missing piece

By  L.P Yabut

 Oscar Diaz thought today was fine day to ride his bike along the roads, highways and intersections in the city, after two hours of thrill and excitement from seeing the whole city on his bike, Oscar found himself looking up the magnificent water fountain in limestones and marble that was built before a tall grand structure, Pens & Quills Publishing. If you ever had the chance to visit some of the most prominent bookstores in the city to get your hands on the latest best seller, then Pens & Quills Publishing would be glued on your mind by now. You would know what it’s like to feel the hard thin leathery covers that Pens & Quills made and the sharp sturdy paper that smells like actual paper that makes the pages. Oscar never knew that his favorite publisher and author Gunther Sanderz would live in a place like this. Oscar went closer and noticed that a particular poster caught his eye.

A woman can be seen across the hall in the glass doors, she was reading a book in her free time, and seemed to enjoy it so, since she can feel her spine tingle and she vibrated in anticipation. When her eyes caught a glimpse of a brown-haired boy with bright green eyes holding a red bicycle was reading something on the wall, she felt curious, but she instantly knew that the strange brown-haired boy was reading about the annual Pens & Quills writing contest, first prize wins a whopping thousand dollars and earns an interview with the city’s own Gunther Sanderz for an internship. A huge smile stuck on Oscar’s face like a brand, his green eyes shone like emeralds under the sun. He took the poster in his hands and made off with it on his bike. He rode north home.  

The old moldy grandfather clock howled through the house when the hand struck twelve; Oscar was in the kitchen pouring water in the teapot from the piping kettle, putting a slice of cake in his mom’s expensive China, when he made it to the living room, he took a book, “The Adventures Sherlock Holmes, By Arthur Conan Doyle.”, a book he’s been dying to finish for weeks. He sat on the cozy dark green sofa and opened the book where the bookmark was and started to read and drink tea from the brown lacquered coffee table simultaneously incidentally dropping some in the book making a shady smudge. As he was reading till, he can fall asleep the chances of whom were slim, Oscar saw a someone outside with the atmosphere raining bullets, it was a man with an umbrella. The man was lonely and was probably trying to hitch a cab, but none passed him. The man abandoned his task of waiting for a taxi that’ll never come. He walked towards the Diaz residence and approached the wooden door he gave it three soft raps with the palm of his right hand. When Oscar saw the man, he was scared, he dropped the book and accidentally tipped over the teacup. He stood up and retreated to the walls and the bookshelf in fear. He thought about waking his parents, but they seemed a bit off lately, he thought about rushing his brother and sister out of bed, but they never listen to him, what was he to do? The man said, “please young man, let me in, it’s awfully cold outside.”, the strange old man said desperately. What was most peculiar about him that he spoke in a discernable German accent like Gunther Sanderz. The man persisted when the mere drizzle turned to a full-blown rain shower and his umbrella flying away from his hand no matter how tight his grip was, it seemed the umbrella was inclined to take him with it if it had to. Oscar, no matter how scared and confused he was, looked at the man and knew that was in need. If he were a stranger in a new place, would he want to be treated the same way he was doing right now? He walked towards the door and hesitantly reached for the doorknob, he slowly twisted it as if he was a man trying to disarm a bomb. Oscar slowly opened the door, and the damp old man came rushing in after he left his boots and umbrella outside. “Thank you so much, young man!”, the old man in the wet coat said in relief. Oscar took the stranger to the dining room in the kitchen where they both sat down, “you must be hungry.”, said Oscar as he went in the fridge for a slice of cake, he took the tea pot from the living room and poured the stranger some tea. “You’re too kind!”, the stranger said as he eyed the piece of cake and the piping hot tea before him, and they both broke bread in the middle of the night. “What were you doing out there?”, Oscar asked curiously. “I was waiting for a cab to take me home, but no one showed up.”, the stranger said, silently sipping tea. “If I may be so bold, kid. What is your name?”, the man asked. “Oscar, Oscar Diaz!”, Oscar said truthfully. “Tell me, what made you take a chance on a stranger like me?”, the stranger inquired sharply. “I felt it was the right thing to do, you were alone and cold.”, Oscar said concerned. “you’re a kind young man Oscar, I wish someday someone shows you the same kindness!”, The man said sipping tea with eyes firmly stuck at Oscar. “Excuse me sir, but I didn’t catch your name!”, Oscar said as he turned around to look at the suppose stranger, but his heart skipped a beat, and he was utterly puzzled. The only thing he saw was a half empty teacup and a partially eaten cake before an empty wet wooden chair. Oscar ran out of the kitchen to check the living room for any sign of the man, but all he saw was a book face down on the floor, and rain pouring out of the window. He checked outside, there was also no sign of the boots or the umbrella, Oscar was scared and confused, who was he talking to all this time? Oscar just sat on the sofa wide eyed until he fell asleep.

“Oscar?” “Oscar!”, his mother Lucinda persisted to say at the sleeping young man who slept like the grave till noon. Oscar slowly opened his eyes to see his mother who’s in an unfavorable mood, “Oscar get up, you’ve been there all night and it’s way passed noon!”, overbearing Lucinda. Oscar was groggy, reluctant to get up from the comfy sofa on a gloomy day. No matter how sluggish his legs felt, Oscar had to get up for he felt like his mom was going to whack him with a broom if he didn’t. The first thing in his mind when he walked away from the green cozy couch and arrive at the hall, was to go to his room and start writing his submission for the contest. He ran up his room that he shared with nobody but his shadow and locked the door and stayed there with his laptop until the sky went dark. After grueling hours of typing in and deleting words because his imaginations and prose so demanded, Oscar got his plot straight and was able to turn entire sentences in to paragraphs in his dimply lit room with only a table lamp. Oscar’s eyes were shut, but his legs moved on their own and brought him to bed in a disheveled state, his face was buried in a soft pillow and only half his body was on the bed.

The following day was stark sunny, not even a piece of cotton flew in the sky, Oscar wanted to feel his legs sweat, so he rode his bike across town, until he encountered a familiar fountain before a familiar building, it was Pens & Quills Publishing house, but this time he saw a peculiar man walking with black cane as if it was lacquered. The man had a familiar tint of silver in the hair on his head and around his blackspotted face, black boots that were made in Italy sheltered his feet. “Is that Gunther Sanderz?”, Oscar asked himself as he saw the said man enter the building like he owned the place. Oscar landed on his bike and went back home full speed ahead. When he arrived just in time for dinner, his parents were astounded as to why their son was so sweaty, his older sister immersed in her phone only looked at him with a nasty grimace, when he sat down, loud farting noise erupted from his seat, it appeared that his brother, Jimmy placed a whoopee cushion on it and laughter filled the dull room, despite a sulking Oscar. Dinner ended and Oscar took a cup of coffee to go to and headed to his solitary room and worked through another grueling night, but despite that his resolve was firm and he wrote his story with all his intent. Oscar did not notice that he lifted himself to his bed untidily, he woke up with a deep yawn and the first thing in his mind was his computer. He approached it briskly like bull charging, and saw that he already completed the story, he read it repeatedly and seemed to be satisfied with it. He practically jumped in excitement when he sent it via email to Pens & Quills. All he had to do now was wait till the contest was over.

A whole week had passed, and Pens & Quills decided to send their reply to the lucky winner archaically by posting it in the mail. Oscar was back in the cozy green couch sipping coffee while continuing the book he was reading during the late-night visit weeks ago. From the clear wide window, he can see a man in a blue uniform and a blue hat, he instantly knew who it was. He went outside when the postman’s truck was just leaving the driveway. He opened the mailbox and there he saw a single letter, new and crisp that smelled like Pens & Quills Publishing House to Oscar. He jumped in glee repeatedly and ran back inside, he found his mom in the kitchen who was baking cookies, he hollered at her, he tapped her shoulder until she faced him in confusion mixed with frustration. When showed the letter he and her son gently opened the letter in anticipation and excitement. They both read it out loud, their black faces turned to big bright smiles, this was a window of opportunity for Oscar Diaz that could potentially change his life.   

Oscar emerged from the front door in a formal attire as if he was going to meet the president, a nice crisp suit that fitted just right, with spotless black pants. He called a cab, a nice car to go with his seriously sharp appearance. It was a long ride to Pens & Quills, the stout greasy driver was somewhat of a blabber, but the excessive information from the talkative driver was material for Oscar. The Taxi jolted and stopped before Pens & Quills Publishing House. Oscar stepped at the taxi and went towards the glass front doors reluctantly and nervously. He was afraid of entering, what if he tripped on something or worse, someone. He entered an empty but wide lounge and lobby, he saw a woman no younger than his mom, she was reading a magazine, when Oscar walked faster and his steps became louder, the lady looked up at him directly, she let out a soft sigh. “Excuse me…!”, Oscar was cut off when the woman said, “Oscar Diaz?”, she asked. “Yes!”, Oscar answered quickly. “Tenth Floor, Mr. Sanderz is waiting for you, young man.”, she said passively and sunk her head back to her magazine. Oscar was astounded how quick that was, but it didn’t do his nerves any good, with a gulp he entered the elevator and pressed the tenth floor, the big metal box closed with a thud, Oscar was quite scared, he was all alone, he’s never been alone in an elevator before, nor has he ever taken the elevator on the tenth floor alone before. Oscar kept his cool despite being nervous, when the elevator gave another thud and clank, the steel doors opened to a huge room. The room itself beguiled Oscar, it was like a library, Bookshelves ran along the walls and lounge chairs surrounded identical coffee tables, a golden light shone thoroughly. A man with well kempt silver hair and thick spectacles sat on the mahogany desk at the center typing on his laptop. Liberating ideals ran with Oscar as he walked steadily to the man. “Good afternoon Mr. Sanderz. I’m…” “Oscar Diaz.”, the Gunther Sanderz swiftly cut him off as he lifted his head to look at him.  “Yes sir, and…”. With great speed Sanderz said, “You want to be a writer and have your own life, I presume!”, he said. Oscar was utterly astounded; it was like Gunther Sanderz had the innate ability to summarize his thoughts. “But let me ask you something, Oscar—Diaz, are you prepared to embark on this journey on your own, you know what the internship means don’t you. It is a window for so many opportunities that will induce you to leave your family.”, the old man at the desk said shrewdly with his piercing blue eyes aimed at the talented young man. Oscar looked downwards to dodge the intrusive piercing eyes and thought about what Gunther Sanderz said long and hard. Was he about to leave his annoying family— his obnoxious siblings to have shot to make his dreams come true? Oscar’s resolve was now firmer than steel, he’s had it with his annoying family and took Gunther’s hand, so to speak.

Oscar chastised all regret and just narrowed his mind to the thought that he was finally free, free to make his own decisions, free to go wherever he wanted without anyone breathing down his neck, and most of all he doesn’t have to worry about his family embarrassing him anymore.

Oscar had to endure grueling months as an intern for Gunther Sanderz himself, basically an under paid secretary, he spent hours filing papers, reading submissions and then summarizing them, he wrote free short stories for Pens & Quills in his free time. A whole year spanned, and he was officially a freelance writer who submitted most his works in fiction, sci-fi and horror to Pens & Quills. He wrote countless stories and novels for years until he can afford a nice condo far from home and continued his lucrative career. One night, Oscar felt he couldn’t sleep, so he did what he’s used to. He made tea from a kettle and got a big slice of cake. He went in his study, a vast space, bookshelves ran along the glass wall that was covered by velvet curtains, a sofa set was before three flights of stairs that led to big black chair at a hard brown mahogany table, it was magnificent golden fluorescent lights shone like the sun. Before he can enter, he heard three raps on the floor downstairs. These days Oscar loved to reminisce and remembered the stranger many years ago. He never forgot how to treat a stranger. Oscar got down and opened the door, what he saw was a striking impression of that man, disheveled hair, wet clothes and a weary disposition. He warmly welcomed the man in and treated him with tea and bread in the kitchen like before. “Good to see you finally got your wish!”, the man said. “It couldn’t be.”, Oscar said in his thoughts as he was making the tea with his back turned from the cold damp man. “But did you get what you really wanted?”, the stranger said concerned. “Did you, Oscar Diaz?” when Oscar turned his head, he was nonplussed to see an old friend from younger times. In a crisp dark blue suit, with the same sharp, thick spectacles and silver hair was Gunther Sanderz. Oscar got rid off all feelings of shock and like before thought long and hard at what Gunther just said. “No, Mr. Sanderz. I didn’t.”, Oscar said melancholy. Gunther walked towards him, he placed both his old skinny hands on his shoulders and said, “Then what are we waiting for?”

Oscar and Mr. Sanderz left the quiet, grand penthouse and drove through the cold sleeping night till a house at they reached a familiar street in a familiar town. They reached a house bustling in noise and glowing in light. Oscar’s parents were arguing about budgets and bills, and the like and his siblings were chasing each other around the house, they were all to see Oscar with a man they never met before. When Oscar saw the chaos, the noise, the bond, he felt a familiar feeling that he didn’t know till now, he was searching.  

End