The folks at the street corner coffee shop near my workplace invited me a few times for classic movie screenings in a nearby restaurant. One lady working at the coffee shop also works at the restaurant at night. I don’t know how people can do two jobs without going out of their minds. Somewhat, I did the same this year, but I’m not working with the public. I can really admire people who are sociable enough to be able to comfortably do that kind of work.
Tuesday night a week ago was the weekly movie screening. I thought since there’s nothing urgent for me to do in the night before my last day of work, I might as well relax and go enjoy that movie. Having a few hours to spend before the event, I did my little things on my computer while waiting for my laundry upstairs. When my timer was up, reminding me the dryer completed its cycle, I went up in the elevator, picked up my laundry, and again in the elevator, went back downstairs. The ride back had one surprise, however. A second man entered, and as a third one made his way in a few floors lower, a dog joined him. The second man in the corner asked him, “Is this your dog?” “No,” he replied, “I just saw two man living it behind. I guess it wasn’t theirs either.” The questioner was a bit surprised and finished his remarks just before the door opened on my floor, “What a poor dog. Alone and lost in this building.”
The dog got out first, while I was heading out the elevator. It dashed down the hallway and stopped right in front of my apartment door, like it knew where I lived. I suddenly started talking to myself, or at most, to the dog. “How did you know?” Maybe it picked up my trail when I walked out the apartment to go to the elevator. I unlocked the door, and the dog went in, like it was home. It was ironic for me, since I thought recently about getting a pet someday if I wasn’t moving. The small dog found a place to stay, but it was still disoriented, try to sniff its way to its owner. It looked like I had to skip movie night and take care of the dog until I can find the owner.
Looking for the owner, the dog and I went down in the lobby and up on the floor where it found me. There was no identification tag on the dog’s collar, which would have made the job easier. The dog was still trying to find clues of its owner’s whereabouts, as it was often distracted by other trails and frequently stopped to check its surrounding while following me. We gave up and went back to my place where I gave it some water. I thought it will need food, as it looked like it was going to spend some time with me. As I put on my jacket to go out and get some dog food, someone was whistling and calling the dog, floor by floor. I heard her voice, quickly got out of my apartment. We looked at each other when I said, “I have your dog!” The dog just ran out towards the lady. Happy to have found the dog again, she hugged me, grabbed the dog in her arms, wished me a good evening, and walked away.
Movie night just started. Already having my jacket on, I went out and walked fast towards the restaurant. I got in late. There were a few seats left. I sat down in front of couple and watched the movie. The title was Two-Lane Blacktop. It was a strange cult movie, but one I liked. I was waiting for an opportunity to grow my love for lesser-known cult movies like that one and this was a perfect one. Moving in the city made me realize there are many more movies than the popular ones everyone want to go see. I’m glad I found nice gems in the area where I can watch or rent excellent underestimated films.
At around 10:30 in the night, after the movie, walking back home on Bank Street, still under construction, I stopped by a video rental store. I think I haven’t been in one for years. I’m not sure why I went in at such time. Besides me, there was only a clerk, and an old lady browsing in the sales bin. I didn’t have any intention of renting or buying a movie. Nowadays, I download movies I rent, and I’m usually more interested in films you wouldn’t find among blockbusters. I exited the store, slowly walked the rest of my path back home while taking time to observe everything around me. When I went in bed at around midnight, I thought, “Today’s the last day.”
The next day, my co-workers took time to have lunch with me. One by one, they said their words of farewell. At 5, I was the last person in the office. I was printing some documents I needed and wrote my last e-mail to everyone at work while I was thinking how much I’m going to miss working with them. After I clicked the “Send” button and my documents were printed, I closed my notebook, stored it in my bag, made sure my desk was spotless, enabled the alarm system, got out the office, locked the door, and slipped my key under the door. That was it. I’m now a jobless man, getting ready for Japan.
Later in the evening, my friend joined me for an animated film. It was Evangelion, a remake of a Japanese animated series I was very fond of during my late teenage years. The movie was the perfect distraction to prevent me from thinking too much about what’s coming for me next.
“Only 22 days to go,” was my last thought that evening.
