Prolog
It was about 2 years ago, when I met my best friend. The summer was hot as hell and I remember how I walked down Corner Avenue every day to escape my boring room at home. The trees cast clouds on the sidewalk and you could watch all these people how they tried to stay in the shadows with their bags in one hand and ice cream in the other. Kids were running down the street, full of pleasant anticipation, because they were going to visit the swimming lake to get a cooling. And I…well, I never joined them. When I was younger I always walked with them, but that was before Robert Manson moved in our town. This day I was all for myself, so I sat down and looked at the clouds-even if there were only a few of them - and enjoyed one of these rare light breezes. Today I am not allowed to feel the wind on my skin alone. Everything is more…well how can I explain it…it is more controlled. The story I like to tell is about this unique summer and how my life has changed since that one hot day.
Bob
“Steve! What do you think about some ice cream for all? Would you go to the supermarket and buy some?” My mother always asked me to go. I didn´t know why, but I think she wanted me to leave the house so she could be alone with her new husband - Clement. He was born in France and she always told everyone how romantic this guy was. I could puke. But because I didn´t want to see what they were going to do I left. “Ok mom. I´ll return a bit later. I´d like to visit old Henry.” So I grabbed the money I had got from an old lady for carrying her bags, went outside into the hot summer sun and started my way down to old Henry. Henry was the owner of this little pet shop at the end of Corner Avenue. I liked this shop a lot, because it wasn´t one of those loud and kind of strange smelling shops. I also liked Henry, because he was gentle, smart, funny and loving - like I imagined a grandfather at this time of my life. Some minutes before I reached the store, I decided to buy the ice cream at first. So I turned into Market Street and walked straight to the supermarket. It was one of these shopping centers they were building all over America. “Bigger, better, Burket Mall” was written above the entrance. And they meant what they said. You could buy everything. I mean really everything. Ice cream, car wheels, little cute puppies or even constrictor snakes, if you like it exotic. After finishing my – or better said my mother’s shopping- I walked back to old Henry´s store. When I opened the door and entered the shop I thought I got the wrong house. The whole room was full of cardboard boxes and I wasn´t able to see even one animal. No rabbits, no bird, no fish – only cardboard. “Hello?” I asked into the mountain of boxes.” Henry? Are you somewhere?” At first everything stayed quiet but then I saw a movement next to the pay desk. “I´m sorry but we have closed! You can see the chaos”, a voice without a body called through the room. Then I could discover Henry´s head and he also saw me. “Oh! It´s you Steve. How are you?” he asked me with his deep voice. “I´m fine but what are you doing? Where are all the animals?”I couldn´t understand what was happening. He sighed and channeled a way to me. His big hand laid on my shoulder and he sat down on top of a box, so he could look into my eyes. “I have to close the store, Steve. I don´t like it but I have no choice. Almost all of my customers are buying her stuff at the mall now. I can´t pay everything I have to anymore. I sold the animals to other shops. Only old Bob still stays here. Tomorrow I move to another town.”Bob was a goldfish. He never got sold. No idea why. I shook my head and stared into his brown eyes. “No…That´s not fair. Your shop is way better than any animal shop in the mall can ever be. You can´t leave me behind. You are my friend. What shall I do? No, no, no, no. You cannot leave. That is so unfair!” I felt some tears running down my face. “Oh Steve…don´t cry. You aren´t a little child anymore. Do you remember? You told me a week ago. On your tenth birthday.” He smiled at me and I stopped crying. “But what if I am not able to forget the shop and I miss you?” He sighed again with a smile on his lips. “Steve…You are a young boy and life will have a lot of turns. This is one turn. Don´t try to forget something you lose. Keep it in your heart and it will never leave you behind. Maybe you don´t understand the tattle of an old man like me but I´m sure you know what I mean someday.” He got up from the box and watched me. I thought about his words and understood this nonsense very well. He lied at me. Then, I got this idea. “Let me buy Bob. I have some money.” I showed him the remain of my money. His look was kind of confused. “Well, you can buy him but I think your mother gave you the money for something…” “No!” I interrupted him. “It is my own. You take my money and the fish is mine. Ok?” I put it in his hand. At first he looked as if he wanted to say “no” but he agreed after a minute or less. Bob and I left the store and my mind had only one thought. “Bob is mine. Only for me. No other person has the right to see or even touch him.” It was quite late when I returned home but I didn´t care. I also didn´t give a damn on the melted ice cream.
Only the best
When I entered the house I bargained for my mom waiting for me at the corridor to berate me, because I was late. But nobody was there. It was dark and quiet like in those Indiana Jones movies, when he enters a mysterious cave. I walked down the room and turned the light on. Then I saw this little piece of paper hanging at my room door. My mother always put notes there, because it was the first door next to the light switch. I placed the ice cream on the floor, ripped the note from the door and read it.”Hey, Honey. I am sorry that Clement and I aren´t at home. He argued me to go out with him. Put the ice cream into the freezer. I promise we´ll eat it tomorrow. Your dinner is on the cooker. We will return at 10 or 11 pm. Don´t forget to brush your teeth before you go to bed. Love, mum.” After finishing the letter I ripped it and threw it away. I couldn´t stand her chitchat, even if it was only written. Don´t forget to brush your teeth…blablabla. How old am I? Five?! I shook my head and walked straight into the kitchen. I applied Bob on top of the bar and walked back to my door, because I forgot the ice cream. After finishing the things from the letter, I grabbed the fish bowl with Bob and walked into my room. The place I put my best friend down was perfect. Not too sunny or too dark. Everyone would be happy if they had a place like this. Only the best things for my friend.
The true nature of man
Later on, I sat in front of Bob and told him about the true nature of all these people out there. “Listen Bob, don´t make the same mistakes as I did.” I warned him with my forefinger upraised. “They are all thieves. No, they don´t steal objects. I would be happy if they did things like that, but they are stealing people. Yes, really people Bob! I am not lying!” He swam in circles around his little castle. “I made the experience all too often. First they are so nice and tell you how much they love you and then the next day? Wush, they are gone. This damn woman…I could, grr…” I had to calm down before I continued explaining.” She stole my dad. They were kissing each other and my father gave her money and my mother saw them, screamed and then the next day my father was leaving the house. He wanted to go to this stupid cow. I was alone with my mother. It wasn´t easy but I was happy until HE came through the door and never left it from the date. He only does it to go out with my mother or to buy his disgusting cigarettes. You know about who I am speaking, Bob?” He continued his circles. “Right! Clement is this invader. He isn´t interested in me or anything about the family. How can mom be so blind? She totally succumbs to his charm. One word of mister Charming and she jumps. Even if she plays with me and is busy. The only thing this guy is really doing all day is stealing my mom. First dad and now mum. That´s not fair. No!” At this moment, I didn´t notice the tears running down my face. Without the little wet rings on my shirt I wouldn´t know it today. I stood up and walked to the window. My view moved across the street to the garden of my old friend Lucas. He and some other guys were sitting there, talking and laughing. Why I´m not with them? Oh, that´s easy. The reason was sitting in the middle of all the boys and was called Robert Manson. How I hate this little rat. He was the meanest person of the world. Was…? What I am telling? He IS the meanest person of the world. He stole all of my friends in only a few weeks. The rat moved into our town and joined my class. At first he was very nice and stuff but then one by one of my friends started quitting me. I didn´t know what happened until Lucas told me that Robert was telling lies about me and my family. These guys were mutineers of friendship und Robert was their leader. I walked back to Bob and sat down. I watched him swimming round and round again. “Oh Bob…Can you imagine how I like to be with you in your little home? Then we could play tag together. Always spin around. I´m sorry to say that we can´t do it. But that is no problem Bob. You stay here and I´ll see you every day. We´ll talk and play and…” I stopped talking because I heard a noise from the door. Some seconds later I knew that my mother was back. Her high heels always made this tic-tac noise. I grabbed a blanket and put it over Bob´s fishbowl. She wouldn’t find Bob. Oh no…Bob was my friend and only mine. Nobody was allowed to see him. All these people out there wanted to steal my friends. But I would hide Bob. We would stay together forever. I bought him from my own money. My money! So I could do with him what I wanted to do…
End
The next days of summer were great. Everyday I talked to my best friend and we had a lot of fun together. Sometimes he even answered me. But then, two or three days before school started again, Bob quit swimming around. He only stayed at this one point in his bowl. Well, everyone needs sleeps sometimes. I let him sleep and started school again at the 6th September. After my first day at school I was so happy to come back to Bob. There were so many things I had to tell him. I walked into the house and froze in the movement. I saw my mother coming out of my room with Bob´s fishbowl in her hands. And Bob was still in there! “What are you doing with Bob?! Put the bowl back. Now! ” I screamed like I never screamed before. She wouldn’t steal my friend. I wouldn’t let her. “Darling…” My mother started to say with a calming voice. “Look at him Steve. He is dead. I am very sorry. Why haven´t you told me of your goldfish? I would have bought some food for him.” I only stared at Bob. “He is not dead! He is asleep! You only want to steal him! Everyone wants me to be alone!” My sight was fuzzy from all the tears when I jumped at her…
Epilog
“Well Steve…what happened then? Do you remember anything?” The doctor writes something down. “No…When I woke up I was in this room. I only remember the things before this beat on my head…”.At this moment the door opens. “It´s time for your walk Steve. Look out; the sun is shining so pretty.” The nurse is smiling at me. “Ok, I´m coming. But first I have to feed Bob.” I stand up and walk to Bob´s home. “Hey, Bob. How are you? Still sleeping? Oh no problem. I know one day you will start your circles again.” I smile, spread some food in his fishbowl and follow the doctor and the nurse outside in the hot summer day.
-The food slowly moves in the water on its way to the bottom of the bowl. In a little while it will be a part of the green, rotting ground like so many food before. The beautiful white sand changes like the mind of the little child that was afraid of being alone.-
