‘The Absence’ by Z.S

‘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.