The Panopticon of Love

Chapter 41: Conrad

I smiled to myself, as I walked down to the theater, on the cobblestone sidewalk.

Conrad! What the hell are you doing here? Oh shit. I knew that voice, I looked around the streets, but I couldn't see him, not in the flashing lights, noise and fog. The smile disappeared off of my face.

Conrad! it called again. Footsteps neared, and a man's shadow loomed closer to me.

Hi dad. I said, looking up into his eyes. I was tall for a guy, 61 but I had to look up to see his eyes as he towered over me.

Conrad. What the hell are you doing here? he repeated.

What do you mean dad? I'm taking a stroll.. I started to explain.

No. Don't give me that shit, what are you doing walking out of a CASINO? And who is that girl you were with? Is that Ariana?? How come I didn't meet her before? Why don't you tell me this??

Dad, a lot has been going on recently, I just didn't know what I could tell you in fear of it changing. I explained in a half lie.

I would have been there, Conrad. You could have explained it to me. Where are you going? he asked.

I'm going home. I said, not adding that by home I meant the props room in the movie theater which I secretly spend the night in.

Where is home? he asked.

The movie theater, I lost my apartment..

The hell! You didn't tell me.. What are you doing now? Spending the night at the movie theater like some hobo?! No son of mine was raised like that. You went to Harvard for Pete's sake!? You know better.

My degree got revoked dad! I yelled, tears starting to form, everything was blurry. I couldn't process anything. He wants to know, I'll tell him, hell wish he never knew. Shock filled his face.

What.

And I got fired at the law firm. I'm jobless, dad. And the girl you saw was Ariana, my ex! Happy now?? Now you know what I have been hiding. I yelled. He didn't say anything. He grabbed my arm and shoved me aside, into a small alleyway.

Tell me you are joking.

I'm not. I stated, feeling a strange pride.

Well, you can do better than whoever that Americanized bitch was walking out.. But that's the last of my concerns. You are saying.. That you haven't been working at the law firm??

Dad for the last time I wasn't. And don't talk like that about Ariana, she's literally Russian! You know my life now. So what's up with you? I spoke loudly, switching the subject.

Nothing that you need to know. Listen to me. I don't know how you got here, from the life that our relatives worked hard to earn for you by the way, but you are getting out of it. When we first came to America, we started from the ground up, we saw these bars and casinos but we knew it was a trap. Back in India, one that drank was known as a fool, as a disgrace to the land. I never thought that would be you. At 23!

I'm sorry dad! I guess I'm not like my ancestors.

Oh don't you pull those strings on me. Whatever this is, he said, fingering at me you are changing. I know in America you can legally do anything you want right now, but it's not happening like this. You are going to redo college and get a new job. Then I want you to buy the apartment in my building, and move in next to me. I'll give Ariana a chance, but NO DRINKING. OR PARTYING.

Dad, what if my friends want to go out? What if I pass the exams? I said, thinking of Alex.

Conrad. Don't mess with me. I have no idea how you managed to get your degree revoked, and frankly, I don't even care. Enroll in whatever college you can get into that's low budget, I'm willing to compensate, even though honestly you don't deserve it. I got the rent covered for a month at this apartment near mine, we are getting you that room and then I want to speak with Ariana. No use arguing with him.

OK. I said, reluctantly. He grabbed my arm and led me out of the alleyway, and looking back, I saw, fortunately, Ariana was long gone.