SAL

SAL

The two of them sat on a cement ledge outside the coffee shop. It was a beautiful day out, somewhere between a warm summer day and a cool autumn evening. The west side of the city had a few more trees lining the streets, so it was possible to find some shade here or there. 

That is where Steve and Sohil found themselves, sitting on a cement barrier with their feet up on the electric bike rack in front of them. There were never bikes parked at these stalls throughout the city. Steve thought to himself. Bikes were left everywhere but not in these charging stations, these ugly, chipped, dented, stations that were painted way too bright to be in a civilized hipster society. 

Their coffee sat between them, almost empty. Steve was thinking he might have to get another one, the first went down so well. The paper cups of this place were better than most, you could enjoy your drink at a decent pace without fear of it cooling off too quickly. 

“When was the last time you talked with your brother?” asked Sohil.

“Oh, it’s been a while for sure,” Steve said swirling his coffee again making sure that the bottom of the cup wasn’t too sweet. “I mean we put on the face whenever we get together of course, Like our last family get-together we would hop from group to group smiling and chatting, our cousins not aware that we spend very little time ever talking to each other.”

“Oh right, That must have been tough for you, I know you have a large family so having to hear the repeated apologies must have been grating on your nerves.”

“Yeah, I am glad you are aware of that. I mean, are people not aware that their apologies are hollow? They had nothing to do with it. She was sick, she battled, she lost. It had nothing to do with them.”

“It’s a reflex response sometimes, not everyone handles it the same way, unfortunately. But don’t forget she may have been mom to you but she was also sister to them. People apologize to you for your loss while having their own memories bouncing around their minds. I find that kind of distraction can make for awkward exchanges.”

There were a lot of people out and about on a day like this, sharing their lives, or enjoying their solitude. People watching other people, wondering what stories they had to tell one another, or passing silent judgment like the two across the street who were looking in their direction.

“Yeah, by the way,” Steve continued, “I appreciate you not making a fuss about it. You’re right, it was tiring having to put on the smile and pretend like I felt no guilt.”

“Jesus man! You just said that they couldn’t have done anything. Well, that goes for you to! You need to stop beating yourself up about it. She told you she didn’t want you to remember her like that. That’s why she didn’t want you coming around so much.”

Steve winced at the thought, “I could have spent more time with her. Even before the hospital, I could have stopped by more, she didn’t have anyone man. There was no one in that house with her.”

“You said that she had a lot of friends always stopping by and checking in on her, didn’t you?”

“Well yeah, but that’s not the same.”

“She wanted you to remember the fun times, when she was full of life, the vacations, the memories. She wanted an unspoiled version of her left in your mind.”

Steve nodded slowly at first trying to convince himself. “No, you’re right! You’re right. She was so strong-minded and so active.” He teared up a little as he thought of her smiling and laughing. 

“Give her that! Let her be remembered that way. If you want to do right by her then that is how you do it! You always made her sound like such an amazing soul. I am sorry I never got the chance to meet her, but I love hearing you reminisce.”

“Yeah, she was great. And she knew about you,” he said looking at Sohil. “I had mentioned you to her and she was fascinated. ‘When I am back to myself we’ll invite the Leeson boy over for drinks,’ she would say.

“Oh, that was kind of you, I am sure we would have gotten along well.” Sohil smiled and then looked at Steven after a moment of silence had passed. 

“Oh, and don’t even bring her up.” He said knowing where Stevens’s mind was heading. “She didn’t know the kind of relationship you had with your dad Steve! She probably shouldn’t have asked in the first place, not with everything that was going on.”

Steve was shaking a little as he thought about Lisa, “I have never raised my hand to anyone!” he said thinking back.

“But you didn’t actually hit her.” Sohil jumped in quickly, “That’s the important part! You are not like him and you never were.”

“The look on her face though man, the fright in her eyes! How could I!? Knowing the things she had been through in her past?! She left that behind with her own family… I must have looked like a monster from her past!”

“She forgave you, Steven, almost immediately! She understood it wasn’t you! And you were the one that ended it not her.”

“I couldn’t keep going man. What if it happened again!?”

Sohil slowed his speech and talked calmly, “You had frightened yourself more than her. She was not aware of how your Dad treated your mom. Listen, you had just lost your Mom and your Job, She was worried about you. That was why she brought up the idea of getting in touch with him. If she had known about your past with him she would never have suggested it, you know that!”

Steve seemed like he was calming a bit, he took a deep breath and took a sip of his coffee as he listened to Sohil be the voice of reason.

 Sohil continued to speak with purpose, “We aren’t what we try to hide, we are why we try to hide things. It’s your actions based on situations that we all must learn from and keep us anchored throughout the storms. But the point is there will be clear skies again and you must allow yourself to bask in the sun when it presents itself because there will always be more storms to come.”

Steven put his cup down and stretched his arms out with a loud exhale, “You’re right. Thanks.”

Seeing the change in demeanor Sohil changed the topic, “So what are you doing about work anyway? I have been keeping an eye out for you in case I see anything.”

“Oh, yeah thanks. Uh, I am not too worried.” Steve said unconvincingly. “I am sure something will come up. I haven’t gone full force on searching yet, I have to update the resume and stuff like that before I get started.” The funny thing was Steve was going to ask Sohil what his plans were for work cause he too was looking but he beat him to it.

Sohail shook his cup a little, “Yeah. That was such bad timing. You were working contract, then after constantly renewing it they realized it was just best to hire you full-time. Then not even two months pass before they get bought out and you end up getting the shaft.”

“I know right!? I mean the company was good, the guys running it were decent and treated everyone well. I was just starting to get into a groove there. But I guess last hired, first fired right? Dammit! When it rains it pours man.” Steve sipped the last of his coffee and motioned to Sohil if he also wanted another.”

Sohail felt the weight of the cup for a second, “Yeah, sure thanks.”

Steve went back in, placed another order, and hit the bathroom while he waited. Things were shitty at the moment he thought as he did his best to not look at the guy using the urinal beside him. But days like this helped, just getting out, and being around people and not having to engage with them felt good. He was sure that Sohil probably needed to get out as well, it’s not good to dwell alone. He picked up the two cups that were waiting for him on the counter and headed back outside. There were a lot of people out today, he thought as he practically bumped into a couple of young kids who were smiling at something on their phones. 

“Hard to get away from social media these days, kids plastered to their phones all the time.” He said passing the coffee to Sohil.

“Yeah, and it’s like the everyday seems so engaging to them, like those two,” he motioned to the two that Steve practically knocked over, “they came over and just took a picture of the bike rack!”

“Uh, really?” Steve re-examined the bike but saw nothing of interest. “I don’t understand, I try you know, with the trends and all that stuff but I can never figure it out.” He laughed.

“Oh, I wanted to ask you about something,” Steven suddenly changed the subject as well. “Have you heard about the Statue guy?”

Sohil smiled at the sudden change in conversation, “Yeah, his name is Sal, well that’s what people call him anyway.” He said excited that Steven had brought up the topic.

“Have you seen him, or it?” Steven wasn’t quite sure how to refer to it. “I mean somebody must be moving it around town right?” he felt stupid even asking the question as if there was some other way it could be moving from spot to spot.

“Well that’s just it,” said Sohil. “Some of those who have seen him say that it looked like a permanent thing, like attached with bolts or something. People supposedly sit and tell him their problems and he helps them out.”

“What do you mean? It talks back?” He was obviously fascinated by this.

“Yeah, But no one has ever seen him moved and he isn’t always posed in the same position.”

Steven was sure the look on his face was one of incredulity, mind you he wasn’t trying to hide it. But Sohil just smiled and gave him a shrug, which Steven had to admit was a little infuriating. “Why are you smiling like that?”

“I don’t know I just think it’s mysterious and fun, it’s like a myth in our little city.”

“Little? It’s Toronto. It’s far from little. So the name… Who gave it the name?”

“Well, I don’t want to keep talking about it if it doesn’t interest you.”

“No, no,” Steven continued. “I still find it interesting.”

“Ok, then try not to be so obviously dismissive. It makes chatting with you feel like a struggle sometimes.” Sohil was always good at saying how he felt when the two of them talked.

“Well as much as people like bringing it up I am just trying to be level-headed is all.”

“Well, his name is the interesting thing about it, because the name comes from him.” He couldn’t help but grin as he said this to Steven.

“Yeah, well obviously. But is it a stamp or label, like when an artist signs their artwork?” Sohil smirked a little knowing the next words would annoy Steven greatly.

Steven’s eyes go flat. He sinks back with an unimpressed tilted head realizing what his friend is about to say, “Oh god no! Don’t even…”

“Yep, you guessed it, he just tells them when they ask.”

“Don’t be ridiculous!” he says shaking his head in disgust.

“What? I am just repeating what people have said. And you are the one who asked.”

Steven just continued, ignoring what was just said. “Ok, So at some point someone called it Sal or the artist did, and ever since that’s what he has become known as — ” 

“No, no. That was not what I said.” Sohil interrupted. “It only started happening like a decade ago. People were just calling him ‘the statue guy’ before that. But then there have been accounts where strangers who had come in contact with him said that while they talked he mentioned his name was Sal.”

Sohil kept grinning as he watched Steven pinch the crook of his nose and grimace at the thought. “Steve, why can’t you just enjoy the idea that your city has this mystery thing about it? People love it!”

“I guess that is just it,” Steve began as if he knew this question was coming. “Those that have seen it, all of them by the way not just some, they all just believe it. It’s fine to believe in something, don’t get me wrong. But it almost seems the enjoyment in legends or myths is that some believe and some don’t. That ambiguity causes people to take sides and most are proud to be on one side or another. It’s like believing in ghosts. It almost seems easier to “accept” because there doesn’t need to be proof. But telling a group of people that something is simply fact takes skepticism out of the picture and some people have trouble believing in absolutes.

“That kind of factual stat usually simultaneously creates a group of people with the opposite belief. But that hasn’t happened in this case. People are just ready to believe it and I find that frustrating I guess. Am I supposed to believe in something that is normally saved for books or movies just on a person’s word?”

“Well, maybe you are just thinking too hard about it in the first place, All cities and towns have their things right? It adds to their personality and gives others a reason to visit. Anyway, it doesn’t affect you or anyone you know negatively so just let it be one of those things that people enjoy talking about. You enjoy a good book or movie right? So when people bring it up just think of it as that, and you are discussing the mystery of a character or the magic in a moment.”

The two of them agreed to disagree as they always did, which was why he enjoyed spending time with Sohil. Having such differences of opinion with no expectations to change the other person’s mind usually led to spirited conversations. Sohil got up, and turned towards Steven, “Life is one of those things that doesn’t always need explanation, Steve. As long as we can move forward one step at a time, we are doing alright. Sometimes things fall by the wayside when there is so much going on in our lives but we usually get things covered eventually in one way or another.”

Steve looked up at him and gave him a knowing nod. “Yeah, well I’m glad we have these little chats. It always seems to put things into perspective even when we are talking about ridiculous shit. Give me a shout next week, we’ll go check out some of the new food trucks out by the harbourfront.” 

“Oh, yeah! I am hearing good things!” he said tapping his cup to Steves and heading off.

Steven watched him walk away. He always felt a little better after talking with him. You would never know the struggles he goes through. One of those people that always shows that strong outward appearance. So positive sometimes to the point you just want to scream at him to let go!. He never gave anyone the details about what was going on in his own life. ‘Why should I worry others with my baggage when we are all struggling to just get by?’ he would say sometimes.

Steve was determined to one day get him to open up. 

“Excuse me, will you take a picture for us?” asked a distracted couple who came out of the coffee shop. 

“Oh, yeah sure,” said Steven as he stood up and and began to reach for their phones.

“What the hell? Where did it go?” The two strangers were looking around suddenly confused.

“Uh, where did what go?” Steven suddenly felt stupid as he began looking around as well.

“The thing, the statue guy thing!” The look they gave him was one of a magician who had just swindled them or something.

Confusion was suddenly coming across his face, were they listening to what the two of them were just talking about?

“We just came in here and we saw you sitting next to a statue of a guy drinking coffee out here and thought it would be funny to take a picture with it.”

“I think you’re mistaken my friend was just sitting here but he left.”

“No, no that can’t be.” 

The commotion brought the eyes of the two kids he almost hit on the way out. They two were looking so confused.

“What the heck?! He was just here!” they said to affirm that there was indeed a statue just sitting there beside Steven. They pulled out their phone and showed it to him.

Steven’s mind broke as he saw a picture of his friend. He was now a stone sculpture with some kids draped around him taking a selfie. It was him, clear as day, holding the coffee cup that he just bought him.

He was at a loss for words as he looked down the street and then back at the barrier. Then he looked at the others. “His name is SAL,” he said with a sudden grin on his face. “The statue man’s name is SAL.”

They looked at him confused at the words coming out of his mouth.

“Maybe, just maybe you’ll see him again sometime.” He turned and walked away still smiling.

The End.