1

There is a difference listening to Cherry Valley and Sombr, sung by the same singer, when the singer was at two phases of his life, and conveying different attitudes towards life. Bruce of Al Nahda, Sharjah, never understood that (he still wears his underwear backward-front until mom notices that he did wear one). Bruce was naïve and would become a young adult at the stroke of midnight, four days later.

While most of his age group (considering if he had the courage of befriending any) were playing football, and swore if Newcastle lost to Sunderland, Bruce, on the other-hand, spent time playing fantasy football, online.

It was one such week of the derby, when Sunderland defeated Newcastle, and boys being boys, targeted the slim looking fellow called Bruce (who happened to walk past them from the grocer) by asking him if he had the courage to fight them back. They did not need a reason to start a fight. Smelling cigarettes and mint, the boys looked annoyed for a reason unknown to Bruce.

Dominic Wolfhart, whose second name sounded fierce and a mighty physique, and who had a face dotted with acne was the first to handle Bruce. He was a regular at gym and tried to lift Bruce with one-hand, but, Bruce who felt a resistance was needed sometimes, stood his ground as if he were some wooden log. But, more he did that, he looked petrified as the young bastards joined together and lifted him, thereby, throwing his belongings and crushing tomatoes he had purchased at the grocer.

Few minutes later, the boys shook hands with Bruce and went away. It was forgotten, but, Bruce wouldn’t. He had a mind of a serpent for a boy that he seeked revenge.

That boy with the acne. Of all the boys, he wouldn’t forget the acne faced brute. The boy with the acne

2

The day he woke up and felt the goosebumps on his hands, Dominic knew that the winter had come early. He smiled at that thought. Because he didn’t have to take early morning showers. His mom never knew this. He wouldn’t mind to keep it a life-long secret. He had his perfumes as a substitute and he doesn’t sweat a lot like how athletes do.

His mom, Stella, would tell him to heat the water and take a dip. But he would escape from the back door. If he was caught, he would swear that his towel was wet and would complain that he had to hurry to the nearby café to meet his boys. His mom would shake her heard in disgust and say, so much for camaraderie.

Dom was actually a good boy. In his heart, he was still a good boy, because every human has a seed of love within himself (maybe that is why we refer others as ‘your good self’).

He even liked a girl in his neighbourhood (who the boys liked to call a bombshell), and would plan a date with her but never really had the courage to ask her. The girl had her doubts on Dom and would giggle at his sight with her friends, which he took at good stead. He even waved at her once to see that smile. Waving at her became a habit until one day, he timed it so bad (her boyfriend was standing in a corner waiting for her that it irked the He-man in him), who came and beat Dom into pulp. The bombshell was therefore gone on Page One of his love story. Dom vowed he would never fall in love.

Bad company does this to the best of humans. His step father, Roger, a town drunkard, and a man with a bad taste of humor, would beat Dom, at the change of the wind. This was the time when he moved to depression and as an act of defense he would retort to aggression.

The first one to face his brunt was Roger, when he spilt oil from the old oil lamp, where his step-father was expected to do his daily walk in the hall after dinner, reading evening news on internet and talking with his friend about the war.

That day his walk caused a slip and he stretched his leg so far that he had time to see himself in the mirror, where he saw a young Roger bending on one knee to propose his third girl-friend for wedding. What eventually brought him to consciousness was the right knee that gave a sharp pain when contacted hard ground. There was a cry of agony, and Dom never showed up listening to Spotify in his room. Stella was at her friend’s place playing cards and kitty partying when Roger told this.

Later, Dom would join a gym, where he befriends his so-called camaraderie.

3

On his eighteenth birthday, Bruce was pretty sure that he was good enough for gym. His acne faced adversary was at the same gym, and he knew his session would last for only a day.

Dom was alone that day and his camaraderie wouldn’t show up at least for another hour, if he was lucky then those bastards might not show up today. Bruce knew this was his chance.

Dom waved at Bruce and gave an evil smile, which Bruce thought was not kind reminding of his ex-girl friend’s (the bombshell) guy that aggravated his anger.

Quietly, Bruce applied oil to his hand in the men’s lavatory (there were security cameras all around except in the bathroom, obviously), and smeared it on the dumbbell, which he knew that the acne faced Dom would pick up very soon.

Dominic reached home with a broken hand that day, and knew that karma has taken control of his life.

Bruce felt he was a man on his birthday.