Charles

Story about a lonely man and his friend

         Another gloomy day, today I really hoped the weather would improve my mood. The dark clouds showed no promise of rain, nor of going away anytime soon. I sat in the corner of my room covered in my woolen blanket, staring blankly at the walls. It seemed Charles was not going to pay me a visit today. It was almost noon and I was really looking forward to having another one of those deep and depressing conversations that always made me feel sorry for myself and at the same time gave me a twisted kind of pleasure. I craved it, and I was becoming increasingly agitated that Charles wasn’t keeping his word. My room was as sad as they come. A clock that was stuck at five minutes to one on the wall. An empty bookcase, save for one lonely book on how to checkmate. Charles was teaching me chess and I decided that this time I would beat him so I didn’t throw it away. I had thrown away the rest of my books, and gave away my old TV set to my neighbor. I liked sitting in my corner and listening to the radio, but the best part of my day was talking to Charles. Where could that b*****d be?

       I took a trip to my kitchen. The sink was cluttered with dirty dishes that I hadn’t moved for ages, apart from that one plate, spoon and cup that I occasionally used. I removed the plate and the whole mess came undone, a putrid smell filled the air and it made me double back. I stood there for a while then I took out a spoon. Some roaches lazily danced away from the smelly pile and made their way into the sink. I see so many of them nowadays, I should call them the residential roaches, I thought and laughed out loud at my sad little joke. I do that often. I did some half-a*s washing of my plate and spoon then I emptied the contents of the brown paper bag that was beside the sink onto it. I honestly couldn’t remember the last time I actually cooked for myself. I walked out of the kitchen with my food and caught a glimpse of a hollow looking figure in the hallway mirror. The eyes were drooping out of their sockets and the lips were curled in a permanent frown. The hair was unkempt with dust bunnies all over, the clothes were damp with sweat with yellow spots unevenly dotted all over the t-shirt. Food stains, if I were to guess. The man looked worse each time I saw him.

    ‘Richard!’ I heard someone yell. I recognized the voice right away, he always sneaks up on me in my own house. I went back to the living room and sure enough it was Charles sat upright on one of my armchairs. I always find it hard to describe him physically. I can immediately spot him in a crowd but I find it impossible to tell another person the features on his face if they were to ask me.

 ‘How did you get in here?’ I asked.

 ‘Same as always Richard’

‘That’s not an answer!’ I retorted

‘Okay, you want me to leave?’

‘No, no! Please stay’ I said desperately. I didn’t want him to go now, he had just arrived.

‘You want to share my food?’ I asked.

‘You look like you need it more’ replied a smug Charles.

I took a deep breath, he can be annoying at times but he was much needed company for me.

‘You want to play some chess?’ I continued nagging

‘I’ll pass. When’s the last time you went outside Richard?’

‘Today, I went to get some food’

‘No, I mean when’s the last time you went out to meet people, or play, you know, do normal activities’

‘I don’t need that! I got you’

He looked at me pitifully, and I could feel some resentment boil up in me but I kept it bottled up.

‘You’re angry?’ he asked. I shrugged and walked to my bookcase. The shelves were so dusty that I had to keep a safe distance to avoid starting a sneezing spree. ‘You used to love reading’ Charles continued. I did, it was a good way to get away from the world, I missed it, but I knew that chapter of my life was gone. ‘Not really’ I replied. My only source of entertainment nowadays was my radio and a beaten up computer at the corner of my room that I had recently connected to the internet.

‘You haven’t talked to your family in a while Richard’. I rolled a broken piece of cigarette I had found on the floor in between my fingers. I felt like smoking but I sure as hell didn’t feel like going through the clutter in my house to find a lighter. I went to my fogged up kitchen window and peered outside. I could see some familiar faces that were now strangers going about their business, all chipper and bright. I grunted, smiling on a day like this?! One of them cast a glance in my direction and I immediately ducked and stayed down till I was sure they were gone.

‘Your friends?’ Charles asked.

‘It’s no-one, just some people not minding their business’

‘Oh? Richard, you need to talk to someone, anyone. This place will kill you’

‘I have you, don’t I? Or will you abandon me like the others?’ I spat out bitterly.

‘You know I don’t count’ Charles said in a worried voice.

‘Let’s go watch a game then, Real Madrid is playing today, it’s the El Classico derby today!’ he continued excitedly.

‘Not in the mood’ I replied.

We sat quietly like that for a while and I saw Charles shed a tear, then a quiet sob.

‘I’m trapped aren’t I?’

‘You’re finally getting the memo?’ I replied, emotionless.

‘What do you find rewarding living like this?’ he asked in between sobs.

‘Nothing, I just live and wait for whatever is coming.’

‘That’s a meaningless life’

‘What good is a meaningful life if we all die in the end? You’re just bitter that I now have control over you. Your larger than life days are over. Now, we sit back safely in my house, and let life take its course’

‘You’re not happy!’ Charles was shouting.

‘That’s irrelevant. Plus, I have nothing I feel I have to be happy about. I feel happy for two seconds then am sad. What’s the use in trying? Charles? Charles…….’

And just like that he was gone. As usual the door had remained locked, I don’t know how he does that. He seemed to want to stay with me less and less each time he visited. I don’t need him! I consoled myself, deep down though I had this unnerving feeling that I’d never see him again. I looked out, the weather was still as dull as ever, a mild reflection of my mood. Maybe if it was sunny, I’d have gone out….

Meanwhile outside, a small crowd at the local kiosk were busy discussing.

‘A whole month in there? He’s finally gone crazy’

 ‘Did you see him today morning? Didn’t even look up the whole way to the restaurant, what a f*****g snob!’

‘Someone should call up the local mental institution’

‘No, someone should beat him up, that’ll show him to stop ignoring others like trash’

‘He needs help, remember what a great man he once was! What a waste’

A cold wind blew past the crowd and bent the mailbox outside the lonely man’s house slightly. The names on the mailbox were a bit worn-out but you could make out enough of the name on it ‘Mr Charles Richards residence. House no. 159’

 

Author's Note

What do you think?

Reviews

[Kogi]

Hi Bern_Bright! thanks a lot for the review! For the 'today morning' bit i think i translated it directly from my mother tongue, am from Kenya so maybe it's an East African thing lol!

[Bern_Bright]

Hi I am a newbie writer, so my suggestions or advice may not be as seasoned as you would like but I know what it's like to write and have nobody read it - any feedback is workable!

First thing - Charles and Richard speak in the same voice, and in the beginning I can't picture Charles so it feels like those two are the same person - I don't know if this was intentional, because ultimately they are one entity. Or would it have been better to have two different personalities battling each other with diff speech patterns and temperaments?

Secondly - "Did you see him today morning?" - could be " Did you see him this morning" unless you're looking for more of local way of speaking - I have a Tanzanian friend who often says " today morning".

Last bit: "that’ll show him to stop ignoring others like trash" - I suggest " to stop ignoring others like they're trash" , or " stop ignoring others and treating them like trash"

Hope there's something useful in that list. Please feel free to check out my writing and return the favour.