by Jose Moreno
****
The last day in prison, Barón put on the same TRS that he had been wearing the day he had gone to the woods. He walked down the stairs and the doors opened for him every time he encountered one. Once on the first floor, the security guard said to Barón, “Have a nice day.”Then, Barón walked outside. Barón’s dad was waiting for him,
“My son…” Barón’s father said with tears in his eyes. “I am just glad to be able to see you again.” He began to weep; then, cleaned the tears with his hands and hugged Barón.
Barón, trying to hold his tears, said while he was being hugged, “I am sorry dad.”
Then, they both walked to the car in order to go back home. On their way home, both were very quiet. They only communicated with smiles. Once they arrived home, they walked together to the front door. Barón’s dad opened the door, walked ahead of Barón and Barón followed him.
Once they were at the center of the living room, Barón’s dad turned to face Barón and said, “I have something for you,” reaching into his TRS bag. He took out a folded piece of old fashion paper and handed it to Barón. Then, he said, “I found it by the front gate yesterday….while you read it, I am going to the kitchen to bring some food.”
Barón unfolded the paper and noticed that it was note from Oliver:
“Dear Barón:
Congratulations on your release from jail. About two years ago I saw many UFO incidents around here that nobody believed. I thought I was going crazy. Then, a few days ago, a man in a wool suit approached me and talked to me about the UFO incidents that I saw two years ago! For some strange reason he mentioned you and he said that I have to thank you. Do you know what is going on?”
Barón felt happy to know that Oliver was fine wherever he was. Barón knew exactly what had been going on and he could not tell anyone; THEY were always watching and listening.
Barón’s father returned from the kitchen with a pot full of fish stew, and put it on the table while Barón pulled a chair and sat where he always sat down. Barón’s dad walked back to the kitchen to bring plates and utensils. Once he was back, he set up the table and sat down.
“So…what was that note all about?” Barón’s dad asked while he was reaching for a piece of bread.
“Oh…the note…I do not know,” Barón responded trying change the conversation. “I am glad Oliver is fine wherever he is hiding.”
“Yeah…wherever he is hiding,” Barón’s dad said feeling sad that he had not seen him in two years. However, he did not want to think too deeply about it. He just wanted to focus on the son that was at the table with him. Not wanting to stir negative feelings in Barón, Barón’s dad did not want to talk about the details of his arrest or the motivation for leaving home; Instead, Barón’s dad focused on the future. In this way, he asked Barón, “What are your plans for the future?”
At that moment, Barón was chewing his delicious low fat, high fiber bread and unable to respond immediately. It was the perfect excuse to have time to think what he was going to say—He was not sure what he would be doing for the secret agency. Moreover, everything he would do for the agency was going to be a secret. After chewing his bread for twenty seconds, Barón said, “I am going to work around functiomatons. I have a job already.”
His dad, who always desired for him to work in some functiomaton factory, felt proud that his son was following his “footsteps”; however, he was unaware that Barón was going to be working with technology unknown to the world. He responded, “Oh Barón! I am so glad!” and his tears began to roll down again feeling that his son had become respectful of technology.
Barón did not know what to say to his dad. They had not been communicating much even when he was a kid. It was difficult for Barón to interpret and say something sensible watching his dad being so joyful and sad at the same time. In desperate attempt to say something meaningful, Barón said, “Dad, thank you for everything?”
Barón’s father looked at him with a smile and said, “Barón, although you ended up in prison, I am proud for whatever you did because I know you intended to do good to all human beings.”
At that moment, Barón understood that he had accomplished the amends the man in the suit had mentioned. He felt ready for the next spiritual challenge.
At that precise moment, classical music in the house started to play indicating that someone was outside the door.
Barón quickly run to the door throwing his half eaten bread on the soup and opened the door. It was the man in the suit.
“Hello. I think we have an appointment,” said the man in the suit looking at Barón’s father
“Who is that?” asked Barón’s father.
“This is the man that offered me the job,” Barón responded.
Barón’s father stood up and walked to the door. He extended his hand to shake his hand and said, “It is very nice to meet you.”
The man shook his hand and said, “Nice to meet you. I am sure he will be back for dinner.”
The man in the suit and Barón walked out of the house. Right outside the gate, there was a white air vehicle like the ones that very wealthy people in Truxes used. Barón and the man entered. Then, the vehicle lifted up, making the loud turbine noise that all vehicles made, once they were high enough not to collide with anything attached to the ground, the vehicle accelerated in the west direction.
Barón concerned asked, “Where are we going?”
-We are going to an island off the coast of California. We’ll be there in thirty minutes. Hold on tight because we are going to travel at half the speed of sound.
