The journal of Daigoro.

July 20th.
Tomorrow is the first day of my long awaited summer vaccation. What shall I do tomorrow? I got so excited that I couldn't sleep and missed my excercise. By the time I got to the park, there was nobody there. But then I heard a wore out voice "Beer". "give me beer". That was where I met Hugo.

July 21st.
I started an observation journal on Hugo. Hugo is the master of the park. A creature with beard and sunglasses. it sits all day in the park without working. I brought him some beer from my home yesterday and he warmed up and started talking to me. "Kid, where's my drink?" He said he can't lie without the beer. So, i kept giving him beer time to time. How much longer? When will he get better?

July 22nd.
Hugo still hasn't sprouted. It won't move or work. I asked why it doesn't do anything. "Once a flower has withered, it can never bloom again" he answered me with a sad look on his face.

July 23rd.
Hugo hasn't sprouted yet. All the beer I give him comes pouring out of his eyes. "I'm sorry, I won't waste anymore" and  then tears dropped more.

July 24th.
Hugo hasn't sprouted yet. Hugo seemed hurt. I asked what's wrong. He said he made a mistake while making a swing. I asked why he was using a rope to make swings when the park already has so many. When will Hugo bloom?

July 25th.
Hugo hasn't sprouted yet. I was on my way doing exercises when I found Hugo lying on the railtracks. I asked what he's doing. He said that he couldn't sleep and crwled over here. When will Hugo bloom?

August 1st.
We have a new family member. A bed was prepared but Hugo still hasn't sprouted. Two empty eyes  stares into the sky, unable to perceive much as God was unable to understand the will of the fallen angel Lucifer.
Humans must change and adopt to their environment in order to survive. The man who refused to change and stood still was practically a corpse.

August 3rd.
I casually tossed Hugo a bottle of whiskey I sniped from my mother. I have changed Hugo's environment. It's your tur to respond so why do you just lie there? Just what damaged you? Hugo didn't answer this questions. Instead it licked at the whiskey with a sour look on his face. I look up at the sky to see a condor circling as though laughing at me.

August 10th.
Ten days have passed since we took in Hugo. It still hasn't sprouted. As usual I tossed it a bottle of bourbon. Mom's been getting creeped out by Hugo lately. My mom raised me on her own. I wonder when she stopped trusting in men?

August 10th.(Three years ago).
I remember it was blisteringly hot day. My old man was also a Hugo. My old man was a skilled carpenter. But after an accident left his arm paralyzed,he stopped working and began drinking and gambling whole day.
My mom would always work, but my old man would beat her for not earning enough. I couldn't stand the sight of my old man, so i never returned home untill the sunset. I would wait for my exhausted mom before going home. That was my daily routine. But we didn't abandon my old man because of memories of long ago. I believed he would return to being a kind father.  But that day, our faint hopes vanished into the summer sky with cries of cicadas when we found my old man sleeping with another woman. Raindrops trickled down my cheeks. Before I knew it, I told Hugo before me about my old man.
"Why did you help me? Aren't you sick of seeing another hopeless man? Aren't you making your mom suffer? asked Hugo. I told him " If only I had supported my old man when he hit rock bottom, them my mom wouldn't have suffered like this." At some point, I may have seen my old man in Hugo. What was I trying to accomplish by makng my mother suffer? Was I trying to recover what I'd once forgotten?  On that day Hugo didn't touch his bourbon.

August 11th.(Present)
I woke to the sounds of the rain pounding through the window. It seems that a typhoon had hit. My legs led me to the doghouse.But Hugo was nowhere to be found. He's already weak from the booze. At this rate, he is going to die in this rain. I rushed out of the door to look for him but my mom gripped my hand and wouldn't let me go. "where do you think you're going? I won't let you" yelled my mom. "Let me go. Hugo is my friend. I will not abandon him." I didn't expect those words to come out. I have to save him.

August 12th.
 I couldn't find Hugo in the end. My head hurts and I can't write as well as I did. I have caught a cold. I didn't drink any alcohol but it still came pouring out of my eyes. Just like it did with Hugo. And then, I felt a soft clothe taking out my tears. I realized Hugo was sitting right beside me this whole time. Mom let me keep Hugo inside. "Hugo where you drinking again?"
"No, no more drinking for me."

August 20th.
Hugo has changed since then. He no longer drinks alcohol and he performs all kinds of work while mom is out. All while reading the classifields. Mom started calling him Hugo. I don't really get it.

August 25th.
When Hugo went out for errands that evening, mom asked " Daigoro, would you like a father?" That was her question. I didn't understand what she meant, so I asked her about it and then her face turned red. I didn't understand so I asked Hugo that night and he bluntly said " I wouldn't know." I don't really get grownups.

August 26th.
It's finally the day for Hugo to sprout. He is going to a job interview. " Thank you for everything you've done. Thanks t you, I have been able to recover from hitting rock bottom. I don't know how to show my appreciation. My mom smiled and fixed his tie. Only one person will be able to pass. "We'll be waiting for the good news." said my mom. As Hugo headed to the battle and mom watched him go, they were like father and mother.

At the job interview.
" You seem to be nervous." asked the gentlemen who was sitting beside Hugo.
"huh? Oh yes. Since my return to a normal person is riding on this."
"Oh, Is that so? I'm the same."
"Heh,you too. I couldn't tell."
"Well, I lost my job after an injury and snapped. My wife and son gave up on me.I am embarrassed to say that I didn't realize what was important untill I'd lost it all. I managed to strengthen myself and asked my wife if we could start  over, but she told me to let her think about it.Well, it's okay. I'll try again if I'm accepted here.There's only one opening, so let's both do our best."
" Umm, what's your son's name? he said in a soft gentle voice.

August 27th.
Hugo never came back. He probably didn't pass the interview. Maybe he's too ashamed to face us. He doesn't need to be sensitive. Mom didn't say anything. Was mom hurt again because of me?

August 29th.
We ate with Hugo. The other Hugo, my old man. My old man had completely became a different person. After apologizing to me and mom over and over, he happily reported that he'd found a job. He also cheerfully told us about someone who got drunk and made a ruckus at the interview. Mom also looked like she was very happy.

August 30th.
Me and my mom happened to pass by the park. When we spotted Hugo on the bench. He had become the same like when I first met him.
"yo, you two. Could you spare me some beer?"
Why? You promised to never drink again. You promised to do your best at the interview.
"Get lost if you have no beer, kid." he said trying to act cold. But I know.Liar! I know. You may lie. You may pretend to be drunk. Everybody may badmouth you. I know you are not a useless drunk old man. You brought back what I'd once forgotten. You're the nicest, best man. I won't forget. I'll never forget. Never! I yelled those words but Hugo didn't react at all. The bottle Hugo was holding was water, not alcohol. I know it! He doesn't need beer or work. " I've already received enough." that's what his cold face said. Yes, I knew it. Hugo had already bloomed long ago.

And with that Daigoro ended reading his observation journal. It was a vacation  homework. The applause came really loud. As that day, the students had beer pouring from their eyes as they listened Daigoro read his journal.





                                                               The End 
                                                                                ( A remake of "When will madao bloom")