Loved By His Parents
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“I’ve been thinking about that,” I said, “and there’s a way to get around the problem. We could have him live in one of our houses.”
“What?” my father exclaimed. He had never heard me suggest such an idea before and it surprised both he and Mother. They looked at each other with raised eyebrows as they waited for me to explain myself.
“You know how we always take care of people who are sick or hurt? Well, this is sort of like being ill—but not really. It would be more like if someone was injured but didn’t need medical treatment. That person wouldn’t require food or shelter from us; instead, we’d provide whatever help he needed so that he can continue living his life on Earth.”
My parents were silent for several moments while they thought over what I had just suggested. Finally, Father spoke up again. “It sounds good in theory, Michael. But isn’t it rather dangerous to let him stay here without any supervision? What happens if something goes wrong and he gets into trouble?”
Mother nodded her agreement. She added, “We’re talking about a grown man here, Michael. How do you think he’ll react when he finds out that all these years we knew where he lived?”
I shrugged. “He might be angry at first, but after some time passes, I’m sure he will understand why we did this. And even if he doesn’t want anything to do with us anymore, we still won’t feel bad because we helped him get back home safely.”
Father sighed heavily. “Michael, I don’t know whether I should be happy that you came up with this idea or worried that you may have gone too far.”
“Don’t worry, Dad,” I assured him. “This is the only solution that makes sense. Besides, since we’ll be providing him with everything he needs, including a place to sleep, he shouldn’t mind living in one of our homes.”
“Well, then I guess it’s settled,” my mother said. “As long as it works out, it can’t possibly go wrong.”
The next morning, I went down to the basement and found Michael sitting on a chair by himself. As soon as I saw him, I walked over to him and knelt beside him. “Good morning, Michael,” I greeted him cheerfully.
Michael smiled weakly at me. “Hello, Michael.” Then he turned to look up toward the ceiling. “Is everyone else awake yet?”
“Yes, they are,” I told him. “They’re probably wondering where you are. Why don’t you come upstairs and join them?”
After a momentary hesitation, Michael got off his chair and started walking slowly across the room. When he reached the stairs, he paused briefly before starting up. The effort made his breathing difficult, and he stopped halfway up and leaned against the wall for support.
When he finally arrived at the top of the steps, he looked around, spotted me, and waved. My parents were standing near the kitchen table, having breakfast, and immediately noticed that their guest was missing.
“Where’s Michael?” Father asked, looking concerned. “Didn’t he wake up early enough to eat breakfast?”
Mother shook her head. “No, Michael didn’t say anything about eating. Maybe he forgot or wasn’t hungry. If he’s not feeling well, maybe we should call Dr. Wilson.”
“Oh no!” Father groaned. “If he has another attack . . .”
I stood up quickly and rushed over to Michael. “Are you okay?” I asked anxiously.
Michael nodded silently and continued staring straight ahead.
“Maybe he just wants to rest for a while,” Mother suggested. “Let’s give him some time to recover and see if he feels better later.”
“That’s true,” I agreed. “In fact, I think I’ll go downstairs and check on him now. You guys can wait here until he comes back up.”
Before leaving the house, I gave Michael a reassuring smile and whispered, “See you later, Michael.”
Then I headed down the stairs and entered the basement.
At first glance, Michael appeared to be asleep. However, I could tell that he was actually awake, although he was resting quietly. I sat down on the floor next to him and took his hand in mine. Then I began stroking his arm gently, hoping that it would relax him and make him feel sleepy. After a few minutes, I felt Michael begin to drift off to sleep.
Once he was sound asleep, I carefully lifted him from his chair and carried him upstairs. Once inside the bedroom, I placed him on his bed and covered him with a blanket. Then I left the room and returned to the dining room.
“How is he doing?” Mother asked once she saw me coming through the doorway.
“Not very well,” I replied sadly. “His condition seems to be getting worse.”
“What happened to him?” Father asked. “Why does he keep having these attacks?”
I explained what had occurred earlier that morning. “Right after breakfast, he suddenly collapsed and fell unconscious,” I told them. “And every time he wakes up, it takes longer and longer for him to regain consciousness.”
“It sounds like he’s going into shock,” Mother concluded. “Do you think he might need an injection of something to help him recover faster?”
“Perhaps,” I admitted. “But I also wonder if there isn’t more to it than that. So far, none of us have seen any physical signs of injury. But considering how much stress he must be under right now, it wouldn’t surprise me if he suffered some kind of internal damage that hasn’t been detected yet.”
“You mean he’s bleeding internally?” Father asked.
“Maybe,” I answered. “Or perhaps he’s suffering from some other type of illness. Either way, we won’t know unless we take him to the hospital and run some tests. That’s why I want to get him to the doctor as soon as possible.”
“So do I,” Mother added. “We’ve already waited too long.”
“Okay,” I said. “First things first. We need to find a car big enough to carry both Michael and all his luggage.”
***
In the end, we decided to borrow one of our neighbor’s cars instead of renting a van. It was still fairly large, but it was less expensive and easier to drive.
Father drove the vehicle while Mother rode along with Michael. Since neither of them knew exactly where the hospital was located, I volunteered to accompany them.
After dropping off the others, I hurried home and packed a small suitcase containing everything Michael needed for his stay in town: clothes, toiletries, books—everything except his laptop computer. I figured that I’d bring that to him tomorrow afternoon when I came by to visit.
By the time I finished packing my own belongings, it was almost noon. By then, I was exhausted, so I went upstairs to lie down on the couch and catch a quick nap.
The next thing I remember, I woke up sometime later and found myself sitting up in bed. Although I hadn’t slept long, it felt good to stretch out again. At least I didn’t feel quite as tired anymore.
As I lay there thinking, I couldn’t stop wondering what had become of Michael. He seemed to be doing fine at the moment, but who knew what was going to happen next? And even though I wanted to believe that nothing serious was wrong, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something terrible was bound to occur sooner or later.
I closed my eyes and tried to picture Michael lying on the operating table, being operated upon by a team of doctors. The thought made me shudder. I hoped it was only a nightmare; otherwise, the situation was about to get a lot worse before it got better.
Just then, someone knocked softly on the door. When I opened it, I discovered that it was Michael himself standing outside.
“Hi,” he greeted me cheerfully. “Did you miss me?”
“Of course not!” I exclaimed. “Where were you all this time?”
“I’m sorry,” Michael apologized. “I should have called and let you know that I wasn’t feeling well.”
“Don’t worry about it,” I assured him. “It happens to everyone sometimes.”
Michael smiled. “Thanks,” he said. “Now come downstairs and join me for lunch. There’s plenty for two people.”
“That’s okay,” I insisted. “I’ll eat alone.”
He frowned. “No, you don’t understand,” he protested. “There are certain foods that I can’t digest properly without taking medication beforehand. If I ate anything today, it would probably upset my stomach and make me sick.”
“Oh,” I said. “Well, I guess that makes sense.”
“Yes, it does,” Michael agreed. “Especially since I haven’t eaten breakfast yet anyway.”
“Then please, sit down and enjoy your meal,” I urged. “If you’re hungry, I’ll fix another plate for myself.”
“Thank you,” he said gratefully. “But I really appreciate you letting me join you.”
Although Michael looked perfectly healthy right now, I could tell that he was still worried. I wondered whether he was trying to put on a brave front because of what had happened last night. Whatever the case, I decided to keep quiet and just listen to his story.
When Michael sat down beside me, I handed him a fork and knife. Then I poured some water into a cup and set it on the table between us. After that, I started cutting up the food on my plate.
“What did they say at the hospital?” I asked after I’d served myself a portion of rice.
“They ran a few tests, but they couldn’t find anything wrong with me,” Michael replied. “Apparently, I’m just a little bit underweight. They told me that if I lost any more weight, I might start having health problems. So now I have to watch what I eat every day until I gain back some of the pounds I’ve lost.”
“That sounds like a reasonable explanation,” I remarked. “How much do you weigh now?”
“About eighty-seven kilos,” Michael answered.
“Wow! You look great!” I complimented him. “Are you sure you weren’t exaggerating?”
“Not at all,” Michael assured me. “My doctor is the same one who treated Father when he broke his arm several years ago. She knows her stuff, so she wouldn’t have given me such an absurd diagnosis unless it was true.”
“Good,” I said. “At least you won’t starve yourself to death.”
“Maybe not,” Michael admitted. “But I’m definitely afraid that I’ll lose too much weight before it gets better.”
I nodded. That sounded pretty scary. But it also explained why Michael was always trying to convince me to cook healthier meals.
“So how long will it take for you to regain your strength?” I asked.
“Hopefully, it shouldn’t be very long,” Michael replied. “According to the nurse, I should start feeling better within the week.”
“And I suppose you brought your laptop computer with you so that you can study while you recover?” I inquired.
Michael shook his head. “Actually, no,” he confessed. “The nurses here gave me permission to use their computers whenever I want, but I didn’t feel like studying today. Besides, I figured that I might as well spend my time resting instead of sitting in front of a monitor.”
“Why don’t you go ahead and relax for a while?” I suggested. “You deserve a break after everything you’ve been through lately.”
“All right,” Michael agreed. “Let’s see… What do I need to read first?”
“Whatever you like,” I encouraged. “We have plenty of books around here.”
Michael took a deep breath. “Okay,” he announced. “I think I’ll begin with the most difficult subject: chemistry.”
***
After lunch, we spent the rest of our afternoon reading together. Although Michael seemed happy enough to talk about school during the daytime, he quickly grew tired of discussing his classes over dinner. Instead, he wanted to hear more about my life—specifically, the things that had happened since I left Japan.
As usual, I began by telling him about my trip home and meeting Mother again. We talked about what I’d done afterward, including how I met John, got married, and moved to America. When I finished talking, Michael stared at me expectantly.
“So what else has happened since then?” he asked.
“A lot,” I replied. “For example, I became pregnant this year. And soon I’m going to give birth to a baby girl.”
“Congratulations!” Michael exclaimed. “Is there anything special that you plan to name her?”
“Her middle name will be Marie,” I informed him. “Marie Louise.”
“That’s nice,” Michael murmured. “Do you know if she looks like either of you or your husband?”
“No,” I admitted. “She doesn’t even have a face yet. All babies are born without faces until they grow hair.”
“Really?” Michael asked. “Even though they come out looking human? How strange.”
“It isn’t uncommon,” I reminded him. “In fact, I’m fairly certain that almost everyone would agree that newborns resemble nothing more than blobs of flesh.”
“Still…” Michael mused. “If I were to meet someone who looked exactly like me, I probably wouldn’t recognize them.”
“Exactly,” I confirmed. “That’s precisely why people don’t usually get excited when they spot themselves in mirrors or photographs.”
“Huh,” Michael muttered. “That makes sense. But I guess that means that you’re never really sure whether somebody is actually staring at your reflection.”
“Oh, yes,” I agreed. “Mirrors aren’t completely reliable.”
“What about cameras?” Michael asked. “Wouldn’t those work the same way?”
“Probably,” I replied. “But I doubt anyone ever takes pictures of themselves. After all, who wants to look at a picture of himself or herself?”
“Well, I suppose that depends on who you ask,” Michael remarked. “Somebody like Lady Gaga certainly seems to enjoy taking photos of herself.”
I laughed. “Lady Gaga likes being photographed because she thinks that it helps her sell records,” I pointed out. “And besides, I heard somewhere that women prefer men with good-looking bodies. So maybe she just enjoys having a body that other girls admire.”
“Hmm…” Michael pondered. “Then I wonder what kind of man you’d marry if you could choose any guy in the world.”
“Any guy?” I repeated. “That’s quite an interesting question.”
“Yeah,” Michael agreed. “Might I suggest that you find someone who resembles me?”
I chuckled. “Of course not!”
“Good answer,” Michael declared. “Now let’s move onto something less personal.”
“Yes, please,” I said. “How about you tell me about yourself? Are you still working at the hospital?”
“Not anymore,” Michael answered. “They fired me last month.”
“Why did they fire you?” I demanded.
“Because of my condition,” Michael explained. “Apparently, it wasn’t safe for me to continue working there.”
“That’s terrible!” I cried. “Did they say that you couldn’t help anybody else?”
“No,” Michael assured me. “My doctors told me that I can still save lives. It was just that my condition made it too dangerous for me to remain a nurse.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” I apologized. “Does that mean that you’re unemployed now?”
“Sort of,” Michael acknowledged. “I came back to New York because I thought that I should try to make some money before the baby comes. My parents helped me find a job as a waiter, but it hasn’t been easy.”
“You must be very hardworking,” I complimented. “Have you always worked so much?”
“Hardly,” Michael scoffed. “When I started college, I only planned to take one class per semester. But once I enrolled, I found myself enjoying learning new things. Before long, I realized that I needed to study harder if I wanted to keep up. That’s when I decided to finish my degree in two years instead of four.”
“Wow,” I breathed. “That sounds exhausting.”
“Thanks,” Michael replied. “But I think that I’ve earned my rest now.”
“Sleep well,” I whispered.
“Thank you,” Michael replied. Then he closed his eyes and fell asleep.
I watched him sleep for a while, thinking about everything we had discussed. Eventually, I turned over onto my side, pulled the blanket closer around me, and went to sleep too.
***
The next morning, I woke up feeling refreshed after another night of peaceful slumber. Although I didn’t feel hungry enough to eat breakfast, I forced myself to drink several glasses of water anyway. As I drank, I noticed that Michael’s bedside table was empty. When I peeked into the bathroom, I saw that Michael’s toothbrush, soap, shampoo, and shaving gear were gone as well.
“Where do you think you’re going?” I asked.
Michael opened the door to the bedroom and stepped outside. He wore a pair of black jeans, a white T-shirt, and sneakers. His hair was wet from a shower.
“To work,” Michael informed me. “I have a shift tonight.”
“Oh,” I murmured. “Do you need anything?”
“Just a ride home,” Michael replied. “Afterward, I’ll be fine on my own.”
“Okay,” I nodded. “Is there anywhere special that you want to go today?”
“There are lots of places,” Michael admitted. “But I haven’t visited most of them yet.”
“Which ones would you like to see first?” I inquired.
“I don’t know,” Michael confessed. “Let’s start with Central Park. Maybe we can visit the zoo afterward.”
“Sounds great,” I smiled. “I hope you brought a camera.”
“Actually, I forgot mine,” Michael revealed. “Can you bring yours?”
“Sure thing,” I promised. “We can even buy some film together.”
As soon as Michael left the apartment, I grabbed my purse and headed downstairs to get our tickets. After buying two passes, I returned to the elevator. When I pushed the button, however, the doors wouldn’t open. The indicator light flashed red.
“What’s wrong?” I wondered aloud.
“It looks like somebody has stolen your car again,” the security guard observed.
“Someone stole my car?” I gasped.
“Again?” the guard repeated. “This is getting ridiculous! Why does this keep happening?”
“I wish I knew,” I sighed. “All right then, how am I supposed to get home without a vehicle?”
“You could walk or catch a cab,” the guard suggested. “Or maybe you should call a friend.”
“I guess that’s an option,” I agreed. “But I’d rather drive than walk all day.”
“Well, there’s nothing else you can do,” the guard insisted. “If you leave here, you won’t be able to come back until tomorrow.”
“I suppose that’s true,” I conceded. “So what do I do now?”
“I suggest that you wait inside the lobby for someone who can give you a lift,” the guard advised. “Otherwise, you might spend the entire afternoon waiting out here.”
“Thanks,” I said. “I appreciate your advice.”
Then I sat down at a nearby table and waited patiently. Fortunately, I wasn’t alone for long. A few minutes later, a young man wearing a suit approached me.
“Excuse me,” he began. “Are you Patricia? We spoke earlier.”
“Yes,” I confirmed. “How did you know?”
“A woman named Marie called me yesterday,” the stranger explained. “She told me that she was looking for her sister, but couldn’t remember her last name. She thought that it sounded something like ‘Patricia.'”
“Marie?” I questioned. “Wasn’t that the girl who came by here yesterday?”
“Yeah, that’s the one,” the man nodded. “Anyway, I’m glad that I ran into you. Would you mind giving me a ride home?”
“Of course not,” I assured him. “I was just leaving anyway.”
“Great!” the man exclaimed. “My name is Sam. My number is in the phone book if you ever need a ride again.”
“Nice meeting you, Sam,” I said. “And thanks so much for helping me out.”
“Anytime,” Sam replied. “Have a good day.”
With that, he walked away. I watched him go, wondering where he lived. Then I glanced around the lobby, hoping to find someone else who needed a ride. But no one seemed interested in offering me a lift either. So I decided to take matters into my own hands.
“Hey!” I shouted. “Anyone needs a ride? I’ve got plenty of room.”
Several people turned toward me, including the security guard. However, none of them responded. Instead, they continued their conversations while ignoring my offer.
Frustrated, I stood up and started walking towards the exit. Just before I reached the front door, though, I heard footsteps behind me. Turning around, I discovered that the security guard had followed me outside.
“Where are you going?” he asked. “Don’t you realize that you’re blocking traffic?”
“Sorry,” I apologized. “I didn’t mean to inconvenience anyone.”
“No problem,” the guard assured me. “Now please move aside.”
Reluctantly, I obeyed. As soon as I crossed the street, a taxi pulled over to pick me up. Once inside, I gave my destination: “The Bronx Zoo.”
“That’s quite a distance,” the driver remarked. “Is that really necessary?”
“Yes,” I answered. “Michael wants to see the animals, and I want to show him, Central Park.”
“Okay,” the cabbie agreed. “But why don’t you let me drop you off somewhere closer to the park?”
“Why would I do that?” I countered. “Central Park is only five minutes from here.”
“There’s no reason to make things difficult,” the driver argued. “Just tell me where you’d like to get dropped off, and I’ll take care of everything.”
“Fine,” I relented. “Take me to the corner of East 110th Street and Fifth Avenue.”
After paying the fare, we drove on. Soon, the zoo appeared ahead of us. At first, I felt excited about taking Michael there. Then, however, I noticed several cars parked along the side of the road. Curious, I looked through the window, wondering what was causing such congestion. That’s when I saw a crowd gathered near the entrance.
“Oh, dear,” I whispered. “What happened now?”
As I stared at the scene, I realized that many people were standing in line, waiting to enter the zoo. And judging by their expressions, they weren’t happy about being delayed. In fact, some of them even glared angrily at the guards stationed outside the gate.
“I wonder what’s going on,” I murmured. “Maybe everyone’s upset because the animals escaped.”
“Not necessarily,” the driver disagreed. “It could also be that the place closed early today.”
“Really?” I questioned. “I hope not. After all, I paid good money to come here.”
Fortunately, the cabbie didn’t seem concerned. He simply shrugged his shoulders and kept driving. So I decided to ask him more questions instead.
“Do you happen to know anything about this incident?” I inquired. “Or maybe you have any idea how long it will take to clear up the mess?”
“Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to keep track of the news lately,” the driver confessed. “So I can’t say for sure whether or not the zoo has reopened yet.”
“Well, thank God for small favors,” I sighed. “At least I won’t waste my time waiting in line.”
When we arrived at the intersection, I exited the cab. The moment I did, an angry mob rushed past me. Several men pushed their way forward, shouting and cursing. Meanwhile, women tried to hold back the rest of the group with their purses and shopping bags.
“Excuse me,” I called out. “Can you tell me what’s happening here?”
One woman finally stopped her husband and stepped aside. She then told me that the zoo had closed earlier than usual due to a power failure. Apparently, the lights went out during feeding time. And since the cages were dark, the animals couldn’t eat properly. Consequently, they became agitated and began fighting among themselves.
“This isn’t funny!” another person yelled. “We came here to enjoy our vacation, but now we’re stuck in the middle of a riot! What kind of service is that?!”
“Look, lady,” one man retorted. “You should consider yourself lucky. If you hadn’t taken your kids to the zoo, you wouldn’t have gotten caught up in this mess.”
“Yeah, right,” she replied sarcastically. “And if you hadn’t brought your family to New York City, you probably wouldn’t be in trouble either.”
“Shut up!” someone else shouted. “If you don’t like it here, go home! We’ve got enough problems without having to deal with tourists who don’t respect us.”
“Hey, wait a minute,” I protested. “How am I supposed to leave? You’re keeping the gates locked, aren’t you?”
“Of course we are,” the man responded. “Otherwise, the animals would escape and cause even more chaos.”
“Then why don’t you open the doors so that the visitors can leave?” I demanded. “You must understand that I’m just trying to help.”
“No,” he said firmly. “We need to stay put until the police arrive.”
“But the cops won’t get here anytime soon,” someone else pointed out. “They’re too busy dealing with the riots downtown.”
“Don’t worry,” the guy assured me. “Once word gets around that the zoo is under control again, the authorities will send some officers to assist us.”
“Are you kidding me?” I exclaimed. “Nobody’s going anywhere until the sun goes down! There’s nothing anyone can do about that!”
The man smiled smugly as he watched me argue with the others. But after seeing how determined I was to fight against his plan, he eventually gave up and left. As for the other people, they reluctantly agreed to let me pass.
“Sorry about that,” I apologized once I reached the front of the line. “My taxi driver told me that the zoo had closed early today. I guess he wasn’t lying.”
“That’s okay,” the woman answered. “He was probably mistaken.”
After hearing this, I thanked her and continued walking toward the entrance. However, when I saw the sign posted next to the ticket booth, I suddenly felt sick to my stomach. It read: CLOSED DUE TO A POWER FAILURE.
The End