The story of a heart broken man

(A certain one's POV)

I was at home. My mother was sleeping. I was busy with my studies. It was almost 1 at night. It's quite late. But I don't have morning classes tomorrow. So I can sleep in a bit.

I was about to fall asleep but someone rang our doorbell.

"Who could it be at this this hour?"

I was confused. But I still went downstairs to open the door. I open the door only to find two men.

One is wearing glasses at this hour and the other is looking pale. But he looks familiar. Isn't that our neighbor Mr. David?

"Excuse me whoever you are, is this Mr. David's house?"

The glasses man asked. He was looking all over the place.

"No. That's the house on the right. Do you need help?"

I think he is blind.

"No. Judging from your voice, you are a girl who is in college. You shouldn't go out at this time. I will find a way myself."

He turns around and starts walking. But I still watched him.

He slowly walked with Mr. David leaning on his shoulder. He stumbled a few times but made it to Mr. David's house door. I closed the door and heaved a sigh.

That was the first time I saw Mr. David like that. He is always perfect. I have never seen him dead drunk. I guess Ruby is going to be mad.

Let's just sleep. I will tell mom in the morning.

I wake up. I look at the clock and it's only 6:30 in the morning. I slept for less that 6 hours. But I can't sleep again. I go downstairs and find mom in the kitchen.

She is preparing breakfast. I have always wondered, how can she get up so early? It doesn't matter which season, she is always the first one to get up.

"Ara….you are up early today. Can't sleep?"

"No. I just woke up. Do you know mom, something happened after you fell asleep last night."

"Eh…something happened. What?"

"Someone rang our doorbell at 1. I opened the door to find a blind man supporting Mr. David. He was looking for Mr. David's house. I told him the way. I wanted to help but he said I shouldn't."

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

Mom got angry at me.

"You have grown up. So why didn't you wake me up?"

"But mom, one was a blind man and the other was dead drunk. What could they have done?"

"It's not a matter of happening. But a possibility remained. What if it was someone else?"

"I get it. Sorry. I should have woken you up."

"You don't have morning classes?"

"No. I have afternoon classes."

"Then help me. You are a girl. You should practice cooking."

"Fine. But let me get the newspaper."

I open the door to get the newspaper and I see that blind man. He is leaning against an electric pole. Judging from his breathing, he is most likely sleeping.

I go inside and tell mom.

"Mom, that blind man is sleeping outside. Leaning against the electric pole."

"Eh! He is! Let me see who this blind man is."

I lead mom to the him. When mom saw him, she made a face which I had never seen before.

"Harry?"

She said. Does mom know this blind man?

He started moving. I guess he woke up.

"Who is it?"

He was looking all over the place. But mom is holding her mouth like she was stopping herself from screaming.

She gulped and breathed heavily a few times.

"Harry, is that you?"

"Judging from the voice, it's familiar. Mmm….June?"

"It is you.!!!"

Mom screamed. This is a rare sight. Mom easily doesn't lose her calm.

"Whoa…no need to shout. Either way, it has been a long time, June."

"Yeah, it has, Harry."

The air became heavy. Mom started acting weird. But that Harry guy is just scratching his head.

"I never thought we would meet this way, June. It has been 25 years since we saw each other. How are you?" (Harry)

"I am doing well. At least, better than you." (Mom)

"Yeah. Anyone is probably better than me right now. I am living on the streets as a blind man. So everyone is doing better than me." (Harry)

"How about you come inside, Harry?" (Mom)

"No. I better leave before David actually wakes up. It'll be my funeral if he catches me." (Harry)

"What did you do this time to David?" (Mom)

They are talking like they have known each other for a long time. Harry did say that they are meeting after 25 years.

"So June, your daughter is all grown up now." (Harry)

"Yeah. She suddenly grew up." (Mom)

"Don't waste it. I never became a parent. I can't understand your feeling." (Harry)

"Wait, you don't have children?" (Mom)

"No. I never got married. Children are out of the question." (Harry)

I think I should leave them alone for now. The air is becoming awkward again.

"By the way, where's Evan?" (Harry)

He suddenly asked about my dad. Did he know my dad as well? But….

"Evan passed away. It was 9 years ago." (Mom)

Mom answered it. Yes, my dad died 9 years ago. He died in his sleep. Mom found him dead in the morning. The doctor said that he had a heart attack in his sleep.

"I see. I wanted to talk to him about something. But if he is gone, then I don't have to bring it up. By the way, where am I exactly?" (Harry)

"Where? You are on the 31st street. Block D." (Mom)

"Oh. Then I am not too far away. I just need to reach the 29th street. Thanks for the directions. It was nice meeting you, June. I am sure I will meet you again somewhere if you decide to talk to me. As a blind man, I can't see who's passing by me." (Harry)

He said that and left. I wonder, is he really blind? I look at mom after he was out of sight. She has a sad expression on her face.

"Mom, did you know that weird guy?"

"Yes. He and I first met in our high school. And we went to the same university. But after my wedding with your dad, he disappeared. This is the first time I have met him after that." (Mom)

So he knows mom from high school. Mom said that she met dad in university. So that's how he knew my dad as well.

"But Harry was just a normal human. He wasn't blind. How did he become blind?" (Mom)

She is worried about him! I guess it's natural to worry about your long time friends whom you are seeing after a long time.

I didn't put much thought into it and went inside of the house with my mom. As I had no morning classes, I was free. Mom already left for work.

I was getting bored alone when the doorbell rang.

"Who could it be at this hour?"

I said that. It's become a sort of habit. I open the door and see Ruby. She is dressed casually.

"Ruby, what's the matter? You should be at school right now."

"Well, it's a school holiday. School's founding day. Do you have any medicine for headache? We just ran out." (Ruby)

Headache? We have some too. I give her some.

"Thanks. My dad has a really bad hangover. I hope this calms him down." (Ruby)

"That reminds me, your dad came here at first last night. That blind man brought him here by mistake."

"Eh! Then how about you come over to my place? You are at home at this time means you have afternoon classes. Then you must be bored right now." (Ruby)

She isn't wrong about me being bored. But how can I just go to her house? Ruby insisted that I go and I went. It has been a while since I have gone to her house.

She went into her father's room and I sat in the hall room.

"Sorry about that. My dad suddenly went for a drink with his brothers and ended up drinking a little too much." (Ruby)

"I see. When I saw him, he wasn't even conscious. I hope he gets well soon."

"I wanted to scold him but seeing he wasn't even conscious, I just put him to sleep. He is still sleeping though." (Ruby)

Ruby and I have known each other since childhood. She is 3 years younger than me. So she is something like a younger sister.

But she is mature. She can take care of household chores, she is good at studying and she is athletic. On top of that, she is a girl beautiful enough make even a girl fall in love with her.

And she was raised single-handedly by her father. I have never met her mother. I didn't ask her about her mother either.

"You are in your final year of high school. What is your plan after high school?"

"I want to go to business school. I want to learn to support my dad. And then, I will marry my father." (Ruby)

Wait…..I think I heard something really weird.

"Ruby, did you just say that you will marry your father?"

"Oh, yes. I did say that." (Ruby)

"Is it like every little girl? Even I told my dad that I will marry him in the future. But look, that's just what we say when we are little. You actually don't have to do it. Besides, your dad had your mom, didn't he?"

I try to explain it to Ruby. She always seems so mature so I find it hard to believe that she is actually this childish.

"No, my dad didn't have my mom. That's why, I will be with him. My mom didn't take my dad. She married someone else who is my father. But when they died, they pushed me onto my dad. How can they?" (Ruby)

Ruby seems pretty upset. Does this mean…?

"Ruby, who told you about your mother? You never cared for a mother."

"My uncles did. They were kind enough to tell me the truth which my dad kept hidden from me." (Ruby)

"I see. Must be tough for you."

I should not pursue this any further. This will be for the better.

"Changing the subject, do you know who that blind man is?"

"Mr. Harry? He is an old friend of my dad. Though he is 7 years older than him." (Ruby)

An old friend? So mom also knew Mr. David?

"It was actually Mr. Harry who took my dad drinking last night. He wanted to catch up on things. Apparently they hadn't met in 10 years." (Ruby)

My mom hadn't met him for 25 years as well. Did he go somewhere far?

I talked to Ruby a bit more. I avoided the marriage and her mother's topic. What she said was very inappropriate. It feels very complicated so I won't poke much into that.

When it was time for me to leave, I left Ruby. I went to my home and got ready.

But my luck was weird. My remaining lectures got canceled. My morning lectures were off but even the afternoon lectures got canceled. What's happening today?

I called mom and told her that my lectures have been canceled.

"It's too bad. I have plans this evening. My friends have invited me to a get together. We girls always meet once a month, you remember?" (Mom)

That's true. It was today. I forgot. So she'll be home late. I told her that I will go to the cemetery to visit dad.

She had no problems with it. I mean, we do often go to see my dad.

It's afternoon. Another few hours before evening.

I get off at the bus stop and start walking to the cemetery. It's open as always. I can see a few cars on a different lane. Must be someone's burial.

I pray for the soul and make my way. My dad had bought piece of land in the cemetery for our burial. He is buried there. It's still not crowded so there aren't many graves besides my dad's.

I can see my dad's grave. But someone is sitting next to the grave. I move closer to see who it is. There I found a familiar blind man. Mr. Harry is sitting next to my dad's grave. He has one of his arms around the epitaph.

He is saying something as well. I move close enough to listen to his mumbling.

"Sorry for not coming here for 9 years, Evan." (Harry)

Is it that scene? The scene where one friend learns that his friend is dead and speaks to his grave?

"We didn't meet after your wedding with June. That makes 25 years. Why did you die and leave me behind?" (Harry)

"You at least could have taken me with you. I was depressed after your wedding. You know the reason. Anyway, I won't say much now. I will go and visit you soon. One last thing.."

He said and put his hand in his pocket. He took out a box and put it on the ground.

"This is the burden that I have been carrying for 27 years. I hope this will free us. Us three." (Harry)

He got up and left. In the opposite direction from the gate. But when he was out of sight, I near the grave.

I picked up the box. It's a box with linen cover. Inside is a ring which has a diamond. Is that real? I kept the ring. I mean, he just left it here. I can take it away if I like it.

I went home and wait for mom to return. I should talk to her. It feels like they all have a history together.