Troubled

As I lay in my bed and look around the room, I am all alone. My wife is leaving me and the kids seem to hate me. Minutes turn into hours and it is time for me to get up and go to the place that I hate the most....Work.

I walk through the sliding glass doors, get in the elevator and push the button that is marked 215, a long way up.  After what seems to be ten to fifteen minutes on the damn metal trap, the doors open and my secretary bombards me.  I am not actually listening to her but she is rambling on about what, the hell if I know.  She says something about the Ey-Ares representatives are here to speak with you. Great some people here to give me more money, I thought.  I walk into my office and set down my things. I then make my way to the conference room.  As the two young men begin to talk to me, things go in one ear and out the other.  So I finally come out and ask, "Just how much do you want to give me exactly and what is it for?"  A very disturbing look came on their face. "Mr. Bowers, were you not listening?" One man said.  We are here to collect from you sir.  My eyes opened wide. "Are you working for my wife or something I yelled?"  Again a puzzled looked engulfed their face. We are here to collect a debt that must be paid or you are threatened with 15-20 years in prison.  Again I raised my voice, "just who the hell are you?"  The other man yelled back, "THE I-R-S!!"  I feel back in my seat and let out a deep gasp.  I asked the a little more calmly what this was about.  Then he began to explain himself, again.  "Turns out that you have a lot of money unaccounted for Mr. Bowers." "Exactly how much are we talking about?" Roughly 32.8 million sir.  I closed my eyes and said i am not even worth that much.  They replied we understand but that is not our problem. We will return in a few weeks to set up a payment schedule.  As the men gathered their information, the one who yelled at me stood back and said to me quietly, "I see that you are very befuddled by all of this." I said very smugly, "You think?"  He replied, I suggest you investigate all or your bookkeepers to find out where all of this money is going and get it back a.s.a.p., I would hate to see an innocent man convicted.  I call my lawyer and update him on what is going on in my life.  I later talk to my brother who is a private investigator and tell him I need to know who is stilling from my practice and get back to me. I pay him handsomely.  I walk to the top of the building, get on the phone, and make a few other phone calls.  I sit there on the roof and began to cry. I want to know what is the point on living. No wife, the kids hate me, and now I am threated with 15-20.  My damn life is so good right?!?  My brother calls me and tells me that he will be at my office in twenty minutes. Thanks I said to him.  I decide that it is time for me to go home.  I get in my car and head for one of three houses.  I pull up in the drive way and see that my wife’s car and I cannot help but feel a little bit of joy.  I walk in the door and see my beautiful wife pulling a duffle bag of what seemed to be full of her items.  She said that she was sorry for coming to the house unexpectedly but she needs these things. I offer to help knowing that I did not want to see her go.  She said no she has it and put the bag in the car and drove away. I felt a big tear in heart take place and walked slowly into the house.  I go to my room and fall asleep.  I am awakened by a phone call from my brother Brian saying that he has discovered some very beneficial files and believes that I might have a case.  I look at the clock, “Oh crap!” 20 past 2:00.  I run to the bathroom take a quick shower put on some clothes and I am at the office but 3:15. I take my brother into my office and he explains his finds.  I break into tears and thank him for everything.  I bring the one thought to be the suspect into my office and my brother and I begin to interrogate him.  He finally breaks down and confesses everything and we have it all on tape.  Yes! I think in my head.  I go to the roof to tell my wife the good news.  As the phone is ringing, excitement is in my soul and I am hopeful about everything.  Next thing I notice a deep hello comes from the other end, another man?  I quickly hang up the phone and begin to panic.  Is it true the love of my life is leaving me for another man?  A million and one things run through my mind and none of them are good.  I have always been good to her, why me? Why now? What did I do? How long has this been going on?  I find myself getting weak and I brace my self on the railing of the roof.  My eyes open and I see my way out, my way away from the pain.  I stand on the ledge of the roof looking down at my sanctuary.  As I take a step forward, my phone buzzed in my hand and a text message flashed saying, “I love you with all my heart and I am coming home to you!” At that, very moment time stood still.  I realized that what I have done was the wrong thing to do but there was nothing I could do about it.  I began to feel myself start to fall and I tried to reach for the ledge but missed.  I began to prey and ask god to forgive me for what I have just done, and at that moment, an arm reached out and grabbed mine.  When I looked up to see who saved me, it was my dear brother Brian.  He jokingly asked me what was I doing hanging around a place like this?  I laughed and cried at the same time and replied being stupid.  As I was being pulled up the side of the building, I started asking myself, “what is the point of living…to make my life better.”


Tristan Leroy Bowers
Copyright ©2007 Tristan Leroy Bowers