About Charlie Page #3

Prison guard – Today is your lucky day, Charlie Sims, or shall I say Mr Sims.

Charlie is now forty-six years of age, he has aged beyond his years, his hair is turning grey, and he is bearded, he hasn’t had a visitor and to the world which he once new, no longer exists. The prison guard opens the gate, “you’re a free man Charlie, you’re free to go” Charlie looks at him suspiciously, “I’m a free man” he asks calmly, “That’s right Mr Sims, it says here on this paper you have served your term, and the court has deemed you fit enough to release you back into society” the guard appears genuinely happy for him. “Ok sir, I have no belongings just show me the exit” Charlie gets up from the floor where he was sleeping and walks out of his sell, “that’s the way, follow the sign to your right” Charlie sees a long corridor, lights are flickering, the corridor leads to a large gate, guarded by two security men. “Have a nice life” just as he uttered those words, Charlie sees light, at first it is too much for him, but soon he gets used to it, they give him some money, new pair of shoes and clothes and airline ticket back home. Charlie arrives at his beloved country which he risked his life for, he wonders the street, he notices nothing has changed, young women are giggling, tourists taking snap shots of the city, businessmen busy making money. He is nobody to them, just a homeless man, not even a veteran. “Hey, watch where you’re going dumbass” a commuter in his thirties well dressed, well fed and completely oblivious to life on the other side for men like Charlie. His first concern is whether he’d find somewhere to live, he has no money, no job, nothing so he finds a charity for homeless veterans. “Please fill out this form, right clearly and enter your Military Unit number” a women in her late sixty’s hands the form over to Charlie.

Charlie – I don’t know my Military Unit number.

Charity worker – That’s ok, just write your name, I’ll do a search on my computer database system.

Within minutes, Charlie’s name appears on the database, she examines Charlie carefully “It says here you were imprisoned for twenty years, for illegally killing a Russian prisoner of war” her tone of voice suddenly changes, “Mr Sims, we can’t accept anyone with military criminal record, I’m afraid you’re going to have to leave this building.” Charlie doesn’t argue with the lady, he leaves the building and heads to central park, to the very spot the president gave his speech to the people, he finds a bench, takes a seat, lights a cigarette, starts to feel the cold and nighttime reveals the city lights. “You can’t stay here Mr, I’m going to have to ask you to leave, the park is now closed to the public”

Charlie – All right I’m on my way, can I just finish my cigarette.

Park guard – Sure go right ahead, you look like you’ve just come back from war Mr.

Charlie – That’s funny you should say, yes, I’m back from war and I wish I could forget about it all.

Park guard – Do you have anywhere to stay tonight.

Charlie – As a matter of fact I don’t, I’m without a permanent address.

Park guard – Do you have family.

Charlie – Yes, I do, I have a wife, but she doesn’t know whether I’m alive or dead.

Park guard – Well how about I help you out a little, veterans deserve better treatment, let me buy you coffee, I’ll arrange for you somewhere to sleep the night, you can stay the night at the park office, I manage the place. Tomorrow morning, I’ll help you get a permanent place to live, how about it.

Charlie – That sounds great, I appreciate your help, what is your name.

Park guard – My name is Raj Singh.

Charlie – It’s nice to meet you Mr Singh, I’ll return the favour one day.

Charlie is shown into the park managers office, he is given a sleeping bag and something to eat and drink.

Mr Singh – Good morning, Mr Sims, did you sleep well.

Charlie – I slept fine, thank you, I should be leaving, I’ll find somewhere.

Mr Singh – Here, I’ve brought this form for you, fill it out and you can start working in central park, we need a tough guy around here, to do odd jobs, gardening, a handy man.

Charlie – A job application, you know I appreciate that a lot, I really don’t know what to say.

Mr Singh – You don’t need to thank me, this is the land of opportunity, home of the brave and free, thanks to men like you we have this great nation. We owe it to you, once you’ve worked here for a month, we’ll review your work progress and decide whether to keep you on, on a permanent basis.

Charlie – Again I appreciate it Mr Singh, you asked me yesterday whether I have a family, I think I should go visit my wife today.

Charlie returns to his old home address, the neighbourhood hasn’t changed, he reaches house number 45A manner road Boston. He knocks on the door, a retired woman in her late seventy’s answers the door, “yes, who are you looking for” the lady appears to have sight problem as she squints a lot. “I’m here to see my wife Rose” the lady looks confused, “no one by the name of Rose lives here Mr, who are you”. “My name is Charlie Sims, here is where I used to live before being sent to Ukraine” Charlie begins to sound desperate, “I see, there was a lady by the name of Rose that lived here before I bought the place five years ago, she was married to a man called Michael” Charlies facial expression changes immediately, he looks sad and heartbroken. “I see, sorry to have troubled you” just as he is about to walk away the lady says “I have the address she moved to, she still receives letters, which I return to the post office, they gave me her address so that I send it directly to her, saves them trouble you see, I just put this sticker on the envelop with her address on it, and I post it” Charlie thanks her, and takes one of the stickers. He spends the rest of the day wondering the streets of New York, the shadow of the man he once was, lonely, broke, disappointed. He finds that Rose had moved into a much larger home with her Lawyer husband John Russel.

Rose – Charlie is that you, I thought you.

Charlie – I know you thought I died at war.

John – Honey who is that at the door.

Charlie – I think I should go now.

Rose – No hold on, John this is Charlie my ex-husband.

John – But I thought you said he died at war.

Charlie hears children in the background; Rose is a mother of a six- and eight-year-old daughter and son. Charlie declines the offer to enter her house, and leaves without giving any explanation. Although he is saddened by what he had discovered, he was even more saddened and angry about the treatment of Mustafa and the twenty years he’d been imprisoned unlawfully. Charlie returns to Central Park, “ok Charlie, I need you to clear out this storage area, we’re expecting a delivery of gardening equipment and plants.” Mr Singh hands Charlie a time sheet and leaves him to his job.

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