IF IT IS YOUR WISH

             Paul and Mary came from an upper - class family in the Southern part of town. The southern part of town from this particular city was one of the wealthiest. They lived in a hot shot apartment that had a gourmet verandah and a small hot tub. Not to mention, that it was the penthouse and it was a three-story one.  Every weekend they threw parties or were invited to parties, but people liked to come over to their place because they really spent money as if it came from an open faucet. They really lived a care-free life.

However, all of that was about to change as if a curse had been casted upon them.

On a gray Monday morning, the intercom rang and Paula and Mary were visited by the Federal Police. Not that they had gotten out of bed to answer the call, the hired help was nervously knocking on their bedroom door to wake them up.

“Paul, what is the meaning of this?” Mary cried as she got dressed.

“I don´t know. There must be a terrible mix up. After all I do have a common name.” Paul replied as he put on his clothes. But deep down inside he knew what was going on but he figured that it would take a few years before it came to this.

“Good morning officers, how can I be of your assistance?” Paul calmly greeted the officers.

“Mr. Silva, I’m afraid that you are under arrest for laundering money and drug dealing.”

Mary fainted. The help tried to catch her but missed by an inch and she hit the floor hard and blood gushed on the white marble floor tile.

“Oh my! Officer Reed call an ambulance! Fast!”

“I am sure that there has been some misunderstanding. I shall go in peace for I have nothing to be afraid of. Does my wife need to come along?” Paul calmly said.

“An ambulance will take your wife to the hospital since her head is bleeding and then she will join you at the precinct. As a matter of fact, she should just take bare necessities because everything you own, as of now, is being confiscated.” replied the officer.

“But without a proper trial? Without a thorough investigation?” Paul protested, but he was crushed. His boss said that if he ever got into trouble matters would be taken care of.

“I am entitled to a phone call, aren´t I?”

“Certainly. You can do that at the station. Please come with us. Office Harth will accompany your wife to the hospital when the ambulance arrives and then to the station. Men, handcuff him and seal off the apartment.”

“Hold on now. Handcuffs? Is that really necessary? I am going quietly.”

“Federal Police procedure sir.”

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A couple of months went by and Paul had been sent to jail without bail and was sentenced to 15 years of prison.

Mary didn´t have immediate family nor distant family and all the friends she thought she had had disappeared like roaches when there is an obstruction in their paths or the so-called friends just didn´t return her calls. She was stuck on the street with nowhere to go. She couldn´t afford to visit her husband in jail and to be honest, she didn´t care to.

Mary´s life got pretty sad and as she walked the streets finding a place to sleep, she thought how miserable and poor she had become and the best thing to do would be to end her life. There was nothing to live for. She had gotten married to Paul at an early age and never really finished her studies. He had money and gave her everything she needed. As she sat under the covering of a store in the pouring rain, she started to plan her death.

It had to be done fast and painless. She could jump in front of a car. She could steal something from one of the other homeless people roaming around like zombies ready to attack each. For sure they would stab or hit her really hard. Another alternative would be going to the subway station waiting for a train to arrive and jumping in front of it. There were also so many bridges in the city for her to jump from. She felt like a big coward and wished she had died that day that she had fainted and cracked her head open on that beautiful penthouse marble floor that she missed all so much.

She didn't notice that an older man sat beside her. She only realized there was somebody there when she smelled the stench.

“Pretty hard rain, isn't it?”  he said.

“If you don't mind, I'd rather be alone.” She answered without looking at him.

“The city streets are really not yours to control, are they?”

“No, they're not, but I got here first and that is one of the rules for us who roam the streets with nowhere to go -  first come first serve.”

“You look like you could use some company. After all killing yourself is not such an easy task, is it?”

“How do you know that I was thinking about ending my life?”

“It's written all over your face.”

“I don't want to be rude or anything, but do you mind sitting somewhere else?”

“You know, I could help you.”

“Help me with what exactly?”

“You know, terminate your life.”

“You mean YOU are going to kill me?”

“Oh no, I wouldn't get my hands dirty, but I know a couple of people who would love to.”

“So, you are going to get me killed?”

“If that is your wish.”

“What's in it for you?”

“Helping others makes me feel better about myself.”

Mary laughed. She couldn't believe that by having her killed this man thought he would be doing a good deed.

“I'm sorry Sir, I would really like to be alone right now.”

“OK, but you're missing up a great chance.”

“I can't believe you. Here I am telling you that I want to take my life and you are encouraging me to do it. A normal human being would try to convince me not to.”

“Yes, you're right, but I'm not a normal human being. I live off the streets. I don't follow any rules and for surely have got nothing to lose. But I do wake up every day and try to help at least one person. As I said before, it makes me feel better about myself.  So, are you going to let me help you or not?”

Mary was so enraged and perplexed by this conversation. She got up walked a little bit towards the curb, lost her balance and slipped. As she was falling into the street, a bus ran her over.

The homeless man ( whom no one else could see)  sitting under the store covering lets out a sigh, claps his hands, smiles and says: “ another good deed!”

Written: August 14, 2020

 

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