Who's this boy on the tree? ( Short story )
Mario is going to work.... like everyday for the last 4 years
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It's 7.30am, I'd already finished my morning coffee and I'm taking my backpack to make my way to the office.
I do the last check at the door: "keys, wallet, lunch, cellphone.... I have everything." Then, I close the front door slowly in an attend to don't bother my sleeping beauty — she's 6 months pregnant and last night she couldn't sleep so well.
Like everyday I'm walking to the subway station. It's a nice morning walk between the trees and flowers, listening the birds and feeling the fresh breeze.
"Hey, nice trees right?" I hear a voice but I don't see anybody
I keep walking.
"You didn't hear me?....I'm here!"
I see leaves falling down from a big tree and then a boy who is looking at me with an innocent smile.
"Hi boy, yes I heard you but I couldn't see you, so I continued...... What are you doing up there? It's very high?" I said, standing in front of this big tree, feeling a bit worry about him.
He jumped from one branch to another and replied: "I like to come here every day and play on the trees while I watch people passing through. It's fun!"
I'm captivated by the nice voice and how happy this kid looks. I should continue my way to the subway but I can't just go without listening to him for few seconds more.
"I used to climb trees when I was a child. I liked to feel the sensation to be above people's head and see the world from the top of the tree" I said with a smile on my face.
"Come up! This tree has strong branches" he shouted at me while jumping to another branch like a Capuchin monkey.
"Hehe! No! I'm not a child anymore and I should go to work" I said while I started to walk again.
"Enjoy! But you should be careful boy!" I said out loud.
My watch says that I have 5 minutes to reach the subway if I want to be on time at the office.
Desktop madness....
With my cubicle full of papers and my nerves close to the breaking point, I decided to get 5 minutes and drink another coffee — number 6 that day.
The picture of this kid on the tree struck my mind when I was drinking my latte vanilla Grande. I'm just looking through the window of the office 30 floors up in the sky.
"This kid really looks happy jumping like a Capuchin monkey this morning..... I almost forgot how I was spending so many hours doing the same when I was 10 years old.... But this is dangerous.... His parent should be more careful"
This small chat was happening in my head until I see the white bottom of the coffee cup.
"Ok Mario! No more distractions and go back to those accounting books" I said out loud trying to cheer up myself.
"Did you get your keys and lunch, Mario?"
my wife said from the room...."Of course, you know me!" I said while I'm looking for my keys all over the kitchen.
"Did you find them?" She asked again — of course she could hear that I was looking for them everywhere.
"Yes! Now I'm ready... See you in the night" and I close the front door.
As soon as I start walking I couldn't stop thinking about the kid on the tree. I was looking around during my walk to see if he would be there again.
"What about today?.... Do you want to climb trees with me?"
I turned my face up and there he was — with his dirty white pants and nice blue t-shirt, looking at me between the leaves and branches.
"Hey! How are you?... Today I need to go to work also, I can't climb trees with you" I said, feeling rarely sad for my answer.
"You must like this work a lot because you're always in a hurry to get there..." He replied and jump to a higher branch just to see me from a better angle.
Jeeeeeesus! how this boy can be so agile to move from one branch to another?... I was thinking while I continued walking my everyday path to the subway.
"Take care little kid and see you tomorrow!!" I shouted at him when I checked the time in my watch.
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In my coffee break #7...
I found myself looking through the window of the office repeating memories from my childhood.
I grew up 20 minutes outside the capital in a quiet neighborhood. My parents worked for an accounting firm and I couldn't see them too often during the weekdays.
My granny was always at home with me and my brother and almost everyday by 3.30pm she said "No more tv kids!..... Let's go to the park. It's time to get dusty and breathe fresh air"
As much I liked to watch cartoons, Nobody can refuse the opportunity to go to the park with granny.
Me and my brother running around the park. Competing on who is the fastest to climb the big tree before granny screams to us:
"Mario and Gerardo, don't climb to high on this tree because the branches can break."
It was an extreme adventure that usually ends couple hours later when granny called us. She'll open her small basket to pull out the best vanilla cookies ever! With a glass of orange juice.
"Kids, let's eat together, then it's time to go home....."
"Mario, Mario, Mariooo!!..... Do you have last week's report ready?...
Ah!? What!?" I replied, dropping my latte vanilla on the floor.
"I asked you if you have last week's report ready?"
"Oh! Yeah... Mr. Anderson, I have it in my cubicle." I replied and begin to clean the coffee mess I made.
"Ok. Bring it to my office and let's prepare the meeting with that client"
"No problem, Mr. Anderson. I'll be there in a minute" I said.
"Ok Mario, come back to present and get your shit together to meet with Mr. Anderson....This is the opportunity to show him that you know how to do it and you're ready for a promotion....To become a Supervisor would be the perfect next step in your carrier"...I said to myself.
I pressed the MUTE button in my brain to put down the mind chat and I said "Mr. Anderson, can I come in?"
"Yes, close the door and let's see how good is this report, Mario" he replied and moved to the small conference room next to his big office.
"Are you going earlier today?" she said
"Yes! I want to make a short stop before getting to the subway" I said from the bathroom looking at my beard in the mirror.
So, here I am with a bit more time to talk with the boy on the tree. Maybe I was rude to him when I didn't stay longer the days before. I still didn't understand why it actually matters to me, he was just a kid on the tree that probably talk to a lot of people everyday.
"Boy!..... Kid!... Where are you today?
Today I have more time to talk...On which tree are you hiding today" I keep saying along my path.
"Boy, I have just 15 minutes more before going to the subway.... I hope this isn't a hide and seek game" I said sitting on a bench.
15 minutes later....
"Maybe his parents decided to keep him at home.... Maybe he found more kids and their are climbing trees on the other side of the park....I shouldn't get up early, I wasted my time here"
These are thoughts on my mind while I'm walking to the subway station....What a combination of feelings I have right now. I'm even worry about the boy on the tree.
What if he's in the hospital with a broken leg?.... granny always told me that high branches can break!
To Be Continued....
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