Solutions: A Dog's Dilemma by James Gerard (book suggestions .TXT) 📕

“No Rick.  All this is just about you.  Just you.”

Paulo came forward and stood between Rick and his brother and instructed both.  “`Here are the rules,’” Sebastian said in translation.  “`Both will be blindfolded.  You will stand ten meters apart.’” 

Sebastian whispered in Rick’s ear, “You throw first.  Remember to strike him and this is all over.  Just trust in your strength Rick.  Trust in your strength.”

Rick squared his shoulders to Armando’s position before the cloth was tied around his eyes.  He could hear Armando laughing and talking.

“He is saying to the people to witness you dying.  He is making fun of you.  He is calling you a fake, a demon and a man who just came in here with food to show us poor people what a great man of God you are while you stuff your face with all the food you will ever want or need.  He is calling you stupid.  Stupid for coming back here and stupid for thinking you could defeat him.”

Rick positioned his legs and feet, raised his arm straight out. The laughter continued as Armando chattered away.  In his mind he saw Armando, took a deep breath, then let it out slowly.  All of a sudden his legs began to shake and the knife quivered in the grip.

“You see, he is nothing but a coward,” Sebastian whispered in his ear.  “He shakes like a little girl crying out for her mother.”

Rick brought his feet together, put his arms out, and lifted his head.  His whole body now trembled.

Laughter broke out all around.  As best as he could he tried to bring composure to the thoughts and body, to mustard up the courage, to regain the rage within, and to throw the knife straight and true.

“What are you waiting for Rick?  Throw the knife.”

Villagers broke out with words that rang with sounds of encouragement, with strength.

Armando laughed and roared aloud.  His men laughed in reaction to the shouting.

Rick tried and tried to compose himself.  Now the villagers began to shout.  Sebastian’s words were relentless.  Laughter from Armando confused the senses.

“Throw the knife,” Sebastian whispered.

“Enough!” Rick shouted.  “That’s enough.  Everyone just shut the hell up!”  He tore the blindfold off and spun around, “Why Sebastian?” Rick asked as tears rolled down his cheeks.  “Why?”

“Why will you not throw the knife Rick?”

“Because I’m tired, so tired.  I’m tired of everything Sebastian.” 

Sebastian walked up and stood just behind him.  “You see Rick.  I said you underestimate your strength.” 

Laughter rang out.  “`You see the coward he is?’” whispered Sebastian.  “`He will not even try to protect you.  He does not care about any of you.’”

A woman screamed.  Rick looked up.   Armando grabbed the little girl clutching his leg and tossed her off.  Her mother took Marisol to her bosom and carried her off to the side.  Through his tears, Rick saw the tears coming from Marisol and her mother.  With a sudden surge of strength he bolted towards Armando but Sebastian reached out, grabbed and restrained him.

“No Rick.  Call to your strength.”

Rage returned, but the words were repeated with a slow and steady whisper.  Sebastian held on tight, but then eased the grip.

“Help me God.  Please help me,” Rick sobbed.  I can’t do this.”

“You see what a coward he is.  He is too weak to break the hold of such a small man.  He lets a little defenseless girl fight his battle.”

Rick stared at the ground.  “Stop this please,” he whispered.

The villagers looked on.  He heard a sudden gasp of terror all about.

“He is holding his machete,” whispered Sebastian.  He is coming towards you. “`Now this man of God will know the truth.  He is nothing but a demon.  I will send him back to Hell where he belongs.’”

Rick heard Armando roar, braced himself for the swift end but bang, clink.  He looked up and saw Armando on his knees, clutching his hand.  He let out a harrowing growl as he came to his feet once again wielding the machete.

Rick closed his eyes.  Bang, clink.

Sebastian whispered, “Paulo is pointing a pistol right at the head of his brother."

“What is wrong with you brother?  Why are you doing this?  You did not teach me to be a murderer.  We are not murderers.  We do not hurt anyone.  We scare them.  We steal.  That is all we do.”

Rick looked at Armando clutching his hand while looking up at Paulo.

“As God is my witness I will kill if you do not stop this foolishness.  I love you Armando.  Please, just stop.”

Paulo extended his free arm to his brother and lifted him to his feet.

“Let us go.”

Armando shook his head and put his arm around his brother as they walked away.  Rick noticed the other men lowering their rifles and slowly walking away as well.

A flash of light and booming clap interrupted the scene.  Rain suddenly poured on the village.  Marisol who freed herself from her mother’s embrace silently sang and danced with glee.  Children of all ages joined her in the dance of joy.  Villagers, eyes to the sky, shouted aloud and stomped about.  A thunderous shout spontaneously erupted after another bolt of lightning and clap of thunder.

“You see Rick.  Now do you understand?  Do you now understand your strength?”

Rick began anew his own downpour of tears that mixed in with the rain.  He looked to Sebastian and smiled.

The villagers scampered to their homes escaping the heavy rain, clapping thunder, and brilliant flashes of lightning.  Sebastian took Rick by the arm and led him into the shed.

“It is time to sleep now my friend.”

Rick, still sobbing, lay down on the cot and considered the events that took place.  The voice that usually spoke to him was now silent.  A peace and calm was now within, a comfort he had never known.

 Rick woke up to the sounds of giggling and the sight of little hands poking at his legs.  He looked up to see Marisol and a host of other little children tugging at him, urging him to get up.  He looked to the door and saw subtle light seep through its narrow gaps.  He could hear the rain splash against the roof.  A virtual lake of water surrounded the cot.  It seemed not to bother Marisol and the others, so Rick splashed his feet atop the lake.

Marisol took him by his hand as the other little hands guided him through the door.  She pointed to a few people wearing hooded raincoats that were standing by a jeep.

“Rick,” a voice shouted.

As he approached the vehicle there was Jack and Amanda along with the uniformed man he had seen days before.

“It is so good to see you,” said Jack as Amanda hugged Rick.  “Sorry about getting back here so late.  We encountered some obstacles.”

“It’s okay.”

“Look, you were right.  We should have never left in the first place.  I’m sorry.  I’m sorry for the way I treated you.”

“Well, I messed up to.  Sorry about that.”

“He has to take a report before we can go.  By the way, they caught and arrested the gang.  They won’t be bothering anybody for awhile.”

Rick just smiled.

“We’ll be leaving in about an hour, so be ready.”

Rick looked down at Marisol, her little hand still in his, with a smile that brightened up the dreary gray day.  Her mother came up to him and smiled, hugged him and kissed his cheek.  She took Marisol into her arms and walked back to her home.  Marisol kept her eyes on him until they disappeared into the house.

Rick looked out towards the mountains hidden by the downpour of rain.  He strolled over to the outcrop and sat and just stared.  Eyes looked around and body felt an air of contentment.   Rain was always to be avoided in the lifestyle of the street, but this time Rick did not mind.  It felt good to be sopping wet.

“What’s wrong my friend?” asked Sebastian.

“I got to go back now.”

“You do?”

Rick just stared ahead.

“Do you want to go?”

Rick started to say something, but a long exhale cut the words off before they were heard.  His eyes were diverted from the hidden mountains to skyward, “Not really.”

“Then stay.”

“I don’t belong here.”

Sebastian smiled.  “I have to go home now.  My parents are expecting me.”

Rick fell silent.

“Just ask.  That is all you have to do.  Just ask.  You think they did not notice you unloading the trucks, or how you treated Marisol and me?  Rick, you made an impression on them without you even knowing.”

“I owe you an apology Sebastian for the things I said about you.  I’m….”

“If you had said it, then I would have been offended.  But don’t worry.  I knew where it came from.”

All of a sudden something hit his back and little pair of arms came around his neck.  He didn’t have to turn around to see who it was.  He just lifted her up over his head and sat her on his lap, then hugged her tightly and kissed her on the cheek.

“You see, you think she doesn’t know our Lord or his love because she cannot hear or talk.”

“She’s a pretty amazing little thing, isn’t she?”

“Of course she is.”

Rick, with Marisol securely in his arms and Sebastian by his side, strolled towards Jack.  With the mountains behind him, the strength emerged.  “I’d like to stay here.”

“But why?”

“Because now I know.”

“Know what?”

Rick smiled and walked away.

“Her name is Alma,” said Sebastian.

She stood there at the doorway smiling, motioning at Rick and Marisol.

He looked into his little friend’s eyes and smiled, “I think it’s time to go home.  What do you think?”

Marisol’s smile said it all; melted his heart.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought too."

Text: James Gerard Burch
Images: Right to use purchased from Fotolia.com
Editing: James Gerard Burch
Publication Date: 09-23-2015

All Rights Reserved

Dedication:
Dedicated to us that go all the way around the world to find that which was available to us the whole time.