SHATTERED!!!

Chapter 4...

There were few days left before Christmas and Christmas in my town was significantly done. Everyone had one thing or the other, hanging in every corners of their houses. My home for sure could pass for a Christmas store house. Mother had not one, nor two but many Christmas decorative goods hanging at every corners of the house, both in and out. That the decorations were now looking bigger than our small house. A very small cake with a lot of icing on it, i would describe it as. Well, Christmas has always been like that for Mother. Always the busiest season for her, she loves every moment, either way. Meanwhile, the rentals just had a tiny plastic Christmas tree a top the counter and a poorly designed flier, hung on the entrance door. Human beings, they say, changes, but my boss would never ever change from being stingy. Some few bucks spent on decorating the shop to at least look the season would not lessen the self - attained well, he was determinedly trying to protect! Anyone that might have entered the shop would definitely look gloomy as the shop was looking, immediately. I myself could not help but to feel the gloominess. I honestly feel sad for the shop, but there was nothing i could do other than to thoroughly clean the shop and blast some pleasing Christmas songs. That could lighten the shop but not as much as decoration would have done. Cleaning and music has always been the usual activity of the shop, so it would only look normal but not extra ordinary.
I did clean the shop thoroughly, anyway.

Opened the shop for the day and awaits customers' arrival. This time around, i had located the VHS and the TV at the counter. Just for now, i would not care if i am being disturbed by customer's inquisitiveness, Christmas Is a season to be nice. Since i am personally good with acting, I suppose i would just act along with whatever and not get on Santa Claus's naughty list.
Today, an august visitor graced the rentals floor. I had cleared my eyes well to see if i was not being featured in one of my many senseless dream. My long time best friend gallantly strolled down to the counter, his signature smile plastered on that crook face of his.
" Freddy?" I called out, utterly surprised. The idiot walked around, obviously flaunting his outrageous outfits at me. Yeah, Bring it full on to a village pauper like me. I beamed at him, though. I am very surprised and very happy to see him.
" Come on, Actor. Stop acting like you have just seen a ghost. A ghost definitely does not look this good!" He ranted, stretching out his hands towards me. Calling the nickname he had invented for me since years, gave me nostalgia. What was he expecting? I should run into his arms, kiss his cheeks and declare my evergreen speech of how i have missed him, each passing day? Nah. I possibly gave him the briefest hug that was exactly guy like. He wanted to get all mushy and cozy, but no, matured people like i am, do no such thing.
" It has been two years, right? What brought about a change of mind." I jested. He titled his head backward and laughed.
" Two years, right. What are you still doing in the rentals. I thought Actor has big plans for the city, too!" His comeback was funny to me but is very much personal to me,
Freddy sure knows about my big plan for the city, as much as i do. We had both agreed to leave the town that very day, two years back. But i had spent all my savings on Mother's dugs. Yes, i had travelled to the big city, but in a stead of saving my dying mother. I had seen the beautiful famous big city briefly because the pharmacy was out of Mother's expensive drugs and it would take dats before it ever comes in. Waiting for those days was very risky. In tears, i had left my best friend in the city we had planned to strive together, promising to get back as soon as my mother gets well. Unluckily for me, i am still here, stuck in this small town. And here is my friend looking all glamorous.
" You are quite thin for someone who is fashionable." I commented, looking away. The few times my eyes had been on him, I had noticed he was not the chubby Freddy that I have always known. His body must have definitely missed his mother's meals.
" Nah Tom! No one wants to be fat in the city. Being thin is the new fashion trend, over there. And wait what? You say thin? I am very far from thin." He defended.
" You look sick, to be very honest." Freddy had glared at me in disbelief. My lips coiled, giving in for a small laugh. He smiled too.
" Your silly ass!" He joked, slightly tapping my shoulder. We stayed in a comfortable silence as we ventured into our thoughts. Whatever we were thinking, I am sure it had both of us in it.
" Mr Kendy's still a dick, aye?" He asked the obvious. I chuckled.
" Just a look around. Answers are glaring at you." I retorted, sarcastically. He looked around briefly and snorted.
" When would you ever leave the side. We could go after new year and start chasing your dream." He bargained. I heaved. I really do hope so too.
" Freddy, it is not that e- - -y"
" Give up your excuses, man! Your mother will live longer than expected, but you? You would be a living dead because of your unattended dreams. You just need to grow some wings and fly out of your open cage!" He advised. I am quite unsure of what to think of his words. There were quite thoughtful and appalling, but difficult for me to comprehend quickly.
" I am still thinking, Freddy. I would join you very soon.
" I assured, standing up when I had seen someone - possibly a customer - coming our way. Freddy also stood up.
" Since this is the first place in town, I have not visited my own fa- - -l" The door bell had rang. " Geez! This old geezer shop! I would be seeing you around, right?" He had continued after squeezing his face in disdain to the bell. The customer that had interrupted our little get together, stopped to stare at Freddy in total disbelief. Stupid Fred was still busy flaunting his extravagant outfit at the old woman. I chuckled
" Isn't that you, Freddy? God bless my soul, you look so shiny and sickly, my boy!" I did not even allow Mrs Rissidoe to complete her statement, before I bursted out laughing. Embarrassment colored Freddy's face, the confidence he was showcasing earlier all gone. His eyes pleading to pluck out of it sockets.
" Mrs Rissidoe. I am quite normal and fashionable. I do not look sick for Christ's sake!" He defended, vehemently. His expression quite frustrated.
" Two years is quite a long time for you to look far from normal. Go home, boy. Your mama must be waiting." Mrs Rissiedoe teased. This time around, Freddy's signature smile was back. He still got his 'one minute seriousness' as I have named it. He slightly hugged Mrs Rissiedoe, who had welcomed him by fondling him more tightly. Freddy is easily known as the town's clown and surely everyone would have missed him.
" Tom, keep our talk in mind. Life changes if only you take a step." He had advised before finally leaving. This best friend of mine surely knows how to leave a trace in my mind.

★. ★. ★

Today's Sunday service was taking longer than usual. Although, thanksgiving service has always been like that, but today, my patience did not tag along with me today, so I was in a great rush to leave. Mother had seen me sneaking out but she had pretended not to notice and threw her face away. She did look back again, her face holding no emotion at all and it had trailed me till I had gotten to the church entrance. I slightly waved at her before running off. If she was angry, why should she when I am of age to take decision by myself? I wandered around the church premises, thinking of where to go. The house is an option I would not wish to choose. I do not want Mother want Mother meeting me at home and start talking about what had happened. Freddy, wherever the hell he was, would have been a great company. But I do not think he had attended the thanksgiving service. The rentals could be a better option. It is not supposed to be opened today, but hey, perks of being a worker. I got the keys. I sashayed my hips to the music of my excitement as I began my journey to the rentals. I could while away time by doing my favorite thing. Not that I have any movie left to watch at the shop, but I do not mind watching them again. That way I could imitate my favorite actors, more like practicing for my big career dream. And believe me, that is my own very definition of having fun. The rentals is not very far from the church, but my bicycle had decided to save me of the stress. It is quite a good thing that i had taken along my 'quite the age' bicycle to church.
" Oh, Mother!" I exclaim in disbelief.
We had both came on the bicycle to church because it was quite a distance from our house. But my worry quickly washed off, when our nice neighbor - the Deckers - occurred in my thought. They would surely be very nice to give Mother a ride home. I sighed in relieve. Glad there was no going back to the church.
Every shop was closed, but then, it decorations still glittering. I am still very angry that the rentals lacks decoration. I tried stealing one of the plenty decorations we had at home. But Mother's hawk eyes detected, immediately. Even before i got the chance to leave the house. She had furiously forced it off my hands and sternly warned me to back off.
" Why would you care about about a shop that the owner does not.
Did Mr Kendy probably promised you inheritance!" She had angrily said that day.
Her words were right, though. Why should i be bothered about what was not mine and would the stingy owner even acknowledge my efforts? Hmmm, I should really get Mother a gift of appreciation for her words. They are effectively serving as a pill that immediately disregard the nonsense concern i was feeling.
I do not need to clean the shop since it was my day off. All i just need to do was to ignore everything and sit on Old Larry and watch movies. I walked to the counter to get the film room key. i had returned the VHS and TV back into the film room the very day i had brought it out. I lied about wanting to cope with customer's disturbance, it just felt as though, it double folded. Santa, I do not mind being the king of your naughty list, now. I took the key off the hanger on the wall, but my attention had drifted to the rack where customer's forgotten belonging were kept. The black plastic bag is still there and it has been more than a week now. Mr Kendy had frequented the shop or calls in and he never made mention of forgetting anything. No customer had claimed it too that i have even forgotten about it, until now. If i am not wrong, this might be the first time a forgotten item would last this long in the rentals. This is really quite strange. I decided to check whatever was in the forgotten cassette. Since i am a movie buff, the film would not be new to me. I would be quite to recognize the movie, right away. In no time, i was already in the film room. And for the records, the room is quite neat. I took out the tape and inserted it in the VHS. Seconds later, the TV screen was lightened. My eyes glued on the TV, i had found comfort on my Old Larry.
No title was displayed but a scene was ongoing, already. Ruffled walking could be heard but no one appeared on the screen., except lightly dimmed streets. At some point, the display had jiggled, frivolously. Now, It is now clear that someone was holding a recording camera and was trying to make a film all by himself. The screen jigging, previously, must have been the person tripping over something. Cars were driving past and the camera was trailing them as they drove past. This was for a fact, a film i have never watched. Can this even be classified as a film? I watched further regardless. I could not identify the cars driving past since the scene was mildly dark. Then the camera began to feature the sky, she few street lights on and houses for the briefest seconds, then, i saw what i recognized. Everything Mart. With Everything Mart being featured, this should definitely be my town. Or was there another Everything Mart elsewhere? Eventually, my confusion was erased when i saw the building that were beside the supermarket. This was definitely my town. But why was my town been recorded? Who was behind the scene? And was the recording for fun or other purpose?
I am very curious to know who was recording that i decided to finish it. Not that i enjoyed watching an amateur recording of a film, i am just being patient, hoping the person would appear on screen, in the end. Minutes passed, the film went on with unnecessary debris till it ended. I must say i am quite vexed waiting for what never happened. Or was this probably Freddy's doing? Cameras might be cheaper in the city for him to have gotten one, because it is quite expensive in this town. On second thought, this tape had been here before Freddy's arrival, so it is definitely not my boy. There are only few youth in this town and it is quite sure we are very broke to afford a camera. Who in their right mind would want to get a camera when the big city was every youth's dream. The few families that i know of that has a camera only bring it out to use on special occasions like Christmas and any eventful gathering that needs recording. And i could even count the three families. They have teenagers as their kids and i am sure they would have kept it faraway from their children's reach.
Maybe the kids might have found it hiding place and snuck it out to use. But is making a tape that easy to do? Hiltaly, who sells electronic gadgets, only has one stored in his shop, and it has been for sale since years now. A new one i am sure he would have emptied his pocket to get.
Even a rental shop does not even have a camera, to start with. Weird as it, the person recording did not utter a word. I might have probably figured ou the person if they had spoken. Whoever the person was, i am quite curious to know. But i do not plan watching that amateurish recording ever again.