the man who lost...chapter 2 page 7

Friday,July 23,2004
17:00 p.m.
Deejay Sam’s Resident
“You have to run away,bro,you really have to.I won’t let you go and meet those bastards again.Come on,don’t be ridiculous.I can’t help you in other way,I’m suggesting you run away, disappear. Those SOBs will do worst than this if you don’t give them what they need,unless you have it. Just leave town,go somewhere else.The Big City would be fine.You have families and buddies there right?Just go.”Sam adviced me.
“Yeahh Bob,Sam’s right.I think you better run away,no point facing those pigs if you’ve got nothing to pay them with.I can’t help you either,I haven’t got that much money...I wish I had."
Kai,my friend who fetched me from my office and brought me to Sam’s house,added.
“Have you asked Vincent if he could help you?” Sam asked.
“I don’t wanna drag him into this.I’ll clear this up on my own.Thanks anyway.”I replied.
My nose was still bleeding.I wiped it with my handky.
“Kai,send me to my uncle’s place,would you?I figure it out from there.”
“Ok.”
“By the way Sam,I’ll keep you posted.I’ll call you if there's anything.You’re right,I guess I just have to dissapear for a while till I figure out the way to settle the thing down.Shall we go,Kai?”
“Ok,let’s go.”
“Take care, bro.See you when I see you.” Sammy shaked my hand and hugged me.
“Yeahh,you too.See ya.I’ll call you.”
I hugged him back and got into Kai’s car.I put myself in silence when Kai was driving me to my uncle’s house at 24,Asean Park.The swells was still aching.
“Kai,I’m sorry to put you into trouble.”
“What the hell are you saying,man?We are friends,aren’t we?C’mon Bob,don’t be absurd.”He said.I zipped.
Zary and his staffs were there at my uncle’s when I arrived.
“Thanks bro,I owe you one.See ya.” I said to Kai.
“Don’t mention that.Take care.See ya.”He replied and leave.
I strolled down to the driveway and they were looking at me,and the bruises of course.
“What in the world exactly happening to you?”Zary started asking me as I sat down on the wooden bench in the garden.
“I caught myself into a fight this afternoon.”
“And that was happening,why....?”
“I owe them money and I couldn’t pay them back as I was supposed to..”
“So,when are you going to pay them?Have you got the money now?”
“Not yet.I might be leaving with you tomorrow.May I?”
“You wanna leave with us?Have you lodge a police report?I think you should though.We’ll be leaving tomorrow morning. If you wanna come along,suit yourself then.”
After having our dinner,we went straight back home.Those injuries were still aching but I just ignored it.My mind was strolling somewhere else,I didn’t really knew what.I had something in my mind about what was going on and what I should really do.Damn,it was my darkest hour.
“Have you figure out anything?What are you gonna do?Run away or something,bro?”Zary asked me.
“Disappear for a while,I guess.Those bastards won’t have any mercy on me, just look what they did to me.”
“It was your fault bro,why didn’t you think of it at the first place?”
“Yeahh,I couldn’t say I won’t agree with you.”
“Why don’t you fought them back?”Jatt,Zary’s staff asked me.
“They were three of them and I didn’t intend to. It was my fault,so I guess I just let them do whatever it is.I’ve played them so many times,I just had to take the punishment,though. Nevermind,I still alive though..”I replied.
“That was the stupidest statement I’ve ever heard from you,damn it.”Zary crossed.
I stupefied,overwhelmed. Everybody in the SUV fell into silent.Zary looked at me and said,
“I’m sorry bro,I kinda got carried away.I didn’t mean to...”I blinked.Nodded.

We reached home at about 9:00 p.m. Aunt Anne wasn’t home at that time.I boiled some water and took my bath.Zary and his staffs,Jatt,Shaffe and Dee took their rest whilst watching t.v. After taking my bath and got dressed I took the hot water and out it into a plain thick bowl and dunk a piece of plain napkin in it.I applied the cloth onto my suffered bruises and the swollen part.After rubbing a few minutes I dunk it again and repeat the dipping.After a while,when the water got less hot,I stopped.I went upstairs and joined the guys.Shortly thereafter,Aunt Anne came home. She came back from attending her friend’s feast.
“Zary,where’s Bob?”She asked Zary from the kitchen as she didn’t see me around.
“I’m here upstairs in front of the tv.”I replied.She went to her room and I followed.I knew she was going to ask me about what happened.I was prepared though.
“So,what the...”
“It was my fault,frankly.This was the biggest mistake I’ve ever made. I’ve lost in gambling,so,this is the consequences.”
I told Aunt Anne as I crossed her before she got to finished her question.
“Don’t you have enough of everything? What were you trying to pull?What were you thinking?I thought you’re going to get your five hundred grand,aren’t you? So,why in hell are you doing that for?”She continued asking.
“I don’t know,I just got naived,I guess.I know I was wrong.My financial situation has gone pretty bad lately.My account is still on hold,my assets is freezed at the moment.Then I lost in a few stupid gamblings.I went to make a deal with those jerks,but unfortunately,I can’t cover it up. So,here I am with a black eye.”I explained.I looked down to the carpet as I can’t look her in her face.
“Ok,now,what then?”
“I thought of to disappear for a while.I guess it’s better off that way.I’m leaving with Zary tomorrow.Just let me handle it,ok.”
“Fine,just do whatever you have to do.But remember,you’re in big mess now,don’t start another one.Don’t solve a problem by creating another,you’re far better than that.Where are you going to stay?”
“At my friend’s of course.I won’t stay at Zary’s,I don’t want Aunt Kaymie and Uncle Lipps know about this.And please don’t tell anyone. I will call you if there’s anything.”I said.
“Did Marina knows about this?” “Not yet,but I will tell her if I meet her.She ought to know `bout this.”
“Ok.By the way,have you report it to the police?”
“Not yet.Should I?”
“Of course you should.You have a lot of police friends ,right? Why don’t you tell them?”
“In fact,I don’t want to,but I’ll think of it.Anyway aunt,I’m sorry for what happened.”
“You have to be.Just don’t do it again,ever!” I nodded and got out of her room and went to the living room.
After a while,Aunt Anne served us Black Squirrels,black coffee with a strong aroma.I lit up a cigarette and sat silent.I was still feeling bad about what happened the evening before.I just can’t stop thinking about it.What am I suppose to tell Effa about it?I pick up the phone and dialled Effa’s.
“Hello...”Her voice answered in the other end. “Honey,it’s me,I’ll be coming to your place tomorrow,maybe afternoon.”
“Ok,dear.I’ll be waiting.”
“Bye.”
“Bye, love ya.”
“Love ya too.”I hung up.
“Bro,are you sure you wanna come with us?”Zary asked me.
“Yup,I’m damn sure.”
“Ok,but make a police report first,ok.”
“I’ll think of it.” Then,I went to bed.