How Selfish
I staggered into my room, pushing the flimsy teak door. My infuriating mother had just instructed me to clear up my cupboard. I hopped over the scattered Legos and made my way towards my old tiny rose wood cupboard. I twisted the key and shook the doors repeatedly. The mirror vibrated in the wooden frame and finally the door budged open. It was chaos. My new glossy IGCSE coursebooks were squeezed against the cupboard door and the ends were creased and brown. Between all this were random socks, shirts and all of my comfortable Jockey boxers. I pulled down the pile of clothes and suddenly my blunt nails scratched the surface of a cardboard box. It was a haphazardly duct taped box roughly the size of a briefcase. I lifted the lid of the box carefully with my thumb. Inside the box, in the far right corner, tucked away in a leather cover, lay a Naval Officers badge. I held the gold plated piece in my hand. The edges were finely carved and smoothened with tiny details. It was old and not very shiny but the exclusive gold made up for these flaws. I ran my fingers over the curved bumps and into the premium black leather. I could feel the soft fibres brush against my skin. I glanced back at the box, there was a fresh white navy uniform folded perfectly along the edge of the box and a belt and lighter lying on top of it. I pulled the cloth out gently, what a magnificent sight. The belt was thick and the silver buckle was heavy. The sparks of the lighter were faint and it took me back to when I used to stand on our minuscule balcony and smoke cigarettes gazing over the tall buildings. By now, I lost focus on the items. My focus was on myself. I was burning with rage. I hated my father, despised him. Who asked him to join the navy? I didn’t care if he was the chief officer or admiral. He didn’t spend time with me, he came back…dead. I buried myself in the pile of clothes infront of me. The smell of my cupboard filled my nose, and the first sneeze came through. I was sniffing, crying and screaming, all because of my father! What a selfish man he was, how selfish…yet how selfless in the eyes of others.
Written by Lucius De Almeida. Share your thoughts in the comments!