CHAPTER 9: ONWARD
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History is the result of actions undertaken in the past. Whether good or bad, whatever is happening today is a result of someone’s deeds in the past. Similarly, our future is also determined by the things we do today. Marvellous things are being done at present. Technological wonders, breakthroughs in science and the arts, you name it, the world is constantly on the move. People are making history at this very moment. As for poor, old me, my future was uncertain. A dimming horizon awaited me, as time passed on. However, not all hope was lost, for I had a plan.
After my hallucinatory episode, I had managed to put together a rough idea of how I was going to get myself out of the conundrum I had found myself in. It involved a whole lot of sweat, grit and the thing I dreaded the most, human interaction.
Firstly, I needed to locate Violet. In order to do that, I had to first find her father. She told me he was a renowned musician and that he had been on many tours. I turned to my best ally to aid me in this dire situation, Google.
My fingers began to type away. I first searched about musicians with the surname of “Andrews” around me. Surprisingly, there were a whole lot of them. Most of them were young part-time artists who performed in the main city, and none of them looked old enough to be Violet’s father. Then, I deepened my search. I started to look back in time, to the 70s first, then the 80s and finally the 90s. After half an hour of furious typing and sifting through old music articles and blogs, I had finally managed to find him.
It was an old poster of him and his band, dressed in peak 90s rocker boy fashion. The name of the band was highlighted in a wavy font.
“THE PINEAPPLE BUTTERFLIES” was its name. The name sounded bizarre, but even more bizarre was the front-man, who happened to be Violet’s dad. Billy Andrews was his name. He stood tall, holding an electric guitar in his hand, with lush curly hair, shaped neatly into an afro. He looked bold and daring, much like his daughter. That made me certain of his relationship with her.
The first obstacle was clear. Next, I had to find out where he was kept. There was a possibility that I could run into my mother while visiting one of these hospitals. Fortunately, it was a Tuesday, her off-day. So I could continue my search without having to worry about her.
I lived in the suburbs, and so did Violet. I knew for a fact that there weren’t any multi-speciality hospitals in the area, and an artery blockage would only be treated in such facilities. So, her only option was to take him into the main city which was a few hours away.
Once again, I turned to Google to look for the different hospitals in the city. There were dozens of nursing homes and medical facilities listed. Now all that’s left to do was call each and every one of them. I got to it right away. One hospital after another, I inquired about Billy Andrews. As I dialed away, I began to lose hope. What if it was the wrong person? What if he had already been discharged?
Thankfully, after a number of calls, I located him. He was admitted in “Avalon Healthcare”, located in the heart of the city. Visiting hours were between 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. It was 8:00 am already, I had to make my move, otherwise I would miss my chance.
Before I could set off on my journey, I needed some funds. I was already running out, so the only option left was to ask my mother. I made my way to the kitchen. Mom stood there, bespectacled, rapt in her cooking. Her hair was getting greyer with every passing day. The smell of pancakes filled the air.
“Uh- Hey mom?” I asked, as I entered her domain.
She was surprised by my presence, as she turned to face me, “What are you doing here moping around boy? Aren’t you late? Why aren’t you in your uniform?”
“Oh- um, didn’t you hear? School’s going to take us on a field trip today,” I said, trying my best to make it sound convincing.
She stopped her cooking for a while, and looked at me with an expression that would make even the bravest of men shudder with fear. With her hands on her hips, she spoke, “Field trip? When was this planned?”
“Ye- yesterday, actually. I was going to tell you, but you were already asleep so-” I was interrupted by her, knowing very well that I would be faced by a flurry of questions.
“Where are they taking you?”
“The main city, to a museum.”
“Which museum?”
“Uh- its a new one, which shows history about art.”
“Who’s going with you?”
“Just my classmates, and a fe-few teachers.”
“Will they give you time to roam around?”
“Nope, constantly supervised.”
“How long will you be out?”
“Uh- the whole day most probably.”
Finally satisfied with my answers, she relented, “Okay fine, but watch yourself, that area is home to all sorts of characters.”
“Okay mom,” I replied. She got back to her cooking, as I stood there, waiting to ask her one final question. She noticed me standing there, fixated.
“Well, don’t you have to get ready boy?” she asked.
“Well uh- actually there is one more thing,” I said hesitantly.
“What is it?” she asked.
“I actually needed a bit of,” I paused as my voice got lower, “Money.”
“Whatever do you need money for? You’re going on a school trip, not an outing,” she said.
“Actually, the school is not paying for the uh- fair, and they’ve also asked for some extra,” I said, trying my best not to anger her.
“They aren’t paying for the bus fair!? Goodness gracious! To think that we put you in such an expensive school, and they cannot even pay for a child’s ticket. And what do they need the extra for?”
“Oh- uh, its for lunch,” I lied.
“No need for that, I’ll pack you something,” she said.
“But-but mom!”
“No buts, I am not going to waste a single penny on that expensive city food,” she said firmly.
I knew that there it would be impossible to move a brick wall, so I made the wise decision of backing down. It was surprising enough that I had managed to lie my way to victory. I would have to make do with what I would get.
“Now go change, unless you want to stay home today and do all the chores for me,” she said, as I made my way upstairs.
I quickly changed into travel-friendly clothes, wearing a pair of joggers, sneakers and a checkered shirt with warm clothing underneath. Emptying the books from my school bag, I placed the chocolate I had bought for Violet inside. I did not take the rose, as it would not be a suitable gift for her ailing father. I would have to find something in the city itself.
As I quickly made my way downstairs, I saw my mom waiting for me near the door, with the money and a lunchbox in hand.
“Here’s ten bucks for you, should be enough for the fair,” she said, as she kept the money in my hand, “And here’s your lunch.”
“What’d you pack for me?” I asked, as I could smell the hearty aroma emanating from the lunch box.
“It’s pasta. Make sure you eat on time,” she said.
“I know mom,” I replied, as I kept the box in the bag.
I opened the door to take my leave, when my mother stopped me. She said, “Wait, before you go. I want to give you something.”
“What is it?” I asked, as she began to fish through her pocket. To my surprise, she took out a crisp fifty dollar bill.
“Mom, is that for me? Thank you so-”
“Don’t get excited, its for the groceries,” she said, as she took out another piece of paper and handed it to me along with the note.
“Make sure you get everything on the list, I’m sure you can ask your teachers to give you a five minute break to run to the store,” she said.
“Okay mom,” I replied, with visible disappointment.
“And don’t you dare spend a single penny outside of the list! I want to see the receipt when you come home,” she commanded.
“Sure mom, goodbye,” I said, as I took my leave. My mother was quite a character. Once upon a time, I remember that we were extremely close. She was a passionate lady, young, energetic and full of compassion. We would play the silliest of games together, and talk about absurd topics. Things changed after Dad started working abroad, and she had to look after me all by herself. Perhaps life took a toll on her, as she succumbed to the dangers of reality. However, that was a long time ago, back when I was much younger, and things were a whole lot simpler. Now, she was just a tough middle-aged lady, who had an oddball son to look after.
I hurried on to the bus station to catch the next shuttle to the city. Thankfully, I reached on time, as I was able to board the 9:30 bus. It would an hour at most to reach the city. In order to pass the time, I put on my headphones and started playing some music. As my mind danced to the melancholic songs, I could not help but think about what I would do once I saw Violet. How could I face her, knowing that I’ve harmed her in such a way. A kind angel like her, marred by an imp like me. How would I be able to find the words to say to her, words which would help me gain her forgiveness. With all these thoughts troubling my mind, I ventured into the bustling metropolis.
