pao had a past in a loving home or maybe he was mistreated. But he chose to escape his condition and live freely, even if it means for him to find his own food and taking the risk of being injured. That was his choice, today I want to see if he chooses freedom again. If he doesn’t fly away on that rooftop, I will keep him and give him a loving home forever.”

At those words Johnny had a revelation. He understood how to deal with the Company. He was that bird, he had a past that was dark and bright, but he was not bound to it, he needed to free himself. If a bird could do it, he could do it too.

The group of new friends arrived at the town hall rooftop, it had a beautiful garden with young trees.

Johnny was thinking aloud again. “If Pao flies away, I will give up on my memories, I will give up on my book,” he said, as if the woman could understand him.

“Sorry?” she asked him confused.

“I’m Johnny and it’s a long story but I got myself into troubles. Let’s say I was holding to my past for too long. Pao is going to lead me to my freedom, or not. I’m putting my destiny in his hands or wings per say!”

“Haha!” Kahina was now laughing, “My name is Kahina and it’s nice to meet you. You are an original Johnny!”

“Look who is talking, walking with a bird on their shoulder!”

Both started to laugh and the time came to let Pao decide of Johnny’s fate.

Kahina took Pao in both hands and held them high in the direction of the tree where she found him. Without any hesitations, as if he knew what to do, Pao swung his wings and lift himself to liberty. Johnny smiled as if he had won something. He felt lighter with each of Pao’s wings beat.

He thanked Kahina for letting him to be with them and saving his life in a way. He insisted to repay her in a near future.

He then called the Company and told them they could keep all his books, he will contact them when he will have their money. After hanging up, Johnny left the city in is old sedan and was ready to write new stories of a new life. The company never heard of him again.

The Company shortly gave up on the 20.000$ and considered it as a loss, some said that the owners read Johnny’s books which influenced their decision to let him free.

Back in her house, Kahina was now alone, Pao’s cage was empty and the door still open. She sat on her bed and was thinking of Johnny and his way of looking at life. What kind of life did he have before? After realizing she may never find the answer, she opened her nightstand and took a small black notebook, the one where she wrote her own stories. She opened it at the bookmark, turned one page and scribbled those words:

“Pao is free and he took Johnny with him.”