On Call

#Manueloteromarti #oncall #theessenceproject
#manueloteromarti Reviewing #oncall #shortstory for #theessenceproject

An unexpected telephone call interrupted me while I was daydreaming confronting me with reality: I was on call that weekend. As soon as I heard the telephone rang, I ran from one side of the living room to the other one to answer the call.

I have to admit that the room was in a complete disaster, and finding the telephone became a strenuous quest. Not only books were thrown around, but also other things prevented me to answer the call before ringing six times. After I hung up, I have realized that I could not go to work in the clothes I was wearing. So, I took off my dark blue denim, white V-neck t-shirt, and red sneakers to put on the clothes I normally wear to go to work.

I went down the stairs to Park Avenue to fetch a taxi. As I was standing at the entrance of my building, I have realized that not a single one was on the street. I then walked a couple of meters to the intersection with 86th street to finally find the one. 

Once in the cab, the taxi driver asked me a question in a broken English, but I was not able to understand a single word he was saying. Finally, I have realized that he was asking me for the address of ourdestination. After overcoming this misunderstanding, I sat back to enjoy the long ride towards my objective.

While looking at the driver, I began imagining the way he might live. I wondered how he felt about living in a foreign culture. I started to think how miserable his life could be by doing what he was doing. I wondered if his family back at home knew what his work was all about. I could not understand what his aspirations in life might be, and how he could have ended up driving a taxi in city as New York. I thought aloof to myself for almost ten minutes about his life, past, present and future, and I could not find a pleasant answer to those questions elucubrated into my mind. I was about to ask him about his expectations in life when I suddenly stopped for a moment and started to think about my parents. I have realized that I was judging him without really knowing him much in the same way my parents did when I decided to do what I do for a living. 

Mine is a family with a long history in law practice. My great-grandfather began a law firm in New York, and I disappointed my entire family by choosing what I decided to do with my life and, as a consequence, with my own future. In some way or other, I understood the taxi driver, we both were pursuing alternative paths in life and people could not condemn us for doing so.

I remember looking at my wristwatch at the exact moment the hands marked twelve o’clock, and I was only three blocks away from the place I was heading to. I knew I was late. The traffic was terrible and the taxi driver did not ease matters. My heart decompressed as I was releasing impregnated feelings that were no longer part of myself but perspiring from my upbringing.  I have to admit that I do not like arriving anywhere late, especially to work. I could remain eternally in that revealing ride but duty was to be obeyed.

After paying the fare, I walked into the old warehouse and began working. The place was covered with blood, and policemen were waiting for me. I spoke to those present on site to find out everyone’s impressions to, then, return to work. The entrance was forced from the outside. By the way the bodies were laying on the floor, I assumed that the perpetrator of the crime had to be someone that knew the victims because they did not seem to be caught by surprise. I had to keep looking for more clues before saying anything else, and that is exactly what I did.

I am a criminologist and I work on call for the Police Department of the City of New York. As a detective, I have to be precise and observe everything that surrounds me. I have to study the scene and analyse every small detail before reaching any conclusion in resolving a crime. As opposed to my personal life, I cannot discriminate. Professionally, I have to be organized, attentive and disciplined. Personally, I should apply my professionalism while interacting with my pairs on a personal level. Every corpse has no chance to respond to my own absurd judgement. Mankind has the power to learn to change, to become a better person. The taxi driver taught me so while allowing me to share a ride with him. From now on, I know that what differs from one another is just a personal prospective with infinite intertwined aspects that make us all to create a wonderful society. It all depends of finding ourselves in a constant on call life stream of magical experiences while making them an intrinsic part of our own idiosyncrasy.

Manuel Otero Martí

#Manueloteromarti #oncall #theessenceproject
#manueloteromarti Reviewing #oncall #shortstory for #theessenceproject

An unexpected telephone call interrupted me while I was daydreaming confronting me with reality: I was on call that weekend. As soon as I heard the telephone rang, I ran from one side of the living room to the other one to answer the call.

I have to admit that the room was in a complete disaster, and finding the telephone became a strenuous quest. Not only books were thrown around, but also other things prevented me to answer the call before ringing six times. After I hung up, I have realized that I could not go to work in the clothes I was wearing. So, I took off my dark blue denim, white V-neck t-shirt, and red sneakers to put on the clothes I normally wear to go to work.

I went down the stairs to Park Avenue to fetch a taxi. As I was standing at the entrance of my building, I have realized that not a single one was on the street. I then walked a couple of meters to the intersection with 86thstreet to I finally find the one. 

Once in the cab, the taxi driver asked me a question in a broken English, but I was not able to understand a single word he was saying. Finally, I have realized that he was asking me for the address of ourdestination. After overcoming this misunderstanding, I sat back to enjoy the long ride towards my objective.

While looking at the driver, I began imagining the way he might live. I wondered how he felt about living in a foreign culture. I started to think how miserable his life could be by doing what he was doing. I wondered if his family back at home knew what his work was all about. I could not understand what his aspirations in life might be, and how he could have ended up driving a taxi in city as New York. I thought aloof to myself for almost ten minutes about his life, past, present and future, and I could not find a pleasant answer to those questions elucubrated into my mind. I was about to ask him about his expectations in life when I suddenly stopped for a moment and started to think about my parents. I have realized that I was judging him without really knowing him much in the same way my parents did when I decided to do what I do for a living. 

Mine is a family with a long history in law practice. My great-grandfather began a law firm in New York, and I disappointed my entire family by choosing what I decided to do with my life and, as a consequence, with my own future. In some way or other, I understood the taxi driver, we both were pursuing alternative paths in life and people could not condemn us for doing so.

I remember looking at my wristwatch at the exact moment the hands marked twelve o’clock, and I was only three blocks away from the place I was heading to. I knew I was late. The traffic was terrible and the taxi driver did not ease matters. My heart decompressed as I was releasing impregnated feelings that were no longer part of myself but perspiring from my upbringing.  I have to admit that I do not like arriving anywhere late, especially to work. I could remain eternally in that revealing ride but duty was to be obeyed.

After paying the fare, I walked into the old warehouse and began working. The place was covered with blood, and policemen were waiting for me. I spoke to those present on site to find out everyone’s impressions to, then, return to work. The entrance was forced from the outside. By the way the bodies were laying on the floor, I assumed that the perpetrator of the crime had to be someone that knew the victims because they did not seem to be caught by surprise. I had to keep looking for more clues before saying anything else, and that is exactly what I did.

I am a criminologist and I work on call for the Police Department of the City of New York. As a detective, I have to be precise and observe everything that surrounds me. I have to study the scene and analyse every small detail before reaching any conclusion in resolving a crime. As opposed to my personal life, I cannot discriminate. Professionally, I have to be organized, attentive and disciplined. Personally, I should apply my professionalism while interacting with my pairs on a personal level. Every corpse has no chance to respond to my own absurd judgement. Mankind has the power to learn to change, to become a better person. The taxi driver taught me so while allowing me to share a ride with him. From now on, I know that what differs from one another is just a personal prospective with infinite intertwined aspects that make us all to create a wonderful society. It all depends of finding ourselves in a constant ‘on call‘ life stream of magical experiences while making them an intrinsic part of our own idiosyncrasy.

Manuel Otero Martí