­­­The Notes from a Memory

(el cuento ganador de mención honrosa en el interescolar de cuentos en inglés de la Andrés Bello)

Pablo Álvarez was his parent’s marriage only son. His father was a piano player, who didn’t succeed too much in his career. His mother worked as a secretary during some years and when Pablo was born, she decided to dedicate most of her time to her son, because the income wasn’t enough and since many years this family started to live with poor resources with a small house in the middle of the city. The year when Pablo was eight, his father received an offer for working away from the city, where he was arranged for a meeting and his mother went with him. That meant to leave Pablo alone with his aunt during the day, both didn't get along too well because she had never liked children. That night, Pablo’s parents were coming back, looking for Pablo to take him home, but in a street corner, they crashed and died instantly.

When Pablo’s aunt knew what had happened, she didn’t want to support him, so she sent Pablo to a orphanage, but she entrusted the education for him. Pablo had never felt so alone and the only thing that he had was a keyboard that his father gave him before he died. Time went by and Pablo learnt to play his keyboard by himself, at the age of fourteen he became well known in the orphanage for his great talent and joy while playing. From that he got a good job in a fine restaurant during some evenings.

On other hand, Enrique Figueroa was fifteen and had a single mother who was abandoned by her couple, but she inherited a company from her father and that helped her to maintain Enrique. As she was the owner, that let Enrique to had big comforts and services that he wanted. When Enrique was sixteen, he and his mother decided to go out for dinner to celebrate his birthday. While they were eating, his mother talked many times about how beautiful the piano was sounding and Enrique thought the same so he went to see who had that talent. When he saw a boy of his age he got surprised, and at the end of a song he told him:

'Good night, what is your name?' said Enrique somewhat excited and amazed.

'Good night, Pablo Álvarez, and yours?'

'Enrique Figueroa. I was wondering if you can teach me how to play, I will pay you well'

‘Ok, but it's not necessary to pay, I have enough with my payment here, so call me when we start’

'Really? Ok, I'll call you' said Enrique, who waited for a completely different answer.

So they contacted and the next week Enrique invited Pablo to his house and played the piano that was from his grandfather when he was a youngster, who died several years ago. Enrique frequently asked Pablo about his life. Some evenings were annoying, because sometimes Enrique didn’t understand what did Pablo say in his answers.

‘Pablo, are you happy with your life?’ said Enrique one day.

‘It has been hard to carry on with the difficulties of my life, but as much short or simple the moments are, like when I play the piano, I remember my parents with happiness and at the same time I make people to have a good time with my music. Little by Little I build an internal happiness in what I’m satisfied with myself’

‘Mmm. But, haven't you thought about your style of life?’

‘I don't have problems with my life, I have always been used to this and there are other things that support me’

After some months, Enrique decided to introduce Pablo to his friends, where since the first day he fit in quickly. Enrique started to feel bothered because Pablo was very popular, and his friends didn’t pay the same attention to him as before. When he couldn’t tolerate the situation and while they were playing he said:

‘Pablo, I think this is enough with my classes’ said Enrique

‘I understand, but ¿Will we going continue seeing each other?’

‘Of course! Also I think it is necessary for you to know that my friends don’t say good things about you, you should get away from them’ lied Enrique

The friends of Enrique didn’t ask Pablo from there on, because Enrique told them that Pablo went to live to another city. Enrique didn’t call Pablo, instead he called him every week but Enrique lied that he had other things to do and finally they didn’t meet. One day, when Enrique was in school, his mother took him at midday looking very worried.

‘Enrique, is not easy for me to say this, for some months my company broke and I have been working in different jobs but it hasn’t been enough to pay all the debts, so the house was confiscated’ said his mother with sadness.

‘What! And what we are going to do? Why didn’t you tell me this before?’

‘Because I didn’t want to worry you, however, you are going to live from now on in a orphanage and I’m going to entrust your education. During this time I will search for better jobs, I’m sorry son’

It was hard for Enrique to realize what happened and despite the guilty he felt for Pablo, he went to his home where he had the surprise that the place was burnt down. Then, he quickly went to the restaurant where he was told that Pablo was seriously admitted in an hospital. He thought about all the lies he said and the bad person that he had been with Pablo. So he went to visit his friends, and told them what was happening to Pablo, also he promise to change himself but with Pablo it was too late because he died a few days after Enrique knew all about this.

Many years passed, and Enrique’s mother rebuilt her company after many years. When she was dead, Enrique became the owner and with that inheritance he bought different orphanages in the city and installed a piano in each of the places. He learnt to play the piano, so when he visited one home, he played and brought the same happiness that Pablo brought with his keyboard. This was the way where Enrique understood that things as simple as the memory of someone can fill a person with joy, the same things that Pablo said those evenings when they played the piano.