The Gardener - (Part 3)

Part 3

Ever since the Padrone declared Dada as his daughter, he had also abandoned his old activities. He loathed his past life so deeply that he did not even want to remember it, but the appearance of Zeki, a young man, would sometimes bitterly remind him of those old days, filling his heart with terrible regret. As for Zeki, he continued his life of thievery and robbery; he was also fortunate, which was probably what emboldened him. He had always managed to slip away from difficult situations. The Padrone would often subtly suggest that perhaps he should start a new life, leave the past behind, and take a peaceful, safe path, but Zeki did not even want to hear of it. He stubbornly continued his villainous existence and shrank from nothing. It was evening. Zeki boldly stepped into the Padrone’s living room. "This is for you," he told Dada, and placed a small, beautifully enameled casket on the table so noisily that he nearly smashed it, while casting a smug, triumphant glance at the Padrone, as if to say, "Look what I brought." The Padrone was terribly displeased. He shot a furious glare at the boy. As for Dada, the moment she looked at the casket, she instantly turned her nose up at it. A precious object held no value for her; she would only become interested in the shapes and structures of things she took a particular fancy to. Therefore, it was all the same to her whether Zeki had presented her with a valuable item or placed a boulder on the table. Zeki withered with discomfort. He was certain that such an exquisite gift of his would be met with great emotion. Instead of gratitude, however, one looked at him with a resentful face, while the other turned her back on him and even walked out of the room. As soon as Dada left, the Padrone carefully closed the door. He reproached Zeki in a low voice, so that Dada would not hear. The resentful guest opened the casket. The box, filled with precious jewelry, sparkled dazzlingly. Zeki, thinking himself clever, proudly flaunted it to entice the Padrone, which only infuriated him further. He wrapped the jewelry in his large handkerchief and returned it to Zeki, strictly warning him never to bring stolen items into his home again. Zeki stood up with a pout, glancing at the casket as if to say, "Couldn't you at least keep this?" But the Padrone replied, "I will have you take this with you later as well." Zeki didn't even understand what the Padrone meant. He rushed out without looking back, slamming the door hard in his anger. The Padrone filled the casket with Dada's favorite small chocolate balls wrapped in golden paper, left it in a prominent place right in the middle of the table, and went after Zeki. Perhaps he could still explain something to this arrogant and exasperated boy. When Dada heard the door slamming, she flinched hard at first, then listened closely. Not a sound was heard. She carefully opened her room door, and once she was sure no one was there, she boldly stepped into the room. Her gaze shifted straight to the casket, and when she discovered her favorite treat, a satisfied smile crossed her face. For Dada, it took very little, just a tiny and simple thing to make her feel happy. The Padrone knew this perfectly; at just the right moment, he would always calculate exactly when and, even more so, how to bring joy to the girl's heart. For Dada, it took very little, just a tiny and simple thing to make her feel happy. The Padrone knew this perfectly; at just the right moment, he would always calculate exactly when and, even more so, how to bring joy to the girl's heart. The Padrone was a rather clever and shrewd man. Indeed, it was thanks to his intellect that he managed to amass such vast wealth in his time, without once running into trouble. The Padrone directed everything, though he rarely took part himself; sometimes he would stand at a distance and just keep watch. He had never stained his hands with blood, though he did give the orders. Eventually, he grew tired, weary of so much wandering up and down. He announced to the camp that it was time to disband. Some refused, others were confused. The camp fell into disarray. Fortunately, Dada appeared, giving the Padrone a reason to leave everyone and everything behind and go his own way. Moreover, no one was looking for the girl anywhere. Since no one came forward to claim her, the Padrone considered it destiny and, even more so, grew to love the girl like a daughter. The Padrone rejoiced in Dada's joy, and what more could he want? He was happy.

LEX · Saturday, January 30, 2016

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1558777875806620&set=a.1555368776147530