Intellectual Companions

"The old neighbors were moving out yesterday, when I saw two old Hispanic men carrying a stream of furniture out of the house and wheeling it on to the truck. The neighbors had an uneven bricked floor which upon the men's efforts doubled in the painstaking heat of the South. Little by little, they moved in some of the biggest furniture of a family of five and three immense television sets.The truck was parked reverse on a steep paved driveway where the truck's backdoor tended to incline. So out of the two short men, one had to climb the truck every time they pulled furniture out of the house. The owner of the goods, a middle-aged small business owner coordinated everything. His self-indulgence showed in the amount of goods that were being transferred. He was very meticulous even to his most undervalued possessions. The authoritarian in him lashed out as the two men helplessly carried furniture and were pointed and directed by every member of the family. If one orders to move kitchen items, while the other one demands to know if they had moved a box of personal items. It seemed at times as if they were actually being treated like personal slaves.

What would I have done? I was good as a dead person. I did nothing. Time to time, I kept peeking through my window and then eventually I went to water my lawn, as an excuse. As it got darker, the humidity peaked and you could feel the dryness of weather in your throat. The men seemed to have taken a shower in their own sweat. The bright yellow flood light in front of the house, shimmered the droplets on their faces. They often glanced at my activities, but in the equality of work, they were far superior at what they did.

What they got paid, in front of the whole street, my heart just stopped beating. I couldn't believe the unworthy reward that was given to them. It was easily distinguishable, the two hundred dollar bills and a twenty if they disposed a huge bed frame on their return. They quickly divided the money as they sat inside their truck. I saw the old man taking off his cap in complete disappointment, nodding and complaining. He was talking to himself and it was unpleasant.

I just could not believe what I witnessed. I went inside in complete shock. I drank a glass full of water and stood near my stove pondering upon everything related to these events. I had enough cynical thoughts to confront the neighbors. But then I stopped. I came with up another solution to these boiling emotions. It was such an ambiguous feeling, that I had to choose and categorize what I was going through. It still remains like an unknown jolt inside my heart. I am glad I have these empathetic feelings. I reached inside my wallet and insisted to offer the men some money. I was paid this Friday including a second quarterly bonus, besides I also keep frugal approach and follow a stringent savings plan. I could afford to give them atleast another hundred for the work they did, I wanted to help. I ran outside with my empty glass, oblivious to any object in my path. I have a very bad habit of leaving shoes near my door. And to my chagrin, I was caught in my own foolishness. The door was already open, as I ran, my old brown,rugged sneakers were right at the entrance. my left foot stepped right behind the sneakers and then I stumbled. My balance was completely off thrown while an autonomous right arm kept the glass above the ground. It happened in quarters of a second. I stood up ignoring my tumult as I saw the white truck already at the end of the road. I took a deep breath in the middle of the street. Brushing myself off, I realized something......(con't) "