The Hollywood Liberal

REBELS IN HELL

EPISODE 6

It was a dark and cloudy day on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Miguel, the man once known as The Assassin sat on his patio. It was the kind of day when he would have worked on his wall. Only now there was no wall, and from where he sat under the coconut palm looking down below his right knee there was no leg. Gone also was the man he once was. The man who depended upon his physical agility and strength and deadly skills.

But that man was gone. Along with the missing leg.

Who is to say what it is in a person’s life that causes them to change? The death of a loved one? An unaccountable epiphany? A spiritual revelation brought about by a near death experience?

Upon their return to Costa Rica Miguel had spent two weeks in bed, the first three days of which his body fought the death-dealing infection. It was fortunate that he had wealth. That allowed him privacy and for Reynaldo to bring in the surgeon and nurse from Venezuela. He had succumbed and the leg was removed.

During his recuperation, when he could, he looked out his window to see the boy once known as Patrick with Reynaldo, or heard the boy moving throughout the house. But mostly what he knew of Patrick was of a boy now named Jovani to hide him from the assassins. It was Jovani then that was playing the electric guitar Reynaldo had purchased.

On occasion Jovani would come to see him, but his condition was so extreme that he could not respond with more than to nod or say “de nada” when Jovani thanked him for saving his life. Too he could see the sadness in the boy. But there was nothing he could do. He left that to Reynaldo who took the boy fishing or for rides on the coast. As it was summer, no question was asked of his schooling.

Over the year what he experienced of the boy was from what he heard: sometimes in the middle of the night he would hear the boy playing somber, moody blues pieces. Sometimes he would hear frenetic strumming. On two occasions the boy busted the guitar against the wall, once the floor.

He told Reynaldo to replace it each time. Reynaldo nodded his agreement. Better the walls, floor and guitar than himself.

Six months after their arrival Jovani had made friends at the international school and soon formed a band. His spirits began to rise. There were no more broken guitars.

By the time of his ambulatory state he was a weakened man, both physically and mentally. He knew he had changed, but he didn’t yet know how. And at times he was angry. Very angry. That was followed by depression. The new man he was had no life and he knew it.

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