‘The
Absence’ by Z.S
Looking
back at the pictures from a dusty old album sure bring back some good and
shameful memories. Everyone in this world have their own forbidden or might I
say “taboo” story which they sometime wanted to forget due to various common or
uncommon reasons. The common reason is usually because they are too ashamed of
it and they just cannot accept the fact that it happens to them and an uncommon
reason is that they will start crying shamefully at an isolated dark alley for
hours when they remembered the story. My reason is of course the first one, the
common one. The day my face turn as red as and apple and my heart beats like
Heavy Metal Rock Legend, Joey Jordison of Slipknot's beating his drum rapidly
as King Kong pounding its chest with all the power they have in them. Getting
caught in action escaping college class will be the one here, not enough to be
shameful as I claimed? READ! This was the most shameful story in my life!
It was 2011 when I was awarded with quite a
cool heroic nick name, “The Absence” by my fellow classmates and dear
lecturers. It was not because I can disappear nor that I can teleport to any
places that I desire in a split second but it was actually because I like to
rebel by skipping those boring classes with boring lectures that only focus on
their favorite white boards holding their pet white board marker throughout the
lecture which no names would be pointed out in this story. I was just an
ordinary first year college student which happens to have raging hormones
instability. In 2 months’ time the lecturer will know that I would not be in
the class without even have to call out or simply looking at my seat which as
always, unoccupied. “The Absence will surely not be here they assume”.
4
months have passed and I was quite dazzled that no serious actions were taken
after doing so for such a long period. I only
have to write a letter with my treasured laptop stating why I am not
present at the class and it was such a piece of cake for me since I already
prepared over 100 different logical excuses which I collect throughout my
secondary school years of doing the same thing. “Tak, tak, tak” sang the
keyboard and…. “ABRACADABRA!” The cyber
shops and shopping mall became my best friend since all my other classmates do
not have the guts to join my tail, “so schema!” pfft. Absentee now became a
part of me, my blood and my ecstasy to enjoy what life had to offer. I did not
realize that I am further drowned in it, absenteeism. BUT! In my mind, I am
always wondering though, “When will I got caught?” or “am I really unstoppable?”
If at first I only skip certain classes, at
this point I began to skip classes for the whole day when I don’t felt like
going, I am my own master. Remembering back at those excuses that I already
prepared, I realized that I have used nearly all of them. My newer version of
excuses seems less illogical but still, as long as they bought it, I am still perfectly
fine. As I was hitting the keyboard rapidly like a crazy bunny hoping endlessly
in a regular cyber café for some extra points in a video game that I was
playing, I saw two familiar faces and one fresh face, cute, beautiful, heading
towards a cyber café which means, “They are heading here!” I quickly ran as
fast as lightning with heart beating like a car running with installed horse
power, nitrous booster, top notch turbo kit and “water from cars’ heaven” as
fuel out the back door of the store. That is when I realized that I forgot to
pay for my game’s session when the shopkeeper began to shout like an angry
gorilla that just happens to have his delicious and juicy banana stolen. I ran and jumped through everything in my
path. Excuses or regrets may not have any meaning now since I am caught red-handed
when my reason for absentee that day was because I have to attend my grandma’s
wedding. What a stupid excuse! Two security guards were also on my tail
probably because the shopkeeper had already reported the incidence of me not
paying. I felt like an international criminal from the James Bond movie series being
chased by the “Man” himself accompanied by the SWAT team.
My legs began to feel sore and hurt from
the endless marathon and “KADABOOM!” I felt kissing the lovely hard floor which
had robed me of my first kiss! I only warmed up my hands playing video games
and not my lower body section resulting to muscle cramp. The two security
guards lifted me up and pushed me against the wall. The two familiar faces
which I saw earlier were my Language Development Lecturer and my class head and
the fresh face was a cute girl which I never seen before, that happened to be
my classmate. With time standing still for a brief moment, at least in my head,
I started imagining the faces of our cute angelic babies if I were to marry her.
How I wish I went to class more often! “Snap out!” with those word screamed to
my ear, the time once again started to flow. My face was as red as an apple and
my heart just cannot stop beating vigorously as everybody in the mall was
staring at me. Now is the hard part, the climax, “time to face the music!” I
paid for the cyber café and now I am standing at the disciplinary office
quietly waiting for my punishment. At this moment I realized that I am not so
great after all. I was caught but still, I pray that this was just a bad dream
which after a few minutes, all hope were lost as I’m still not awake and not on
my bed. I finally accepted and realized
that this was the reality. Like any action or thriller movies you have watched
before, I have to pay for my wrong which I have committed. The lecturer who was
in charge of disciplinary has this very fierce face, like a dominant male lion
defending its territory kind of face but with an eerie smile which you hope to
never seen or never saw in the first place! My heart numb and like it was about
to leave me alone and just sleep perpetually in this ugly situation. Luckily, I’m
still here, alive and foretelling this rather pathetic story now. I am really
scared when eyes met mine and started to open his mouth, “well if it isn’t the
famous hero everyone been talking about whole semester, “The Absence” I
presumed?” I nodded my head slowly and then the long talk begins.
I finally step out from the haunted room
after about 30 minutes of hell and awkwardness. I am lucky enough not to get
expel from college. In exchange, I have to replace over 50 hours of class and was
forced to write an oath stating that I will not repeat what I have done and the
worst part, my parents must give their signatures! I have gotten over
approximately... about… well less than 3 hours but still LONG lectures before my
parent finally agreed to sign it. I surely learned my lesson or “DO I?” This was
the shameful story in my life! Yes,
“was”. The most shameful story had yet to come. Well for now, “The Absence” had
left the building.
