My real name is Carlos Carozzi. The previous 'Goddess' chapter, as well as those following now, were intended to be published as a book. I no longer have enough life on me to finish this work, so I decided to post it here. An outline of the ending will be added to the last chapter. If you want to contact me direct you can do so e-mailing the address in my profile
II
It was hard to believe that just one week had passed and my life had moved, without transition, from the reassuring knowledge of a pre-determined routine to the deepest unmitigated chaos. All I wanted to do was to find Camille and experience again all those overwhelming feelings of touching and being touched, of unlimited passion running through my entire body. For the fleeting ninety minutes or so that I spent in her arms I felt more alive than ever before. So, day after day I continued trying to find her, using every minute of my spare time and every second that I could steal from my work. My new chaotic existence meant that my life shifted from being ruled by my intellect and beliefs to being dominated by emotions. For the first time in my memory I didn't go to church that Sunday. Instead I spent the entire day following even the slightest trail that could lead me to her but they only lead me to nowhere and despair.
It was just past seven o'clock when I arrived home, carrying with me a pizza for dinner and my frustration for dessert when the phone rang. I jumped, moving faster than I ever thought I could move. 'Hello'. 'You could have let your kids know that you were not going to come today to take them out as you promised. They were waiting for you until almost midday.' Pat was furious. She didn't care about me, but she was more protective of her children than a crocodile would be of her eggs. 'I'm sorry, I had to work and I didn't have a chance to call but...' I was talking to a dead phone. She had hung up on me. I decided to switch my answering machine on, eat my pizza and go to bed to face the never ending night
Each night I was at the same time afraid of going to sleep and looking forward to the dreams to come. Camille's presence was growing night by night rather than diminishing. She had awakened in me a passion that I did not know existed or I would have never allowed myself to experience. Life for me had turned to a constant reminder of desire far beyond what I could have ever imagined. As I was drifting into my sleep I heard the phone ring and the voice of Father Patrick leaving a message 'I didn't see you at church today and I'm worried. Your eternal soul is in danger, please, please call me at any time of the day or night'. I didn't lift the receiver to answer.
When the morning finally arrived I got up as tired as I was when I went to bed. I made myself a strong coffee and headed for work. The bus moved through the morning traffic carrying a full load of people like me. Some looked as if they were trying to push through the consequences of the excesses of the weekend, others seemed to be trying to reconcile themselves with going to the same routine of a dead end job, none of them were caring for anything beyond themselves.
Maureen was waiting for me in the foyer. 'Franco, how far do you have to go on that feature article that you are working on?' I didn't expect the question, perhaps because I thought that it would be possible for me to procrastinate for ever, giving me more time to keep going on with my search. 'Why did you ask that?' 'I heard John saying that it would be good to have it ready for print by Wednesday's editorial meeting as the announcement of the new taxation initiatives has been postponed for a day.' Maureen obviously knew that I was still a long way from finishing it. 'I'll have it ready by tomorrow morning.' She looked at me and silently nodded.
Shit! I think that John is only interested in getting me. It was always difficult to give him all the adulation and subservience that he demanded. Now, after Camille entered into my life that is just outright impossible. All right, I will probably have to work through the night and the best part of tomorrow to finish it!
I sat at my computer and I started working at a furious pace. I was lucky that Pompous John had decided to take the day off. Lunchtime came and went and I continued typing as fast as when I started. I focused on my work and noting else mattered, as I used to do in my early days, when being a journalist was fun and excitement. The words kept flying with a life of their own.
Eat my dust Pompous Shithead! You would not be able to go past the first paragraph in the time that I will take me to finish the entire article. At this rate I will not have to work on it tomorrow, I'll have it finished well before midnight. I'm good! Franco, where is your humility? I don't have to be humble, I'm good, I know it and so do the people who work with me so, to hell with humility!
Without realising it I was riding on an exhilarating high where time did not exist. I did hear the cleaners vacuuming around me, emptying my paper basket but I didn't tie it up with me being the last one in the office. I didn't notice the silence that followed the humming of the people working around, only my work. The words I was writing were going to convey a meaning to the readers, but to me they were linking to each other with the music of a living language. I felt as if I was Mozart and Shakespeare rolled up into one.
As I put the final stop on an article so lengthy that would have to appear as a serialised piece I looked at my watch. I had worked for more than fourteen hours without stopping. I had not even gone to the toilet, as my bladder was forcefully reminding me. I lifted myself from my chair with a long awaited stretch of my back and I went to the Gents.
When I came out I felt hungry and thirsty. Only a few lights were left on all night and the deserted office had the eerie feeling of the enchanted forests in the tales of my childhood. I turned the corner to go back to pick up my jacket and I noticed that all the lights were off except those directly over my desk and standing under the lights, facing me was Camille.