The Sound
Was it a knock at the door that had woken Emily ,or something more grim and sinister. ‘ I think someone is at the door.” she thought to herself. HER door. She reached over to grab her phone and check the time. It was 2:05 AM, December 29th. Who would be at the door this late she thought. After hearing another thud, she quickly texted her best friend, Rachael. “ Hey Rachael,I think someone is trying to break into my house ; she waited for a response. Suddenly, three dots popped up, who would want to do that, rachael asked. I'm not sure, Emily responded. Rachel replied, well don't tell me tell the police, make sure you're not just hearing things but if there is someone, call the cops.
Emily, afraid and confused, got out of bed to check her apartment. As she turned down the hallway to enter the livingroom, a tall lanky figure of a man stood by her coffee table. Wearing a black zip up hoodie and blue jeans, he smelled of scotch. “Hello, Emily……I just want to talk.” A man's voice cut through the darkness like a knife through a cake. What was he doing here, she thought to herself. ‘Evan,I mean,Tyler’ she dropped her phone in such a shock and panic. He placed the spare key he kept in his black leather wallet, filled with crisp fresh 100 dollar bills. ‘ hello, emily, i just want to talk’ evan stated clearly. ‘ Get out Tyler, I don't want you here, we're done’ she said proudful. ‘ Please dont be like this Emily’ Evan pleaded. ‘ i just want to talk about us, we can get through this. I know we can, I just need to talk to you’ even pleaded sadly walking towards her. ‘ No Tyler we’re over and i've moved on now, i don't want to hear what you have to say’ Emily shouted angrily, and was full of bitter resentment. ‘ give me my key and get out of my house, tyler’ emily snapped in an angry rage.
‘ the key is on the table’ ‘please just listen, mike isnt good for you, pleasei just.....fuck, im too drunk for this. Just please listen” evan pointed to the location and exhaled . Emily checked and saw her round, silver key sitting at the edge of her coffee table. ‘ thank you, now leave’ emily repeated. she turned around to go back to her room and evan followed. He stopped her in the doorway, grabbing her arm and facing her towards him. ‘ Emily, just listen. Please' he stated hopelessly, and saddened by the outcome of his visit. ‘ look, i just left the bar, I'm drunk but please just...’ Emily cut him off mid sentence, ‘ let go of me, get out of here tyler’ she screamed frantically. ‘ no’ evan stated feeling upset at her choice to ignore him. " Listen to me," he pleaded once more. Emily pushed him. ‘ tyler youre a fuck up. You're a rich kid philosophy major who does nothing with their life. You're a waste...you're just like your father’ evan, stunned and cut to the core by her words ‘ you're just like your father’ . But emily had never met evans parents.
‘ Ssssstop Emily’ Evan shouted. He stormed into Emily's room and grabbed her. ‘ Take it back’ he demanded. ‘ I'm not like my father, I'm nothing like my father.....take it back’he flipped her table over, throwing a flower vase at the wall. Evan's eyes filled with tears and a whirlwind of emotions’ emily’ he exclaimed, demanding an answer from her. ‘no’ emily stated with fear. Evan, filled with rage pushed her on her bed. His tall lanky body, now grown fatter due to the alcohol consumption leaned over her. He pulled her blanket over them. ‘love me emily’ he said, sounding full of sorrow and remorse. “ Get off of me, Tyler”. Emily said angrily. She tried to squirm out of his grip but he was too strong. Evan not regarding his strength or considering her frailty grabbed at her shirt. "Why don't you love me anymore?" he asked, devastated at his own question. ‘ Stop it Tyler, get off me’ Emily shouted trying to release herself from his grip. Helpless and feeling defeated, Emily stated’ don't do this, evan’ his eyes widened and he stared at her eyes.
For a moment, he froze as if she had struck a nerve. ‘ dont call me that. I hate that name, my middle name is tyler. Call me tyler’ taking off the remainder of their clothes, evan grabbed emilys arms. ‘ stop evean, please stop. I dont want this. Why are you doing this’ she asked helplessly. ‘ dont call me evan’ he said again. Aggressivly, he grabbed her shoulder ‘ stop fighting me’ he said. ‘ no evan, get off me’ she screamed. He grabbed one of her pillows and slightly rested it against her face. ‘ can you breathe’ he asked her. ‘yes’ she responded. ‘ good, every time you yell i am going to push down harder on this pillow’ emily panicked, ‘evan no’ she scramed he pressed slightly down on the pillow. ‘shut up’ he said hopelessly. He forced his way into her deeper, holding her hips with one hand and grabbing her hands with the other. He slowley worked his hips until he found a comfortable rythem. He grabbed her waist with both hands and pulled her closer. He made all the right moves emily liked ‘ finish for me emily.’ he stated hitting all of the spots she liked. Emily resisted ’no’ she said forcefully. ‘emily’ evan said softly still preforming to her liking. emily gasped’ tyler stop’ emily pleaded he stayed focused and continue to please emily. ‘tyler stop....stop’ she gasped again trying to restrain herself. ‘evan’ she cried, finishing with him inside her. She leaded down his thigh and her whole body quivered. He removed the pillow, and there was emily, still, quiet and scared. He could see the fear in her eyes. He couldnt handle seeing the woman he loves like this, but this was his doing. ‘ i just wanted to talk, emily’ he said in a state of anguish. ‘i didnt mean for this to happen’ he stated sadly. ‘ why dont you love me.......just love me.’ evan pleaded. ‘ i just wanted to talk, but you didnt listen, you didnt listen to me....why didnt you just listen to me’ evan stated in a state on anguish. evans arms went limp, releasing her from his strong grip.
Emily, trying to break free again, was grabbed by her hair. Her scalp slightly bleeding from the pieces of hair abruptly removed from the brute force of Evans grasps. Evan grabbed her hips again. ‘ Tyler, no!!! Pull out’ emily yelled , trying to wiggle her way free. He pressed his body against hers, holding down her torso with the weight of himself. He grabbed her arms and hugged her, filling her body with cum. Emily knew what had happened, she became still, and quiet. ‘ I will never forgive you for this’ she said softly, sobbing as she lay in a state of shock.
Evan, distraught from everything, got up quickly, in a state of fear and panic. ‘ What did I dooo’ he exclaimed. ‘ what did i just doooo’ he repeated hopelessly. He gathered his belongings and quickly dressed himself. He put on his shoes and grabbed his car keys out of his hoodie pocket. Evan drove a 2014 BMW, it used to be his older brother's car. He quickly wrote Emily a note written in beautiful cursive handwriting...his handwriting, and set the car keys on top of it. He moved the spare house key he returned to Emily on the kitchen table, too. He was too drunk to have driven there in the first place, he left her house on foot. Light snow was falling and the air was crisp. ‘ What time is it?’ Evan thought. He checked his phone and it read 4;50 am December 29th. Evan continued walking and sent Emily one last message. ‘ The keys are on the table’ it read. Evan made it to his apartment and grabbed his backpack, filling it with everything he might need.
He grabbed a second duffle bag and filled it with clothes, shoes and grooming supplies. "What have I done?" he said out loud in his room. Grabbing his hair and wiping his tears, he grabbed the last of the things we would take. He filled the sides of his bag with snacks and his last pack of cigarettes. He grabbed a few extra hoodies and a coat he packed as the last articles of clothing in his bag. He placed a wad of bills on his kitchen table, with a note to his landlord. ‘ This is rent for the year, in cash, please pack up all belongings. He left an address to send the belongings to, it was his mothers address. He instructed in the note that the key is under the welcome mat outside his door. By this time, it's 5;50 am. Evan set out, on foot, in the light snow. He got to the top of the hill, looking back, he could see the shining blue and red lights. The police were looking for him. Moving forward, and going nowhere, Evan continued to walk. He took the first bus he saw and paid the fare. He went all the way across town, to the train station.
He arrived at the train station and stood in line, waiting for his turn. He stood cold, and distant, a young now 24-year-old man; reading the maps and deciding on a place to go. " Good morning, darling," the ticket woman greeted him, smiling and warmly sipping on her morning coffee. ‘ hey’ evan replied dry and dull, not wanting to particularly interact with anyone. ‘ what's the cheapest ticket out of state’ evan inquired. " Let me check my books’ the ticket woman replied. ‘ We have a one way ticket to Toledo Ohio for 150 dollars, sir.’ the ticket lady responded. Pleased with the news he agreed to purchase the ticket. ‘ When is the earliest the train leaves’, he asked. Looking at the books a second time the ticket lady checked his requested schedule. ‘ Ohhh, you're in luck , kid, the next train leaves at 6;30 am and the next one wont roll in until 6;30 pm’ evan felt a sense of relief. ‘ okay, ill take the 6;30 am one please’ the ticket lady smiled as he handed her 200 dollars, crisp and fresh, as if they had never been used. ‘ sure thing, honey’ the ticket lady said as she printed out his one way ticket and gave him his 50 dollars in change. ‘you a college student ‘ she asked. ‘ yes, i study philosophy’ evan responded proudly. ‘ i see, you look tired, kid. Take this change and buy yourself some of that good ol’ coffee from over there. You have an hour and a half train ride in 10 minutes’ evan took his change and nodded. ‘ thank you’ he said, smiling. ‘ First smile I've seen from you all day, kid,’ the ticked woman joked. Evan laughed and started to walk towards the coffee machine. He checked his back pocket for smaller bills and put his change in his wallet. The wallet was a gift from his father, on his 12th birthday. Be bought himself a cup of hot coffee and looked back at the ticket booth. The woman, noticing the young man listened to her advice smiled at him. He turned and waved back. He continued to drink his coffee and went to the bathroom. By the time he came back, the train was pulling into the station. He went to the back of the line and bought himself another cup of coffee.
The line moved outside so the conductor could check everyone's ticket. Evan, waiting for his turn, retrieved the cigarettes from his back pocket and decided to smoke one, before entering the train. ‘ 7 minutes had passed and Evan was done with his cigarette. ‘ Next up, all aboard’ he heard the conductor say. Evan pulled out his ticket and showed it to the conductor. ‘ youre in seat...22F’ the conductor informed him. ‘22F’ evan thought. Wow, what was emily’s apartment number 116 carol drive apt 22F. He sat down with his cup of coffee and thought about the events that had taken place that day. " What have I done?" he thought to himself. ‘ What if Emily is pregnant with my child’ he continued to think and mull over what had led to him acting so erratically. ‘ You're just like your father’ Emily's voice plagued his mind with her words...but that was it. ‘Is this why ‘ evan thought to himself, contemplating his life.
His long brown hair, skaterboy style, and his blue eyes...all traits of his father around his age. He continued to drink his coffee and started to get on his computer. He logged onto his university website and withdrew from all of his classes. He opened his phone and went through his contacts. ‘ I dropped out’ sending a text message to his mother and father. A short time later, his phone rang. It was his mother calling. ‘ hello’ he answered, slightly in a state of panic, wondering how his parents would take the news. ‘ evan’ his mother said, with worry in her voice. ‘ I just got a call from your campus police and the registrar's office. The police informed me that you are wanted on proof of a rape charge, is this true, evan’ his mother expressed deep sadness and concern in her voice. ‘ mom, i cant talk right now, ill call you back when i get settled’ re responded dryly. ‘ just answer me, yes, or no’ his mother returned his comment with sharp aggression, demanding an answer from him. Evan sighed, turning to look out the window at passing foliage. ‘ yes’ he responded bitterly. His mother in a state of shock and confusion responded. ‘ Oh my goodness. It is true. Evan started to cry, tears quietly streaming down his cheek. He sniffled and cleared his throat. ‘ does dad know’ he asked, inquisitive of the matter. ‘ yes’ his mother stated truthfully. ‘ he is actually here with me now’. Evan got still. His bones growing cold as he sat in his seat, as if he were a statute or maniquin. ‘ hello, son’ his father said sharply. ‘ your mother and i were woken up around 6 something to this Treible news. The school said they are suspending you. What do you have to say for yourself. “ his father exclaimed. ‘ were both criminals,now, dad. I guess emily was right. Im just like you’ evan stated sorrowful, tears still streaming from his blue eyes. Streams like water were falling from his face. His father was quiet for a second. ‘ I mean sure, I had my run-ins with the law...and me and your mother had ups and downs in our relationship, sure. Yes, I've been in jail for domestic violence, once or twice, but that doesn't make me a criminal, son.’ Evan sat quietly, letting his tears flow. ‘ That's enough for one morning’ his mother breaks the silence. ‘ evan’ she said warmly over the phone. ‘ We are your parents and we still love you, please come home so we can work through this. Your father has a few friends down at the firm you could talk to. ‘ his mother said optimistically. ‘ no’ evan responded, coldly. ‘ I don't want help from him or any of his other friends, ' Evan stated sharply. ‘ I'll talk to you soon’, evan said in a state of annoyance. He hung up the phone and put it back in his black, zip up hoodie pocket.
He didn't want help from his parents, especially his dad of all people. Shortly after his phone call with his parents Evan received a text message. From mike, the screen on his phone said. Evan unlocked his phone and went to his messages. ‘ hey, dude. Where are you’ mike asked. ‘ i had to leave. ‘ evan responded. ‘ dude, everyone is looking for you. Emily called the cops and they took her to the hospital, you beat her up pretty bad. She has bruises and marks. The cops said you're wanted . Your landlord let them in this morning looking for you, but you were gone. They checked the house and saw you paid your rent in full with an address to send your things. It's to your parents house. I heard the cops informed your parents too, the school is going crazy and wants to expel or suspend you…or something. This is serious, man. You gotta do something. ‘ evan read the message over and over. This is real. The weight of his actions crashed down on him like a boulder, crushing a human. Evan, his tall lanky body, now fattened by his alcohol consumption, slouched in his seat. Evan picked up his phone to respond.
‘ Please, take care of Emily for me. I didn't mean for this to happen, any of it. If she is pregnant please take care of my child for me. I will update you on what to do shortly.’ Evan sent the message in despair. He wished he could be with Emily again, he wished he could be there to raise their children. ‘Pregnant……why would she be?’ Mike replied.”WHAT DID YOU DO……” he texted hastily. Evan did not reply. “WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO TO MY GIRLFRIEND….” Mike sent again, demanding a reply. He knew that because of his actions that could never be an option. Evan got on his computer and started to write. It seemed like no time had passed before the train announced they were 30 minutes away from the station. Evan went to the bathroom and started to prepare for arrival. He took out his clear contact lenses and replaced them with his glasses. He hated his glasses, they made him look too much like his father. He stared at his reflection and sighed. ‘ What have I done?’ he said, staring into the eyes of his own reflection. ‘ I don't know who I am anymore’ he said quietly, broken...as he looked at himself. He washed his hands, splashed water on his face and returned to his seat. He packed up his belongings and went back to staring out the window, but instead of foliage this time...it was the hustle and bustle of a city. Cars driving by, the smell of food seeping through the vents, people flagging down taxis and peoples voices echoing through the streets. ‘ this is what i need’ evan thought to himself. ‘ I need a city’ he muttered under his breath.
The train pulled into the terminal, slow and steady. The smell of tar and rail road tracks mixed with diesel fuels filled each train car. Evan collected his things and stood up. We waited for the door to open. Wide eyed in the city he thought of a plan of execution. He walked around the streets of Toledo for a minute, observing and watching the people. He put his hoodie over his head and walked in the now-heavier falling snow. He flagged down a taxi driver. ‘ good morning ,sir’ evan stated happily. ‘ Good day, where would you like to go?" the cab driver asked. Evan hesitated for a moment, taking his question seriously. ‘ I have 500 dollars, and an extra 300 for gas money...can you take me to new york’ the cab driver looked at him, cash in hand. The cab driver took the cash. ‘ Hop in, kid. He left the meter off and was about to clock in the time. ‘ Hey, can I ....pay you an extra 200 to keep it out of the system’ hesitation is his voice as he hands him the bills. ‘ okay’ the taxi driver responded. He picked up the radio and called dispatch’ hey a family matter came up, i have to take the day off’ evan took a big sigh of release. ‘ where to in new york’ the driver asked. ‘ anywhere’ evan stated. The cab started to drive in the falling snow. Evan looked at the train station now becoming distant as the car moved forward. Evan became cold, searching in his bag for his coat. It was a long, black, wool, peacoat. Heavy and warm, along with his scarf, a grey wool knitted scarf from his mother as a gift one year. The coat was a hand me down from his father. He never wore it...until now. The taxi driver pulled into the gas station, he only had a quarter gallon left in his tank. He filled it up for 70 dollars. He took some of the change and bought two coffees. The cab driver handed one to evan,’ here kid, you look tired’ the cab driver said. ‘ thank you’ evan replied somberly, standing outside smoking a cigarette. Evan stood, watching the snow fall, in his fathers coat....drinking a coffee and smoking a cigarette. ‘ what have i done’ he mumbled under his breath. Evan finished his coffee and cigarette, got back into the car and sat quietly. The cab driver turned on the radio. ‘ What kind of music do you like to listen to, kid?’ the taxi driver asked Evan. ‘ jazz, sir’ evan responded. The cab driver found a jazz station and turned up the radio. Evan sat back in his seat and pulled an unopened bottle of scotch from his duffle bag , along with a special glass. It was a gift from his father for his 21st birthday, he never touched it or used the glass until this night. He poured himself a glass of scotch, setting the recapped bottle on the floor. In the faint light of winter, he got a glimpse of his reflection on the glass. His blue eyes plagued with tiredness, regret and a somber feeling of enwii...a feeling long felt he could never quite put his finger on. The expression of himself on the glass left him in distress, despair, even. He gripped the glass, with now red knuckles and drank the shot quickly. He reached for the bottle again and poured another one. He removed his laptop from his backpack and continued to write what he had started on the train. He stretched out his legs, as to get comfortable but couldn't quite find a way to. He rubbed the back of his neck as to soothe tension or discomfort, his hands...now chilling cold, touching his pale skin. ‘ whats all the way in new york , kid’ the taxi driver asked evan, inquiring the distance. ‘ you know thats a long ways away’. Evan leaned forward’ im looking for something, i hope i find it’ evan replied. ‘ Well, what is it you're looking for.....all the way in New York, kid’ the taxi driver asked . ‘ redemption’ evan answered, with clarity and humility in his voice. Evan took another shot from his bottle and continued to write, soft jazz playing in the background. ‘ I am seeking ...redemption, sir’ evan repeated, more clearly and assured of himself this time. There was a long pause of quietness. ‘ Well, I hope you find it, kid’ the taxi driver replied, optimism in his voice as he looked back at Evan in his rear view mirror. Evan locked eyes with him, and smiled. ‘ me, too’ he responded.
The snow beat against the car with intensity and force. The wind had gotten stronger and the cab driver informed evan of an upcoming stop. ‘ I gotta get gas, kid. Want a coffee like last time’ evan looked up, seeing the cab driver looking back through the mirror. ‘ sure sir, thank you’ the taxi pulled into the nearest gas station. Evan took off his coat and stepped out of the car, clothes in hand, and went to the bathroom. He took off his jeans removing everything from his pockets, his blue jeans, and threw them in the garbage, he didn't want them anymore. He unzipped his hoodie and trashed that too, replacing it with a cashmere pullover sweater, clothes Evan haven't worn since he left his parents house. He put his fathers coat on, adding his moms handmade scarf to it , and returned back to the taxi. The taxi driver was standing outside for him, waiting to give him his coffee. ‘ I hope you like black coffee, that's all they had,’ the taxi driver explained sincerely. ‘ It's honestly the only way I drink my coffee, sir’ evan smiled at the taxi driver's concern. He pulled his last cigarette from his coat pocket and lit it on the side of the car. ‘ can we take a 10 min break, sir. I would like to stand outside for a bit, ' Evan asked, looking over to see the driver's response. ‘ Sure, kid. I kinda needed a break myself’ evan smiled, quite pleased that his trip to new york has gone as smoothly as it was.
‘ i really hope you find that whole....redemption thing you mentioned earlier, kid. Im on your side. You seem really put together and focused, im glad you changed clothes, too. Those jeans reaked of alcohol’ evan stood quietly, smoking a cigarette. ‘ you have no idea,sir. Me too’ evan said in a flat dull voice. ‘ you look good in turtlenecks, kid. You should wear them more often’ the cab driver added. ‘ thank you, sir. I will consider it.’ Evan replied shockingly, as if he had never gotten a complement before. They both started to walk towards the cab together, evan looking back at their footsteps in the snow. ‘ so, where you from ,kid’ the taxi driver asked. ‘ im from Lisbon, OH’ evan answered. ‘ but me and my family moved to michigan after my parents divorced’ evan added. ‘divorced parents eh’, kid’ the driver responded. ‘ looks that way for me’ evan said hopelesly. ‘ i look just like my dad, i hate it. Im named after him too, well, not fully....just first and last names. My fathers name is evan, michael locke. My name is evan tyler locke......but mostly i go by tyler. Only my family calls me evan, mainly my parents’ evan continued to explain how he got in the situation he is currently in. ‘ i went to ungergrad in michigan, me and my girlfriend from high school ended up going to the same university. We dated for 5 years, i love her. We broke up, my best friend stole her from me. It hurts’ evan took a deep breath and leaned back in his seat. He took another shot of scotch and continued to write, jazz still playing softly in the background. ‘ oooph, thats rough, kid.’ the taxi driver said. ‘ where are you from, sir’ evan asked inquisitively. ‘ haha, im from new york. Brooklyn. My family is italian and came to the us in the 60’s. I went to university in the mid west and ended up in Toledo, Ohio with a wife and three children. I haven't been back to New York since.....until now. The taxi driver talked more about his life and evan sat, attentively to every word. ‘ Where do you think would be the best place for me in new york’ evan asked desirably, leaning forward to get the most out of the cab drivers answer. ‘ hmm’ the cab driver said, pausing. ‘ You strike me as a kid who would thrive in manhattan. You dress shnazzy, you like jazz and you seem pretty put together for your age. You seem like you know what you want, you just need some guidance on where to find it.’
‘ okay.’ Evan stated. ‘ Take me to a place in Manhattan’ he exclaimed hopefully, smiling in a reserved yet relieved manner. ‘ You got it, kid.’ the driver replied cheerfully.
‘ Honestly kid, you look good in those clothes, where'd ya get em’. A young guy like you has no sense of fashion’ the cab driver said jokingly. ‘ They were my fathers clothes. He gave them to me before I started university. I used to be a student at samsville .....samsville university, but i recently dropped out. He sent me off with a wardrobe of clothes, things I never wore. He sent shirts and pants .....oh, and this coat I'm wearing. It used to be his, he gave it to me, and my mom made this scarf for my 18th birthday.’ Evan continued to explain all of the things his parents gave that he never used to use. ‘ Ironically, those are the only things I have packed with me for this trip.....all of the things from my father and some from my mother.’ Evan exhaled and looked out of the window in despair. ‘ Well, I'm glad you're facing your problems and coming to terms with things, kid.’ the taxi driver said hopefully. I'm not facing my problems, I'm running from them. If I faced them I would have stayed. Evan said painfully. ‘ Maybe you are just doing all you can to make things right in your power. I mean after all, you are headed to New York to start a journey of redemption aren't ya.’ the taxi driver questioned. ‘ yes, sir, i am ‘ evan said in hopes that one day he will find the very thing he is looking for.
‘ you seem like a good kid. I dont know what youve done but im sure you will be able to make it right. Or at least god can. And dont sweat your pops, he probably did the best he could.’ evan sat somberly. ‘you dont understand, my dad is a bad man.’ evan said looking down at his shoes. ‘ hes a lawyer ‘ evan added. ‘ oooph, lawyer......well im sure he had a few ups and down. Yeah hes probably been corrupted, but has he killed any one’ the taxi driver asked. ‘ no nothing like that, sir’ evan answered. ‘ well has he lied on a witness .’ the driver asked on. ‘no......nothing work related made him bad, but his work made his home life bad.’ evan turned to look at the road, night fall now approaching. ‘ wow, it doesnt even feel like we’ve been driving all day’ evan said casually to the cab driver. ‘ heah i know ,right.......hey, i gotta get more gass, up for some coffee kid.’ the driver asked happily. ‘sure thing mister cab driver’ evan responded with joy. Yhey pulled up to the nearest gas station and stepped out of the car. Evan reached into his coat pocket and pulled out his last cigarette. He got his lighter out of his slacks pocket and lit it. It was hard to get a light due to low flued. He flittered with it for a moment to get it started. ‘ got it, ‘ he said happily. ‘ hey,kid, coffees here’ the cab driver exclaimed from the exit doors. Evan walked to meet him half way. ‘ thank you so much. Sir' evan said retrieving his coffee. He took a sip and returned to smoking his last cigarette. ‘ ya know.....kid......now im not your parent or nothin’ but those there are bad for you’ the cab driver said. Evan looked up at his as if he said something magical. ‘you know what’ evan said in a cheerful tone’ this is my last one, i actually dont have anymore in this box.’ He retrieved the empty box from his pocket and threw it in the garbage. ‘ atta boy’ the cab driver exclaimed with joy in his eyes and an upbeat tone. ‘ See, kid, you're on your way to redemption already, one step at a time. In italian we say ‘poco a poco’ it means little by little. Now I don't know what you've done but whatever it is, keep seeking redemption. Never stop,’ the cab driver looked at him as if he was giving advice to his own grown son. He stood with pride and a sense of positive influence as if he had helped raise Evan, but I guess in a way, he did.
‘wanna take another 10 minute break, kid.’ the driver asked. ‘yes please’ evan responded wishfully. ‘ I needed a break,’ he said softly. He walked around the parking lot to stretch his legs, smoking his last cigarette, using the hot coffee to keep his hands warm as it cooled down. He looked into the now becoming night sky and deeply inhaled the brisk, winter air. ‘ to find the road of redemption’ evan mumbled softly. After about 20 minutes of Evan meandering the parking lot, the taxi driver flagged him down. ‘hey, kid, we gotta get back on the road.’ the taxi driver shouted from across the way. Evan looked up and nodded as to let him know he was heard and understood. He slowly started to walk towards the taxi, flicking his cigarette but on the ground. He took one last look at the sky and then to the tracks he had made on the pavement. None of them were in any particular order, just scattered and everywhere. ‘ geeze, i cant even keep my steps straight, let alone my thoughts or actions’ he thought to himself quietly. In realizing this, evan became saddened and wanted to take his mind off of things. He took a sip of his coffee and placed the cup in the cup holder. The driver entered and started the car. ‘ to find the road to redemption’ evan said on his arrival, taking another shot right from his bottle. ‘ tho find the road to your redemption, kid.’ The taxi driver had a thick New York , Italian, accent and smelled like expensive cologne. ‘ hey ‘ evan said, leaning forward, ‘ im gonna need your help, sir. Can you teach me everything you know about New York? ' Evan stated in a hopeful tone, eager to learn more about the place he would soon call home. ‘ ohh, perfect, i thought you’d never ask, kid.’ the taxi driver said excitedly, turning around for a brief moment to look at him. Evan was smiling and eagerly waiting for his response. He went into his backpack and pulled out a notebook and pen. The cab driver went over a myriad of topics. Evan sat in silence writing down every word. His handwriting was almost perfect cursive, neatly following the lines of the pages and perfectly spaced. He divided his pages by topic, flipping through for a new page whenever the cab driver taught him something new.
‘ Now we're gonna talk about food’ the cab driver said. ‘ We got the best pizza.....but folks down there in Boston, they call it pie. You gotta check out the surrounding cities too. Just right over the bridge. You got boston, philly not far either, yeah, kid, you got options. Oh, do you like French food......cuz we got more French restaurants than in Paris alone. Go try them out sometimes.’ the cab driver said, thinking of other topics to teach evan. ‘ okay, i will sometimes’ evan said considerably. He looked into the night sky and inhaled. " This is my life now," he said quietly under his breath. The car drove into the darkness, headed for Manhattan, New York City. Evan took another sip of his coffee, and looked out the foggy windows.
