Program: Speculative
Location: ENOC
Most of the time, Isaac kept to himself. He recently turned sixteen years old. He was a tall, freckle-faced, red-headed young man with a marvelous mind and a great physique. In school, he was baptized by his two loyal homies as "Twitch," a nickname that he was given as a result of a condition he developed as a kid known as "blepharospasm". Like any other teen of his age, reasoning didn't set in until he had the opportunity to meet Magdalena. She was a pretty fifteen-year old young lady from the east side of town who was not yet aware of her impact on him.
In school, he developed a strong bond with Pepe and Juan. Even though Isaac's mom didn't approve of his relationship with the two boys, the three of them were inseparable. It was late Friday afternoon, and Isaac spent most of the day hanging out with his two homies. As he walked inside his home, Christine was leaning against the kitchen sink waiting for him. "How many times have I have asked you to stop hanging around with those two boys? They are a bad influence, and you know it. Can't you see? Look at you. You are becoming just like them. Do you want end up in jail? Is that what you want? Huh? Answer me." Isaac slowly walked towards the center of the kitchen and politely asks his mother, "What makes you think you know my two friends well enough? You speak about them as if they were your own flesh-and-bones sons. What do you know about them? Do you even know their middle name, age, what they like and dislike? Do you have any idea what their lives have been like? You don't even know your own son; how can you talk about them like that? You call yourself a spiritual woman, yet you carry a knife in your left hand and the book in your right hand. You attend the temple five times a week, but you burn entire towns with your own mouth." Christina slowly gazed at the kitchen wooden floor for a few seconds. She was still dealing with psychological repercussions of covering up something she shouldn't have.
Slowly, she left the kitchen and walked out of the house towards the open space. It was a late afternoon and the sound of cicadas resonated throughout the woods. She lay there for a few minutes, perhaps hours. She thought about her vices and the tension between her and her son Isaac. However, time had passed by, and life was not what it once was. --A poignant reminder of the passing of time.
Isaac stood in front of the kitchen window, looking east. A few minutes later, he left the kitchen, and went upstairs and locked himself in his room. He turned on the stereo and played one of his favorite Spanish songs, "Barco Azul," by Liran. By this time, he was quiet fluent in Spanish and had developed a strong connection with his friends and their culture. This song in particular made him feel good. He opened the window and let a cool breeze flow in. It was July, one of the hottest summers of the year. But on that particular day, the temperature had dropped a few degrees and the wind was blowing from the west. He was still agitated and upset after his discussion with his mom. The tension between him and his mom had escalated and taken a toll on him. He felt tired and decided to lay in bed with his arms behind his head. He lay there within his sanctuary surrounded by books, staring at the ceiling. He thought about his friends and the many mischievous things they did throughout the day. He smiled for a few seconds and felt at ease at the tune of the song. He gazed at the two most valuable things he had in the room: a ship inside a glass bottle and a book by Hemingway entitled The Old Man and the Sea. His father had given him these two presents for his birthday many years ago. He loved the Hemingway story and cherished it very much. He had read the book several times, and had memorized it completely. There was something about the ending that made him very thoughtful. He thought of Santiago, the Marlin, and the sharks. Slowly, Isaac closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
