This story is by Hendrick W Lira and was part of our 2018 Summer Writing Contest. You can find all the writing contest stories here.
Andrew arrived and stayed a while at the entrance. He looked disdainfully at some people dressed in rags who had also come. There ought to be a law against people like that being here, when you should be polite, well prepared and well connected. However, he had to comply with Patrick’s last will, to accompany him to his final resting place.
–
He went into the funeral home looking for the chapel where the service was carried out.
Throughout the tour he realized that the people he despised so much, seemed to be in a service next to the person he went to dismiss. He could not understand how they had managed to raise the money to be served there. “Surely the money is stolen,” he thought.
–
Upon arriving at the chapel, he found Stewart, his assistant, who was indicating what he assumed was the exit door to one of those people.
–
“Stewart, it’s so good to see you!”
–
The two men shook hands.
–
“I cannot stand these people, they pollute what should be an atmosphere of decency. They must be from Freeman Street. Thanks for showing them the way out.”
“Come on Andrew. Everyone else is here to honor Patrick. I’ll show you the way.”
–
They went into the room where the coffin housing Patrick’s physical remains was located, and to Andrew’s surprise, the person he had seen talking to Stewart before was there.
–
“I saw you showing that person out! What is he doing here?” he asked without hiding his annoyance. “I’ll call security to kick him out of here.”
–
Andrew made his way to the entrance to the funeral home, but Stewart restrained him before he got there.
–
“Wait Andrew, before you’re the one that gets expelled.”
–
An expression of disbelief came over Andrew’s face, stopping him in his tracks.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“Come on, walk with me for a moment.”
–
The two men left the building. Andrew kept his proud gaze forward so as not to meet the gaze of any of those people whom he knew deserved nothing but contempt. They stopped under a tree seeking shelter in its shade.
“Do you remember when Patrick introduced us?”
“Of course, Stewart. You were the perfect image of what my office required back then, and you still are: well educated, prepared and with an impeccable and charming look.”
“Thanks, Andrew. Patrick never told you how we met?”
“Of course, at a business lunch. He told me that he had convinced you to leave your job so you could work with me, because you could help me to give the office a presence on the web, and he was right.”
–
Stewart was silent for a few moments before resuming the conversation.
–
“In part, yes.”
–
Andrew’s expression turned serious.
–
“Explain yourself,” he said dryly.
“One night, I was walking in front of a very well dressed man, and I asked him for the time. I was running late heading back to my place and I was worried I’d be late for the last train. That man looked at me disdainfully and continued on his way. I asked another gentleman and realized that it was getting late and I hurried to not miss it.”
“I’m sure it was Patrick, he was always a gentleman,” Andrew said.
“The next day, the man who wouldn’t even look at me, as if I wasn’t even a person, came to the same place where we saw each other the previous night, and this time he had a policeman with him. They both approached me. I didn’t know what to do. I thought the man would accused me of assault, having filed a complaint. I thought about running away, but that would only make me guiltier of a crime I did not commit.”
–
Stewart paused to lift the sleeve of his suit, showing the watch on his wrist to his interlocutor.
–
“The man gave it to me and told me it was so I wouldn’t have to ask for the time again. I accepted it. Some weeks later the same policeman came back, and I understood at that moment that he had come looking for me. Now they would accuse me of stealing the watch that he had given me. I felt stupid for having accepted it. But instead, the policeman asked me to accompany him. We walked to where the car police was, but the officer told me to get in the back of a car that was parked behind it. It was the first time I’d been in a car with leather seats. There was the man who gave me this watch. I feared the worst, that he would blackmail me, and force me to do bad things so I would not go to jail for stealing his watch.”
–
“I do not understand how someone could do that to a young man as distinguished as you.”
–
“That man told me he wanted to start a training program for homeless people.”
–
“Oh, I understand now. Seeing your distinguished appearance, he realized that you are a person capable of carrying out any project, as you have shown me.”
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“No, Andrew. I was the first person taking that program, and the promoter was Patrick Anderson, the person who was in that car with me.”
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“You’re making this up, and I don’t understand why. Stop now.”
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“Patrick let me know that the night I asked him for the time, he did not even hear what I said, that it was not until a few seconds later that his brain processed my words. When he turned to tell me what time it was, he couldn’t find me”.
–
Andrew couldn’t hear anymore of this, and turned to head back to his expensive vehicle. Stewart grabbed him, holding him tightly by the arm.
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“You’re going to listen to the rest of this story, Andrew!” he warned.
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“I’m going to fire you, you piece of shit.”
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“I delivered my resignation letter this morning, while you were on your way here.”
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Andrew wanted to leave, but he also wanted to hear how the story ended.
–
“Yes, the best thing you can do is this, to keep silent. Patrick told me that night he felt very bad for having reacted to me in such a prejudiced way, without even paying attention to what I was asking him for. In the following weeks after he gave me the watch, he organized the program for training street people in collaboration with the Swanson Academy. I graduated with honors. After that, I didn’t spend the nights on the train ways looking for shelter and security anymore.
–
The biggest test was to be accepted by people like you. Patrick confessed that his experience with me had made him reflect on his life and that he would amend his behavior thereafter.
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I almost forget to tell you that those people you called indecent are the current students of the academy and yes; they are from Freeman Street, just like me.
–
That is the reason Patrick wanted you to be here, so you could see this, his legacy.
Now go, and know that you are the real piece of shit!”
–
Andrew pulled back angrily, and left the place as if he was driving a racing car, at full speed.
–
Weeks later, Stewart was introduced as the administrator of the Swanson Academy. One of his first activities was to receive some new contributors to the program started by Patrick. One of them began a relationship with Swanson, making a significant contribution of money: it was a check from the account of Andrew Martin’s office.
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