The other side of nature

I would have said it was an ordinary September day, like any ordinary autumn day should be. I got up to find myself sleeping on the couch downstairs, then I had remembered that I only fell asleep about ten minutes earlier. It felt much better then sleeping in my old bed though. I slowly and reluctantly dragged my feet up the stairs and opened the door to my 4-year-old son’s room. Gregory was sound asleep, probably dreaming about how his birthday would turn out tomorrow. I was planning a surprise party for him, and this time he would be old enough to remember it forever. I had to get him a present before I went to work today. I then closed the door and went into my daughter, Rebecca’s room. She was almost ten years older than her brother. Then I walked into my bedroom. My pregnant wife was soundly sleeping. I went back downstairs and got ready for work.
I then got a call from my sister-in-law that my brother had gotten sick and wasn’t going to work. Although I remembered that he was just fine the day before. My brother worked at the same place I worked, and we both loved working there. Seeing as how my brother had forfeited work today, I would have to go to Manhattan alone. It wouldn’t be bad, my best friend Thomas Domingo would be there, that’d cheer me up a bit.
I walked down the street and looked at the pure white clouds. It’s amazing how God has made them so that they form objects unto our eyes. I looked up and stared at one beautiful cloud in particular, it looked as if it were an airplane and it was followed by another airplane-cloud. So mystifying in the way that they form, you wouldn’t believe it was water if someone told you so. I slowly walked to the subway station under the light of the sun while staring at the cloud the whole way, until it went out of sight.
I walked into the underground house of odors, which was the subway station. Yesterday it smelled like old roasted salami, today it was a tuna and bologna sandwich, possibly sprinkled with shiny gems of black pepper and filled with hot yellow mustard. I went to the turnstile and swiped my Metrocard. On the display screen it showed my balance and it let me go through. How we can control machines just by the swipe of a card amazed me.
I went down the stairs to the actual subway platform and waited on one of the hard wood and mahogany seats that were attached to the wall. I stared at the dirty gray ground, loaded with old blackened gum spots and cigarette butts. The subway station was the trash can for the commuters, if you litter there you’re not hurting the environment, although I never littered there. I saw an ant walk right past my foot, the gentle creature just doing it’s days work by carrying a small piece of lettuce from a turkey sandwich that someone had dropped. The ant was minding it’s own business when unpredictably some plaster patching part of the ceiling fell off and crushed it. The poor ant died while everyone else went about his or her business.
A train whizzed past the station and then halted to a screeching stop. I was wondering why people invented rush hour, because it was really annoying. The train was already packed with people; there were no places to sit and barely any place to stand. I squeezed between a young Japanese girl and a slightly overweight Greek lady who had a polished red pursed softly coated with blue diamond-shaped sequins. I usually try not to fall asleep on the train but it wasn’t my choice when I fell asleep just as we passed the first stop. Not long after, I was awoken by the hoards of people on the train making their way out, and I saw a seat and took it. Just as I had taken the seat I saw an elderly lady having a hard time standing in the crowded train, so I got up and let her have the seat. My eyes kept on getting heavy and I kept feeling like going asleep. But the minute I did, I’d wake up again, it’s not that easy to stand while your asleep. By the time we had reached Time Square there was actually room to stand on the train. I finally saw an empty seat, sat down, and fell right to sleep. There were no dreams that I can recall but there may have been some. Human beings are supposed to be the smartest creatures, yet we can’t even remember simple dreams. I opened my eyes and waited for the milky blur to go away. After a few minutes, I saw that the train had reached my stop… the last stop.
I slowly exited through the doors and then went a little quicker and got up the stairs. I quickened my pace a little more and walked through the ‘exit’ turnstile and went up the stairs that led out of the station. Even though I did this everyday, work was a very fun place to be. It never got old or boring and I was always anticipating it. Today was different however, because I was more excited about picking a present for my son. I had reached the center of Manhattan where tall, dark buildings loomed over people watching as they fluttered by just like I watched the ant.
I walked down the street into a toy store. I was hoping that they would have the Sgt. Slaughter GI Joe’s that Gregory had wanted. When I went into the store I couldn’t see any, right away. I was a little depressed because I thought they might not have any. So, I asked the clerk if they sold GI Joe’s. When he told me they did, my spirit was lifted, but then when he said they were out of stock, I was even more depressed. I walked out the store with an apparently sad face.
I then slowly went back up the street and got to my workplace. The two very tall twin brothers, known as the Twin Towers. I stepped inside and through the metal detectors, which gave the lovely interior an ugly look.
I went up to Thomas’ office on the 50th floor. He was sitting in his chair, smiling as always. But today he had a different smile, he had one of his “special surprise” smiles. He asked me if I had found the GI Joe for my son, and I, of course, replied that I didn’t. He didn’t say anything, he just kept smiling and picked up a white plastic bag from under his desk. Inside the bag, he revealed a Sgt. Slaughter GI Joe, one that he had bought for his own son, and was planning to give it to him for Christmas. He walked over to me and placed it in my hands and said, “Take it”. I told him that I couldn’t take this rare toy away from his son, but he insisted and eventually I had no choice but to take it. He told me that he could always find another toy by the time Christmas came but that I would have a hard time finding a present by tomorrow, and that he could always go and buy something else next week, or even next month.
I went down to my office on the 47th floor. I sat down and placed Gregory’s present on the mahogany desk and then looked at all the paperwork I had to do. It wasn’t really that much but it looked like a lot because I was a very messy worker, but I always got the job done. Another normal day of paperwork would be accomplished as usual, and yet I would still not get bored. This was my job, this was my life.
I had taken a couple of coffee breaks with Thomas, whom I knew since High School. I didn’t have any friend’s better than Thomas. Thomas was my helper and my guardian angel; He’s always been there for me and I know he always will be. If I was ever in trouble, he would help me, and I would do the same thing for him. While working I had to take more coffee breaks because I had barely slept the night before. Caffeine was all that I had left to drive me. It was like a drug, once you’ve used it, you’ll always need it. I continued my work and then I heard an extremely loud noise and the building shook a bit. I just completely stopped for a moment. I then walked out of my office and I could smell smoke, and burning metal. I don’t often smell burning metal in the Towers so it was a perplexing smell.
After a few more seconds there was lots of panic inside the building. People were running around everywhere trying to evacuate. But, I knew that if I paniced, I wouldn’t be able to absorb the whole story of what was happening and my senses might be blocked out by fear. I ran back into my office and saw something fall right down to the ground from out of my window, and then when it fell to the floor it became a red dot. Although I should have been running and screaming my whole attention was focused on this red dot. I recognized it a few minutes later as a person who had jumped out of the building. It could’ve been a fellow worker, or a friend, but was definitely a fellow human being.
That’s when a little bit of panic started to build inside of me. I was lying to myself when I said a little bit however; it was a lot of panic, enough panic to make a person crazy enough to lose his mind. I didn’t lose my mind though, but I didn’t keep calm either. I started out the office again and then started walking down the steps. Debris was falling from everywhere. In all the panic someone had pushed me down. Someone was in a big hurry to get out, and I should’ve been too. I started to get goosebumps on my arms and my neck. I could feel a gut-wrenching feeling inside my stomach that made me realize exactly how scared I was. I got back up and started at a slow run avoiding the falling debris, and also avoiding knocking anyone else over. I kept going and realized a little later that there was a big gash on my arm, I had gotten hurt but was too scared to think anything of it. I guess I was too scared to think at all.
I was on the 6th floor when some debris struck someone behind me. I heard the yell of the man’s voice and I suddenly felt the gut-wrenching feeling in my stomach getting much more painful, because I recognized the voice. It was the voice of my best friend Thomas. I stopped and looked back to see what was wrong, which was hard with the building falling apart. I saw that Thomas was on the ground and he couldn’t move at all. The piece of the ceiling that had fallen on him was pinning him down. I backed away so I wouldn’t get caught in the debris. Sirens were blaring outside with fire fighters and cops yelling, “Run, get out”. I was almost out and I knew I could make it if I just ran, but my friend would be stuck inside.
I had flashes of future memories. I remembered my son and his birthday, which was tomorrow. I could not bear missing his birthday. I then remembered my beautiful wife carrying our baby; I was so excited to see him one day that I could not think. I had to get out. But what would become of Thomas’ children? What would become of Thomas?
But I ran over to Thomas and tried to get the debris off. I had always told him that when he was down I would help him up. I reached for his hand so I could try to help him up. He grabbed my hand and just as I was about to pull him up another huge blast was heard and I was knocked to the floor. There was so much chaos in my head that I involuntarily started inching my way down the steps. I got back up and started running, and I could hear the distant cries of Thomas, helpless under the debris, screaming in pain but whenever he could he would utter “save yourself”. I went down through the lobby and I got out. I was safe, I had made it out. But I couldn’t help feeling that something was wrong, because I didn’t feel relieved. I felt terrible because I had just realized what had happened.
I left my friend inside the building, helpless and fearful. What had gotten into me? My selfish need to go back to my family? Or was it just part of nature to save yourself when you have the chance? It must’ve been a part of nature… or the other side of nature, the side that tells you that you’re more important than anyone else. The side that you never really hear about because it is the true side, rather than the fictional superhero side. I had no time to think about it. I kept running down the street along with other panicking people. It was hard to run away, I kept thinking of Thomas… there in the building. I wanted to go back but by now it was too late, way too late. I hoped that someone would help him, that someone in the building wouldn’t be effected by real human nature. The human nature that I just experienced, abandoning Thomas.
The image kept flashing in my head. By the time I ran out of breath I was pretty far away. I looked back and saw that both of the towers were on fire. I saw that there were rescue workers doing their jobs, and realized that maybe Thomas would be saved after all. But all my hope was ripped painfully out of me, when one of the towers just fell. The tower that I was just in a few moments ago… the tower that Thomas was still in. It was there one minute and gone the next, just like the life of the man who was my best friend. Now there was more dust, and debris, and smoke all headed my way. I tried to run, but I couldn’t move. I was devastated. It wasn’t until I was grabbed by another man who kept urging me to keep running that I actually started walking. When the dust started enveloping me my human nature kicked back in and I started running again. I kept going and going until I remembered Gregory’s present. I had left it in my office. It was gone, just like Thomas.



* * *

Now it has been a little more than three years. No one except me knows the incident that occurred between Thomas and me. I constantly go to Thomas’ residence to talk to his children, and play with them like Thomas would have. I took on this responsibility as a payment for not helping Thomas, even though my debt to him would take me more than a lifetime to pay him back, because it was his life that I owed him. One way I repaid him was by getting his son a Christmas present every year, including the GI Joe, because next month never came for Thomas. The day after the event, Gregory had his birthday party and he was very happy. Even though he had gotten no birthday present from me, he had still gotten his dad and even for him that was the most important thing of all. My little baby boy was also born only two months after the incident. I already had the perfect name chosen for him. I went to the hospital and the first time I saw him I called him Thomas, in honor of my friend.