The Space in Between

Chapter 24

Dre was about to step on the platform when an old man shouted. "Young man, whatever you're planning to do, please stop!"

I looked at him and told him, "Please go away!"

The old man looked scared and his arms were stretched towards me. He said, "Let's talk. Please get off the platform and let's talk."

"I don't know you and I don't want to talk." I replied harshly. "Why would I listen to you in the first place?" I continued.

"Because a few years ago, I was standing at the exact spot you're in now and no one was there for me to talk to. I want you to know that I'm here, willing to listen." He said.

I replied, "I don't care about what happened to you. Who told you I need someone to listen to me?"

I felt he was desperate to save me. "I don't want you to have regrets. You won't have any regrets the moment you step off that platform but how about the people you will leave behind? Have you thought about them?"

He hit the spot. I totally forgot about my mom.

He saw the change on my face. He took advantage of it and talked to me again, "Please step down and let's talk."

I felt his sincerity, I obliged. We sat against the wall. "Want some water?" He asked.

I think he's the one who needs to drink because he got nervous but didn't want to leave me. I shook my head.

"You said earlier that you don't know me. I'm Salvador Clint, I take care of this beautiful garden." He pointed his finger towards the garden in front of us as he spoke. Then he continued, "Now, tell me your name and what happened."

I hesitated but I felt his sincerity.

I started to speak, "My name is Dre. Why does life keep testing me? Why is it's enjoying to throw pains and problems one after the other? What's the point of living if you're not given the chance to be happy?"

He looked at me then replied, "I wish I have all the answers to your questions but life isn't like that. It's like a puzzle with missing pieces but it doesn't mean you can't appreciate the beauty of it even if it's not complete."

"Why did you stop me?" I asked.

"Will you look away if you see someone about to take his/her own life?" He asked.

"You don't have any right to step into someone's decision." I told him without looking.

He was nodding then said, "You're right. But I didn't do it for you, I did it for the people who you'd be leaving behind, whether they care for you or not. They'll carry it with them for as long as they live. If you don't care for them, you could still have jumped even after hearing about them."

I stayed silent.

He looked at me like a concerned father, he asked politely, "Will you tell me the reason why you wanted to jump?"

I cleared my throat before saying, "I just had an appointment with my doctor and it didn't go well." He didn't interrupt so I continued, "I lost my dad more than two years ago. I'm just starting to live my life after that and now, this."

"I'm really sorry to hear that. I can only imagine how painful you're feeling right now. Did your mom already hear the news from the doctor?" He asked.

I shook my head.

"For sure, she'll be devastated. It's really difficult for parents to lose their child. Tell her as early as you can, give her the time to process it so you two can have the chance to create good memories as long as you can." He suggested.

I felt the sorrow in his voice. I looked at him and gave me a faint smile.

He continued, "It sucks that you have that illness and that you have to deal with the fact that your days are numbered. But not everyone had the same fate. I wish I had the same chance with my son." His voice started to crack.

He bowed his head and sniffed. He continued, "All my life I've been taking care of this garden. I spent most of my time here, even more than I spent with my son. My wife died when she gave birth to him. I couldn't take the sorrow so I spent all my energy working, and I wanted to make sure I provide a good life for my son. I thought I was doing the right thing; I didn't realize I disregarded him until it's too late. He took his own life a few years ago."

At this point, he's already crying so I let him continue. "He thought I blamed him for what happened to his mom but there's no way to explain it to him anymore. I got his suicide note a few days after he died. I regret that we parted and I carry a lot of unanswered questions, I carry the blame. I stopped coming to work after that. I no longer have a reason to stay alive. This garden died."

He took a deep breath to compose himself, "A few months after, I showed up here. I was about to jump from the same spot you were standing earlier. I gave a last look to this lifeless garden, then a bud was about to bloom in that small corner. For some reason, I felt like it was my son telling me not to jump. Since then, I cared for this place day in and day out. I gave all the care that I could have given to my son."

He continued, "You're not the first one who attempted to jump from that platform and certainly not the last, but I will do everything as long as I can to save people the same way I could have done to my son, if only I was given a chance." He burst into tears once again and for some reason I found comfort in his sorrow. I hugged him like a son longing for his father.