The Old Man

by Jesse David

  Chapter 13

  When bad things happen and you can't change anything, what is the best thing to do?

  Mourning about it will drag you down. But we are humans, we have emotions, maybe I guess, it is in our nature to be sad when bad things happen.

  For the old man, being sad will be just a waste of time. He just accepts that he done a bad thing, but that doesn't justify a person if it is good or bad.

  When bad things happen, all you need to do is accept it and continue.

  "So are you good at opening locks?"

  "Yes, but I am much better with old locks."

  "Can you open up my briefcase?"

  "Hmm, ok," Mushy said. "What's in here gramps?"

  "We are going to find."

  After checking, "This lock is old. I'll try my best."

  Mushy is spinning the dial. "Gramps, you can go around somewhere. This will take time."

  Would you trust bad people when they help you?

  "Go gramps."

  The old man goes to Ram that is playing on the slide. "Hey Ram, could you look after Mushy? Just need to go somewhere."

  "Ok grandpa."

  The old man starts to go. He takes the last look before he goes away. He doesn't have any place to go. He just wanders. He walks like his consciousness is gone. He just walks in autopilot then he feels that it is the time to go back to Mushy.

  When he came back to the park, Mushy is still doing the briefcase. "Is it done?"

  "Locks are just objects to keep us away from getting inside. But it is just a puzzle if you know how to solve it. Then it will be easy as cake."

  Then Mushy snapped. He throws the briefcase away. When it land, he grab it and hit it on the same bench where they sit. The old man thought that he is the real madman. The thing is, we have a madman inside us waiting to snap.

  "This. Thing. Won't. Open."

  Then the briefcase open, it seems like a joke. The briefcase waits just Mushy to snap then it open.

  "Oh, it is now open gramps."

  Mushy gave the open briefcase to the old man. The old man holds it delicately. It seems that the inside of the briefcase is new, only the outside is so worn out.

  Inside the briefcase are an old bible, pocket watches, postcards, and a wallet.

  The things don't make sense. The old man checks the postcard of Virginia Beach. A message is written on the back. "Wish you were here. XOXO Bel."

  "Happy now gramps?"

  "I am trying to find myself in the briefcase. But the things in my briefcase don’t make sense."

  "Maybe the post card makes sense."

  "I wish, but nothing seems to make sense."

  "Maybe we can go there."

  "We?"

  "Yes, I have nothing to do."

  "Ok. But the postcard says 'Wish you we're here' that means that I am not there."

  "But it is worth a chance."

  "So how can we go to Virginia Beach?"

  "We get a car."

  "You mean buy a car?"

  "Do you think I will steal everything?"

  "I never said that. You think what you think."

  "What is with the word think?"

  "It is what you thought to yourself that you hear."

  "Maybe I was wrong, but I guess you are also wrong."

  Mushy sit beside the old man thinking about something.

  "Ok sorry. So can we buy a car, how?"

  "We go to any 2nd hand shop. Or renting car shop."

  "I do not have any documentation, do you have any?" The old man said.

  "I... I..."

  "Before we think of that, we do not have any money for it."

  "Sell some of your stuff."

  "What if some of this is important?"

  "It should ring a bell in your mind. Old man, sell the item that doesn't seem to make sense."

  "Ok."

  "Plus I gave you one grand. I think we can buy a car with that."

  "Ok, but where can I sell this thing."

  "A lot antiquarian seller here. Maybe that will cost a lot."

  "Let's go then. I do not have my whole life waiting. I might die today."

  "Carpe Diem," Ram said.

  So they go to the busy part of the city. There is a lot of stores to choose from. The old man checks the store one by one from the outside. If the cashier inside is young, then it is a negative. He is searching for an old man like him.

  The store that he picks looks like older than the things inside. Unlike others antiquarian shop, this shop is much dirtier. But the objects here look older. The person in charge is an old man. He may be considered to be sold in this store.

  "Hey." The old man said.

  The keeper of the store is older than our old man. He will seem to break anytime unlike our old man, our old man looks to have more life than a depressed yuppie.

  "How can I help you?" The keeper said.

  The old look outside and he saw that Ram and Mushy. The old man thought, why this 2 wouldn't help him.

  "I want to sell something?"

  "This is antiquarian, I buy old stuff not new, if it is not 40 years and older, then that is nothing."

  "Check this." Then the old man shows the bible.

  "Let me see." The keeper said. It seems that the keeper can't lift it, the book is around 16 inches and seem very thick.

  The keeper checks the spine and cover. He then opens the first page. He is like chanting something but he is just reading the text from the first page.

  "This is the 1611 King James Bible. Do you personally own this?"

  "Yes, I think. I lost my memory. That is inside my briefcase when I open it."

  "$3000 take it or leave it."

  The old man looks outside. He saw that Mushy and Ram seems to be celebrating outside.

  "Ok, I'll take it."

  "Does this have a sentimental value? That usually increases the value of antique items."

  "I wish I had my memory. If my memory comes back, I'll be back here."

  "Ok." The keeper starts to count this money. "Your bible is safe with me."

  "If you find something in the bible. Something that seems to be different or might help me. Please take a note. I'll be back here." The old man said. "What is your name?"

  "Meth," Meth said. "What is yours?"

  "Will tell you once I found out.

  Chapter 14

  "What happen, gramps?" Mushy asked.

  "I sold the bible for 3000."

  "Ok, so next is buying a car," Mushy said. "Let me do the deal."

  They don't know where is the nearest car dealer. But with Mushy's talkativeness, they arrive on the car dealer after lunch. Or not after lunch because they skip their lunch for the car.

  "Watch this," Mushy said.

  Ram goes to every car looking inside by cupping his hand near his eye.

  "Hey, what the cheapest, beefiest car you have heard?"

  The mechanic and also a seller that is full of grease looks to him. Then he smirks like everything is a joke.

  "How much is your money."

  "Depends on what you have," Mushy said. The old man is just behind mushy.

  "Ok, you see that car?" The mechanic points using his lips. "1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo."

  "Big cars, big toys."

  "It is 6 cylinder, fully automatic. All you have to do is drive this monster for $999."

  "Ok, I'll take it."

  The old man pulls the shoulder of Mushy. "Are you sure with that?"

  "Yes. That is cheap."

  The mechanic is looking at them and then he has this smirk again.

  "Come with me to the office, ready your license cause you will fill up some papers."

  The old man pulls Mushy again. "Do you have a license?"

  "No, it is easy to drive this."

  "But how can we get this?"

  "Money, give me 2 grand."

  Mushy returns a smirk. "Come here Mr. Seller."

  "Why, you change your mind?"

  "No.
" Then mushy show the seller two grand.

  "I need the car. Here is 2000 take it or leave it."

  The mechanic looks at the money. He can do a lot of things to make this passed. He can tell that it has been stolen by an old man or it just vanished. Easy 2000.

  "Wait here. Gonna grab the key." The mechanic said.

  "Best deal ever," Mushy said. "We could sleep in the back and stock some food. This is a monster."

  "Hey Ram, check our car." The old man said.

  Ram run to the car. He opens the door and lie inside. "I am hungry."

  "We are going to buy some foods after we got this."

  Then the mechanic came with a smirk. "Be careful." He gave the key. "And hope you enjoy."

  "Thanks. We'll be safe."

  The mechanic goes back to his work.

  Mushy ride the driver seat, the old man is the shotgun and ram look sleeping in the passenger.

  "Do you know how to drive?" The old man asked.

  "Well, this is easy. It is automatic. You just need to step on the pedal and it will move. Step on this pedal and it will stop."

  "You don’t answer the question. Do you know how to drive?"

  "I told you it is easy."

  "Now drive."

  "Ok." Mushy steps on the accelerator but it doesn't accelerate. You can hear all the revving.

  "What?"

  "I need to do it," Mushy said trying to fool the old man.

  Then Mushy turn the shift stick to D. The car move slowly even he doesn’t step on the accelerator.

  "Try to move it." The old man said.

  Then the jeep move. Mushy want to dance with happiness but he is suppressing it.

  "So where do we go next?" Mushy asked.

  "Far far away." The old man said.

  "What?"

  "I mean let's have a drive thru at McDonalds."

  They drive almost smoothly going to McDonald. Almost. The car suddenly accelerated and also stops. But before they get to McDonald, it seems the jeep became a tame beast.

  There is some sudden stop when he got the 'order here' part.

  "What is your order, Sir?"

  "2 Big mac..."

  "Sir, please move your vehicle a little bit, the mic is far from you."

  "2 Big Mac's with 2 large drink and also 2 large fries. Also 2 happy meal."

  "Ok, next counter Sir."

  They move to the next counter.

  "$12 sir. And here is your meal."

  Mushy grabs it.

  They find a spot where they can see the sea and the sunset. This part of the town doesn't have a lot of people. It is pretty quiet, after the meal, the old man and Ram takes a nap.

  Sunset. It means the end of the day and the start of the night. It could be the end and also a beginning. The old man taps the shoulder of Mushy.

  "You know what, I've been unconscious for 8 years. That would be my very first clear sunset. The sunset in the nursing home only means dinner. The sunset in town means the end of work."

  "You like to observe huh?"

  "Yes, it feels like a kid ready to explore. I do not remember my past but I think I'm like Ram when I was his age."

  "Why search for your past? You can build a new one."

  "The voice in my head tells me. You know what, that voice just memorizes the bible scriptures. Ram told me that the voice might be God. I think I'm just a madman." The old man said.

  "Every one of us is a madman. It is better to be God than Satan."

  "Yes, it better be. But Satan isn't bad and isn't the opposite of God. His task is just dirty. Someone has to do it." The old man said.

  "Yes, it is better to hear God and Satan, rather than hearing our own conscience. See that guy in a suit. He follows his conscience. I'm sure before he turns 40, he will get a divorce, wake up to a job that he doesn't like, alcoholic, paying his car and house, and sure he is depressed. He just wishes he never lived."

  "Why are you out here? Should you be in school or a working?"

  "Those things are for boring people. I am a different kind. So you are. All of us here."

  "Birds of the same feather. Flocks together."

  "Wanna drive gramps?"

  "Is it easy?"

  "Yeah sure. The left pedal is the brake, the right is acceleration. You have a hand break here." Mushy said. "Put to D to drive and P to park or neutral."

  Chapter 15

  They change sits. Mushy is now riding shotgun. Gentle the old man put the gear to D and it accelerate slowly. The old man steps on the gas. They accelerate, they drive back to the town where a lot of busy people got to be busy. The old man seems to see well since he is seating in a higher car. The old man starts to see the beauty in this chaos. The city lights are starting to turn on. The sound of the vehicle's horn starting to make harmony. Sometimes, art comes from chaos. The city is a living art. But some of the organism in it forgot to live.

  "What will you do if you remember everything?" Mushy asked.

  "I'm old. I would like to find my family for the last time."

  "You know, I watched a movie before," Ram said. He is awake in the back. "It is about the earth coming to an end. Some people do bad things because this will be the last time they can do it. And also, there are no authorities left. But some of them go to their family one last time. I think that is human nature to go back home when you're afraid."

  "I told you, he is a genius." The old man said.

  "And what if you can't find your family or much worst doesn't know who you are?" Mushy asked.

  "Maybe go back to the nursing home. I'm too old. I can't create new stories. Maybe I'll just wait there and die."

  "Just like the others?"

  "Just like the others."

  "So what's next?" Ram said. "Let's go back to our adventure."

  "Yeah, but I don't know what next to do."

  "You don't know anything," Ram said. "Stop the car on that fast food."

  The restaurant is a Chinese style. It is an old style unlike the other restaurant that is more modern. The old man parks with ease.

  "Ram, give me my briefcase." The old man said.

  The old man opens it. It is more spacious since the bible was sold. The things left are the pocket watch and postcards.

  The first clue they are thinking is a postcard of Virginia Beach. The postcard has some message, but some of it doesn’t have. All of the postcards are pictures of the beach. The old man really likes the beach.

  "Have you seen this inner pocket?"

  They open it. Inside are knuckles, a cigarette case, a flint, a lighter, a pipe and some old paper bills.

  "Oh, I have the same set of knuckles," Mushy said. "Check every item if there is something uncommon."

  The old man checks the item. He checks the item under suitcase to be sure nothing seems to be different. But there is something that seems off. Maybe his eyes are too old for checking thing because he doesn't notice that something is engraved in the zippo lighter. He only realized it when to rub it with his thumb. He saw 2 initials, 'E. H.' But still this initial doesn't ring a bell. Maybe this is the initial of the old man. But still this means nothing.

  "So you are Grandpa EH," Mushy said.

  "I do not know."

  "That is better than having nothing," Ram said.

  "EH. It seems like an expression when you don't believe in something."

  "What if this bag isn't your?" Ram said.

  "I do not know. Let take a leap of faith. It better to believe in something than nothing."

  "Even if it is a lie?"

  "Just keep quite Ram. I am thinking."

  "Nothing make sense gramps?" Mushy said.

  "Nothing."

  "Let's go to this place. We do not have anywhere to go."

  This is the first time that it sinks to the old man's mind. There is an additional member of the team, and that is Mushy. They are now 3 musketeers or 3 kings.

  "Are you coming with us?" The old man asked.

  "Yes, need some thr
ill in this life."

  They now have 3 people on the team. Ram, the genius kid. Mushy, the rebel but has a golden heart to help. EH or the old man, who still doesn't know anything.

  The old man thought that it is good to have a companion, and he just escapes nursing home. He doesn't want to come back in a different institution since he is breaking laws. By that institution, I mean, jail. But in his age and medical condition, maybe he will not go to jail. Much worse it will be an asylum.

  Chapter 16

  It seems that the old man is now near to his goal. He now has enough money to continue what he wants to do. His briefcase is now open and some of the items seem to be a clue. And he got these jeeps. He can now go anywhere and sleep anywhere.

  Ram thought that if they really going to Virginia Beach, they must have a map. The world is pretty big. There is a lot of chance that you are not in the place you want.

  So they got a map, with the help of the person in the bookstore, they now know where they are. The person in the bookstore tells them what the best map for doing their task.

  "Do we go there today? It now pretty dark." The old man asked.

  "I think it is good," Ram said.

  Mushy is thinking deep about something.

  "How about you Mushy?" The old man asked.

  "Yeah... Ahhh... Whatever you want old man."

  "I think we should drive a little and just sleep halfway. It is easier to drive at night."

  "Yeah, let's start buying food, water and clothes." Mushy said.

  They go to this convenient store that seems to be different from the regular convenient store. They only realize that is not a regular convenient store when they are done shopping. It is a Pinoy convenient store where local Filipino merchandise can be bought. The old man thought that it make sense that the people inside doesn't sound Chinese or Japanese.

  The majority of the food's name is still written in English. The old man mostly got bread like brownies, macaroons, ensaymada, and loaf bread with raisins, beans and loaf bread with red beans. This loaf bread is like the junk food of the old guy, having it in a different flavor. Ram take every junk food he thinks delicious like Tomi, Haw Haw (milk powder candy), sweet corn, snacku, ri-chee, chiz curls, and pee wee. And for Mushy, he doesn't care, he just got every soft drink which is typical on the US. He told the old man that he will just have a drive thru.

  "Ram do you think that this is enough?" The old man asked.