Novel | Long Way from Home Chapters 3-4 Audio

Novel | Long Way from Home Chapters 3-4 Video

Novel | Long Way from Home Chapters 3-4 Transcript

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[00:00:46] Last time on Long Way from Home, George was surprised to see Pamela in the ladies room with the owner of the company who was trying to take advantage of her. So he stepped in and tried to save her, but unfortunately his attempt ended up in killing the man by mistake. Between turning themselves in or just running away,  George and Pamela have a big decision to make. So let’s see what happens next in Long Way from Home.

[00:01:19] Ben: [00:01:19] Long Way from Home – Chapter Three

[00:01:43] The keys in her hands were jingling like wind chimes in a stormy night. She was walking, but I still felt her weight exaggerated for her slim figure.

[00:01:54] “Hey, listen. Why don’t you give me the keys and let me drive?”

[00:01:59] She didn’t think twice and handed me the keys. I got in her car and pulled her chair all the way back; it never seemed to go back enough in that small car of hers, but I wasn’t going to complain.

[00:02:12] “Where will we go, now?” Pamela asked.

[00:02:16] I had many thoughts going on in my head. I wasn’t so sure myself, but it didn’t take me long to answer as if where we were going was inevitable.

[00:02:27] “I must go home first. I don’t know where we will go after that, but I need to go home. We may have to go away for a while. I want to see my kids and get something before we go on our way.”

[00:02:40] Pamela did not argue as I thought she would, and she asked no questions along the short road leading to my apartment. When I looked at her, I didn’t see the natural inquisitive look of someone going to a place for the first time. She looked as if she had taken the trip with me every day, but I could see she was still in shock. I was.

[00:03:02] I turned left into our complex and started the way down. I didn’t want to park right in front of my apartment building. I didn’t want my wife to see me coming in another car with a beautiful woman in it. I didn’t know if that mattered anymore. I didn’t want this to be the last thing she would remember me by.

[00:03:20] I took the last turn and brought the car to a dead halt as there, about fifty meters down the road was my apartment building, and two cars with flashing lights on top were right in front of the entrance.

[00:03:34] I hoped the policeman who was standing by one car had not noticed my sudden braking, but he wasn’t interested in what was happening behind him. He was looking up the building. I couldn’t tell from that distance if he was looking at my balcony on the second floor.

[00:03:49] “What are you doing? Back the car and let’s get out of here.” Pamela whispered as if the policeman was sitting in the backseat.

[00:03:58] “They can’t have known, and even if Omar went right back up after we left, they couldn’t have gotten here so fast.” Although it sounded like a reasonable thought, I was panicking myself. I had never been in a situation where I had to deal with the police my whole life.

[00:04:14] “We can’t stay here. Park the car, or leave. Don’t stay like an idiot in the middle of the road.”

[00:04:22] I drove the car to the parking space which belonged to the apartment building at the corner. I needed to think for a second, or maybe, I was waiting for the police to make a move as if I were to evade the pursuit if they did with the fancy sports car I was driving and my legendary driving skills.

[00:04:40] I was about to leave, but then two policemen came out of the gate of my apartment building with my neighbor’s son handcuffed. That little bastard was a regular, down at the police station driving his father mad all the time with a bunch of losers he hanged out with. But as I looked at him and to the casual way he was walking towards the police car, I wondered how it would be like when they would come for me; it would be much more spectacular. At least this loser would get caught for petty theft or for drug possession. I was about to become famous — the man who killed the boss.

[00:05:17] It was a relief to see the police car drive away past us taking the scoundrel with them. I turned off the car, took the keys out of the starter and got out. I made a few steps towards my place, but I noticed I was holding the wrong keys. I went back to the car, leaned in the open passenger seat window, handed the keys to Pamela, and I knew what that might mean, but I wasn’t sure anything went the way I planned, so what difference would it make?

[00:05:45] “I’ll be back in five minutes. If you see anything suspicious, drive away from here and meet me at the gas station down the road.”

[00:05:53] Pamela said nothing as she snatched the keys from my hand.

[00:05:56] The building was so quiet as usual. The arrest was uneventful after becoming a familiar scene. I opened the door and went into my study and closed the door behind me. I could see my wife was watching TV, and she would wait for me to put my stuff in the study and come back to sit with her. John and Elsa were in their room studying.

[00:06:19] I looked around me at the workstation I had been building for years saving up money to invest in my own future business as I dreamed I’d have one someday. Now, all that future was history and all those computer parts, books, and gadgets littering my study like autumn leaves were silent looking at me neglecting them and going straight to the safe where I grabbed the money I had stashed in there in case of an emergency far less serious than this one. I looked for a while at my gun before I stashed it in my backpack. I took one of those papers on my desk and wrote a note on it. I looked at the study for one last time before I turned off the lights and left.

[00:07:04] In the living room, my wife was on the sofa in front of the TV, but she wasn’t moving. She was asleep after a long day at work. It was our usual coffee time in front of the TV. We would listen to stories about each other’s days and talk from time to time about the bright future ahead, and our kids would find any excuse to come and ask us about anything to spend a little more time with us. I wished I could have woken her up and had one more cup of coffee with her before leaving, but it was better this way. Maybe, she would believe the note I left her in the study, or she wouldn’t, but I couldn’t talk to her as she would know I was lying and she would not let go of me until I told her everything. I wasn’t sure I was ready to tell her I had just destroyed our life, but I was sure I had no time to do it.

[00:07:58] I went to the kids’ room.

[00:08:00] “Hey, John.” I kissed him

[00:08:02] “Daddy, you’re late. We have been waiting for you. It is almost bedtime. I thought you would come later, and I wouldn’t be able to tell you what happened today at…”

[00:08:14] “Hey, John. Tell me tomorrow, OK. I must go now. Daddy has something important to do.”

[00:08:21] “Where you go daddy? What about my kiss?” That was little Elsa’s voice. I didn’t want to turn and let the kids see the tears in my eyes. I kissed them and turned towards the door ready to leave.

[00:08:35] “You be good kids, OK. You know daddy loves you so much.”

[00:08:39] I could see Susan was making her usual stretching moves before getting up. I rushed out of the door. I couldn’t stay any longer without losing my nerves to tears.

[00:08:49] I hurried out of the building. I didn’t want to wait for Susan to go out on the balcony and see me. I could hear the door of the balcony getting opened, so I ran along the way to get to the car as fast as I could.

[00:09:01] I was almost at the corner when I looked up, but there was no car, no Pamela waiting for me.

[00:09:20]

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[00:09:54]Ben: [00:09:54] Long Way from Home – Chapter Four.

[00:09:57] What was I supposed to do now? She could have gone to the police. She had her phone with her, and I left her the keys as a fool. I had no choice but to move away from my apartment building. I should have gone back to get my car keys and go, but my legs kept taking me uphill to get away as far as I could.

[00:10:19] I kept walking for a minute or two when I realized I was taking the way leading back to the company. My legs were too used to that direction.

[00:10:27] I stopped and turned around and walked the other way. For a moment, I thought of going back home and telling Susan everything and maybe taking the kids and escaping with her. I did nothing wrong. I didn’t want to lose my family. I didn’t want to leave.

[00:10:43] I didn’t know if I had been having all these thoughts in my mind or if I were speaking out loud like crazy when I could feel amongst all the chaos a car closing in until it came to a stop right behind me. I dared not look, but I didn’t hear “Freeze,” or “Put your hands in the air.”

[00:11:02] “George, get in.” It was Pamela.

[00:11:06] I got in the car and burst out like an old lion,

[00:11:09] “Where the hell did you go? I told you to wait.”

[00:11:12] “I…”

[00:11:13] “You what. I am into this because of you. You do not understand who I am leaving behind. A hair back from my house is worth ten Pamelas. I put it all behind. What were you thinking? Did you feel like taking a ride? Well, maybe we can go downtown by the police station, say hi to the guys down there who are probably looking for us now. How about that? ” My voice was so loud I couldn’t hear what she was saying back, but I didn’t feel like getting interrupted by the woman who stole my life away from me.

[00:11:47] “I couldn’t give them a proper goodbye, and the note I left telling them not to believe anything they hear about me is not going cut it. Do you even know how it feels like? How could you when you live on your own in your own apartment doing your own stuff, being a free modern woman? What the fuck were you doing back in the company at this hour, anyway?”

[00:12:08] “Shut up! Shut up!” I think she was trying to say many things before deciding to shut me up, which she did.

[00:12:15] The moment of ultimate silence lurking in every corner of the car like a disease lasted forever, and if not for the little sound of the engine, I would have thought we were in a tomb.

[00:12:28] “I wanted to leave, yes, but I didn’t know where to go or what to do. I know I cannot go to the police. It’s not one of those movies where they solve the conspiracy in the end, so we could get our lives back. It’s Lebanon, and we both know justice stories here are fairy tales. I am sorry I thought about leaving, but I still cannot understand what happened back there. Not how it started, or what happened when you came in. He made me stay late, that son of a bitch, he made me stay late, and I wanted to leave, I did, but he kept stalling me, … I swear I didn’t want to… I swear…” Pamela was in tears

[00:13:10] “Pull over.”

[00:13:11] “Why?”

[00:13:13] “Just pull over.”

[00:13:15] When she did, I put my arms around her and held her close.

[00:13:19] “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to… We will find a way out of this. I promise. We are innocent. I will go back to my family, and you will get your life back, I promise you.”

[00:13:31] My shirt was wet as if I were walking out under heavy rain, but the rain clouds were the eyes in her head which finally surrendered on my chest.

[00:13:46] Dan: [00:13:46] And now for our exclusive interview with Pamela. Pamela, thank you very much for agreeing to be with us in the show. And I know you are not going to like most of my questions, but I have to ask you these questions because our listeners are eager to know what really happened that night. I know my first question is probably the worst and the last thing you want to hear now. But for our listeners, I have to ask you sound like a clever woman. How come you couldn’t avoid that situation back in the company? Why didn’t you leave before he cornered you in the ladies’ room?

[00:14:32] Pamela: [00:14:32] I know that’s the first thing you will ask. And I know it’s hard for you to believe that I didn’t want to be part of the whole thing, but that’s the truth.

[00:14:39] When the boss asks you to stay late, you have to stay late and I’m not going to lie to you and tell you, I didn’t know what that meant, but I thought I was strong enough to ward him off and leave. I didn’t expect him to follow me to the ladies’. When he came in. I tried to escape, but he blocked the way. And you probably know the rest of the story.

[00:14:59]Dan: [00:14:59] Oh yes. Unfortunately, I do. Now, what about what happened later? Do you think George kind of overreacted? I mean, He could just take you and leave without having to kill the man. Don’t you think?

[00:15:14]Pamela: [00:15:14] What are you trying to say? He did this on purpose? Is that what you think?

[00:15:19]Dan: [00:15:19] It’s not about what I think Pamela; it’s about the truth.

[00:15:23]Pamela: [00:15:23] Well, here is the truth for you. George walked in when he could have just ignored what he heard and left me to my fate, but he didn’t. Even when he came in, he could have decided to leave anyway, after the boss threatened to fire him, but he didn’t.

[00:15:37] Are you telling me a man like this as a murderer?

[00:15:40]Dan: [00:15:40] No, please don’t get me wrong. I just want our listeners to know what happened from a different point of view. I mean, everything we learned so far is told from George’s point of view, it wouldn’t hurt to hear it from someone else, would it?

[00:15:54]Pamela: [00:15:54] All right. Everything happened so quickly, and I didn’t see it as fast as George did, but Rachidy was reaching out to his gun and George acted instinctively. There was not time to think about anything. And when you see George, you know the combination of his size and reflexes could never be pleasant to whoever might stand in the way. The old man was in  the way and his head hit the wrong part of the wall. And you know what happened. It was all an accident.

[00:16:21]Dan: [00:16:21] All right. I think we can all agree it was an accident. However, I am curious about something else. It still doesn’t make any sense to me that you ran away with George instead of turning yourself to the police. I mean, regardless of what happened and what the police might think, you had nothing to do with it at all. You were a victim. The only logical thing to follow is to go to the police or wait for them to come, but not to run away. You have completely condemned yourself.

[00:16:54]Pamela: [00:16:54] Did you want me to leave George face the whole thing and I could act as if nothing happened? Maybe, the next day I would go to work, and since this will be the talk of everyone, I would be the star.

[00:17:03] Do you really think I am that indifferent or insensitive? The man saved my life. I owe him everything.

[00:17:10]Dan: [00:17:10] Well, that, and you’re getting out of the ladies’ in the wrong time when the guard came didn’t help.

[00:17:16]Pamela: [00:17:16] Yes, that too. But I also acted on an impulse, but that was what happened and there is no way I could change it now.

[00:17:24]Dan: [00:17:24] But you did try to leave George on his own in this mess and drive away. Where were you going?

[00:17:31]Pamela: [00:17:31] Well, the thought of going to the police did occur to me. Maybe, I was going to leave him behind, but I couldn’t do it.

[00:17:37]Dan: [00:17:37] Why? Is George anything more than just your savior? I mean, the man is married, and he has two children.

[00:17:46]Pamela: [00:17:46] What are you trying to say? There is nothing between me and George. I have always respected him as a colleague. That’s all. Maybe because he is one of the few that didn’t look at me the way almost everybody else did.

[00:17:59]Dan: [00:17:59] What do you mean?

[00:18:00]Pamela: [00:18:00] He is a gentleman. I always saw respect in his eyes, not like the others who kept looking at me trying to figure out what I would look like naked.

[00:18:08]Dan: [00:18:08] Well, please don’t get me wrong. I have great respect for you, but it’s hard not to look at you with admiration. You are a very beautiful woman, Pamela.

[00:18:18]Pamela: [00:18:18] The look of admiration is not a problem for me, but not that dirty look I got from everybody. I hated myself for a long time because of it. But then I realized it was not my fault. But it does hurt to know that most men cannot see past a woman’s body. They cannot even imagine that she might have intelligence.

[00:18:36]Dan: [00:18:36] I’m afraid you’re right. We’re all guilty of being superficial when it comes to the way we look at women. I promise you. I’m not like that. And I hope George is not like that, either.

[00:18:47] But yeah, most men are exactly the way you put it. I don’t know what’s going to happen to you and to George, but I see strength in you. And I believe that you will have your chance to save him when the time comes. Forgive me for my earlier questions, but you know, it’s my job to do so. I believe you are a strong woman, Pamela, and you will figure out a way.

[00:19:08]Pamela: [00:19:08] Thank you, Dan. I’m not going to lie to you, though. I’m terrified. And I don’t know what I am going to do and how I’m going to get out of this mess, but George did not bail on me. I will never bail on him. Whatever happens will happen to us both.

[00:19:22]Dan: [00:19:22] I hope you find a way to make everybody know what really happened back there, and before we finish this, I would like to ask you about the police again. Do you really think it is a bad idea to go to the police? Are they that corrupt?

[00:19:37]Pamela: [00:19:37] Maybe some of them are not, but a lot of them are. And when it comes to important people, like the man we killed, we wouldn’t stand a chance. The police in our country would always believe the more important person rather than the truth that comes from the mouth of a common man. Just like medieval time — nobles and commoners.

[00:19:55]Dan: [00:19:55] I’m afraid you’re right. So, now what’s next?

[00:19:59] Pamela: [00:19:59] I have absolutely no idea. We’re going to run away for sure, but I don’t know where and for how long.

[00:20:06] Dan: [00:20:06] I guess we’ll find out about that in the next episode. Thank you Pamela, for being with us in English Plus Podcast and letting the listeners see what happened through your eyes.

[00:20:17] Pamela: [00:20:17] I can’t say I’m glad to be here, but thank you for taking the time to listen to my side of the story,

[00:20:22] Dan: [00:20:22] my pleasure, and now a big thanks to our listeners for sticking around and stay tuned to know what happens next in Long Way from Home. Ben and I thank you very much and we’ll see you next time.