5 Years Later...

Chapter 7

(7 years later...)

"So you thought it was funny?" confronted Jack.

"Yes," Osaid replied once again down upon himself in guilt.

"I understand you was young Osaid. But why?" questioned Jack once gain.

"I don't know," replied Osaid. "I guess I was depressed..."

"Over what?"

"Which school to I must go to." said Osaid.

"What was wrong with finding a good school?"

"You see...." Osaid said.

"My parents were upset with me not choosing a school in time to go to when I became a senior." Osaid explained. "So they kicked me out of the house as punishment for not following my cousins' footsteps into becoming a doctor."

(5 years earlier...)

"You can come back to live with us once you have completed your college education," Osaid's father said to him. "I'm sorry we have to do this. But a high school diploma is not enough to complete your education Osaid." Osaid's father than shut the door on his face.

(5 years later...)

"Dang that's crazy Osaid," said Jack. "I never knew that actually happened to you."

"It did." Osaid told his former classmate. "I ended up staying at a hotel in our old town for a few months before they kicked me out."

"Why they do that?"

"I was caught smoking weed and drinking alcohol." Osaid whispered.

"WHAT?!" Jack questioned. "That's crazy."

"I know." murmured Osaid. He remembered the first time he took a sip of alcohol. "I first saw alcohol...."

(3 years earlier...)

At the hotel's bar, the bartender offered a bay rum to the person in front of Osaid.

He had usually bought a Coca-Cola or a Pepsi. This time however, Osaid started to feel the need to change. He had stopped praying 5 times a day. He had stopped reading Quran. He was having trouble keeping up with his namaz. But most recently... he was homeless.

Maybe just one drink would help soothe life for me, thought Osaid as he was next in line. As he took a sip of his shot, he expected a shock through his head. Once it came however, it wasn't as harmful as he thought it would have been. At the time however.

The following day, he went back to the bar to take another rum. The bartender however offered him 2 bottles of Jack Daniels for a dollar.

With little money he had to keep him happy, Osaid took the two bottles.

(3 years later...)

"Osaid that's crazy," said Jack. "Do you know that alcohol can kill you?"

"Yes," Osaid said with an annoyed sigh.

"Hey, how did you get kicked out for smoking and drinking if alcohol was allowed in the hotel?" instigated Jack.

"I did it in a non-restricted area Jack," said Osaid.

"Where?"

"The toy shop." Osaid said holding back tears.

"You smoke and drink in a shop full of kids?" questioned Jack ONCE AGAIN.

"Yes."

"That's crazy Osaid. If I was to be your dad, I would take you back home and put you in rehab."

"But you're not my dad Jack."

"I know but Osaid," started Jack. "Alcohol can make you not think clearly."

"I knew it, but I didn't care. The more I drink, the less emotional I got."

"Damn, that's crazy." Said Jack. He then decided to tell Osaid his story after high school. "After I graduated high school, I was going to go to Lincoln Tech. But my parents wanted me to do two years of school then I could transfer.

I did horrible for my first year of school. So I dropped out."

"Why did you drop out Jack?" ask Osaid. "Was it because you asked teacher so many questions that they failed you?"

"I don't know," said Jack. "It was a long time ago Osaid."

"It is a good thing I remember my life after school," remarked Osaid. "It was very depressing for me Jack. After I got kicked out of the hotel...."

(3 years earlier...)

Osaid packed the last of his suitcases into a storage garage. He had used the last of his money from his checking account to pay for a 6-month membership of his stuff there. He was now working at Popeyes part-time which was across the street from his dad's flower shop.

He had created a poor diet of eating fast-food every day. Although Osaid did not realize it, he began to put on more weight than ever before. Before he weighed 198 pounds, now it would going up to 230 pounds.

"That's crazy Osaid!" shouted Jack. "Why you not eat healthy food?"

"I did," said Osaid. "But they didn't help me get rid of the stress. So I had the Popeyes' chicken sandwich for dinner usually. I sometimes would get Chinese food, and I would also go to bagel shop on Teaneck Road."

"What about lunch?"

"Pizza or pasta from Victor's."

"Osaid that is not good how you was eating all of these junk food. You need to stay healthy like you was in high school. How did you lose weight?"

"Liposuction surgery," Osaid remarked. "I stole money from my dad's bank account."

"MOHSIN WAS RIGHT! You did take money from your dad's bank account!"

"What?"

"Never mind."

"No. What did you say?"

"Mohsin said that you take money from your dad.

"I did not. Mohsin was ly---ok, maybe I did. But it was just a couple of dollars."

"A couple of dollars? Osaid you used the money to pay for the food you ordered to my house also!" exclaimed Jack.

Osaid then looked down in a guiltful way once again.