
The Return
In 1965, I was twenty-three years old and was studying to become a high school language and literature teacher. An early, September spring was in the air, and very, very early one morning, I was studying in my room. My house was the only apartment building in that block, and we lived on the sixth floor.
I was feeling sort of lazy, and every now and then I'd let my gaze wander out the window. From there I could see the street and, just beyond the sidewalk across the street, the manicured garden of old Don Cesareo whose house occupied the corner lot, the one which was cut off diagonally at the corner; hence, his house had the shape of an irregular pentagon.
Next to Don Cesareo's stood the beautiful home of the Bernasconi family, lovely people who used to do nice, kind things. They had three daughters, and I was in love with the eldest, Adriana. So, every once in a while I cast a glance toward the sidewalk across the way, more out of a habit of the heart than because I expected to see her at such an early hour.
As was his custom, old Don Cesareo was watering and caring for his beloved garden which was separated from the street level by a low iron fence and three stone steps.
The street was deserted, so my attention was unavoidably drawn to a man who appeared in the next block and was advancing toward ours along the same sidewalk that ran in front of the homes of Don Cesareo and the Bernasconis. Why wouldn't my attention be attracted by that man, since he was a beggar or a tramp, a veritable rainbow of dark-colored rags?
Bearded and skinny, his head was covered by a yellowish, misshapen straw hat. Despite the heat, he was enveloped in a tattered, grayish overcoat. In addition, he was carrying a huge, dirty sack, and I assumed he kept in it the alms and remains of food he collected.
I continued to observe. The tramp stopped in front of Don Cesareo's house and asked him for something through the iron bars of the fence. Don Cesareo was a mean old man with an unpleasant personality; without acknowledging anything, he simply made a gesture with his hand as if to send the fellow on his way. But the beggar seemed to be insisting in a low voice, and then I did hear the old man shout clearly:
"Go on, you, get out of here, and don't bother me!"
Nevertheless, the tramp again persisted, and now he even went up the three stone steps and struggled a bit with the iron gate. Then, losing his meager patience completely, Don Cesareo pushed him away with a fierce shove. The beggar slipped on the wet stone, tried unsuccessfully to grab hold of a bar, and fell violently to the ground. In the same, lightning-flash instant, I saw his legs splayed upward toward the sky, and I heard the sharp crack of his skull as it struck the first step.
Don Cesareo ran down to the street, bent over him, and felt his chest. Frightened, the old man immediately grabbed him by the feet and dragged him out to the curb. He then went into his house and shut the door, in the certainty that there had been no witnesses to his unintentional crime.
The only witness was me. Soon a man passed by and he stopped next to the dead beggar. Then came others and still others, and the police came too. The panhandler was put in an ambulance and taken away.
That's all there was to it, and the matter was never spoken of again.
For my part, I was very careful not to open my mouth. I probably behaved badly, but what was I to gain from accusing that old man who had never done me any harm? On the other hand, it hadn't been his intention to kill the panhandler, and it didn't seem right to me that a legal proceeding should embitter the final years of his life for him. I thought the best thing would be to leave him alone with his conscience.
Little by little, I gradually forgot the episode, but every time I saw Don Cesareo, I experienced a strange sensation on thinking that he didn't know I was the only person in the world aware of his terrible secret. From then on, I don't know why, I avoided him, and I never dared speak to him again.
*
In 1969 I was twenty-six years old and had my degree in the teaching of the Spanish language and literature. Adriana Bernasconi hadn't married me but some other fellow, and who knows whether he loved or deserved her as much as I did.Around that time, Adriana was pregnant and very close to delivery. She still lived in the same beautiful house as always, and she herself looked more beautiful every day. Very early that suffocating, December morning I was giving private grammar lessons to a few young high school boys who had to take an examination, and, as usual, every now and then I would cast a melancholy glance across the street.
Suddenly, my heart - literally - did a flip-flop, and I thought I was the victim of a hallucination.
Approaching along exactly the same path as four years before was the beggar whom Don Cesareo had killed: the same ragged clothes, the grayish overcoat, the misshapen straw hat, the filthy sack.
Forgetting my students, I rushed headlong to the window. The panhandler was gradually shortening his steps, as if he were already near his destination.
"He's come back to life," I thought, "and he's come to take revenge on Don Cesareo."
However, now treading on the old man' s sidewalk, the beggar passed in front of the iron fence and continued on. Then he stopped before Adriana Bernasconi's door, pushed down the latch, and entered the house.
"I'll be right back!" I said to the students, and, mad with anxiety, I took the elevator down, dashed out into the street, crossed on the run, and went into Adriana's house.
Her mother, who was standing by the door, as if ready to leave, said to me: "Well, hello there, stranger! You ... ? here ... ? Will miracles never cease?!"
She had always looked favorably on me. She embraced and kissed me, but I didn't understand what was going on. I then learned that Adriana had just become a mother, and they were all very pleased and excited. I could do no less than shake my victorious rival's hand.
I didn't know how to ask, and debated whether it would be better to remain silent or not. I then reached an intermediate solution. With feigned indifference, I said:
"Actually, I let myself in without ringing the doorbell because I thought I saw a panhandler with a big, dirty bag slip into your house, and I was afraid he might be getting in to steal something."
They looked at me in surprise: panhandler? bag? to steal? Well, they had all been in the living room the whole time and didn't know what I was talking about.
"Then I must surely be mistaken," I said.
They then invited me into the room where Adriana and her baby were. In situations like that, I never know what to say. I congratulated her, kissed her, looked at the little baby, and asked what name they were going to give him. They told me Gustavo, like his father; I would have liked the name Fernando better, but said nothing.
Back at home, I thought: "That was the panhandler whom old Don Cesareo killed, I'm sure of it. He didn't return to take revenge, though, but rather to be reincarnated in Adriana's child."
However, two or three days later, my hypothesis seemed ridiculous to me, and I gradually forgot it.
*
And I would have forgotten it completely if it weren't for the fact that in 1979 an incident made me remember it.
Further on in years now and feeling capable of less with each passing day, I let my attention touch lightly on a book I was reading next to the window, and then I allowed my glance to wander here and there.
Adriana's son, Gustavo, was playing on the flat roof terrace of his house. That was certainly a rather immature game for someone his age. I thought the boy must have inherited his father's scanty intelligence and that, had he been my son, he would doubtlessly have found a less insipid way to amuse himself.
He had placed a row of empty cans on the dividing wall and was trying to knock them over with stones thrown from three or four yards away. Naturally, almost all the rubble was falling into the neighboring garden of Don Cesareo. It occurred to me that the old man, absent at the time, was going to have a real fit when he discovered a large number of his flowers destroyed.
And just at that moment, Don Cesareo came out of the house into the garden. He truly was very old and walked with extreme unsteadiness, putting down with great caution now one foot and then the other. With frightful deliberateness he walked to the garden gate and prepared to descend the three steps that led down to the sidewalk.
At the same time, Gustavo - who didn't see the old man - finally hit one of the cans which, as it ricocheted off two or three juttings of the walls, fell with a loud racket into Don Cesareo's garden. The latter, who was in the midst of the short stairway, started at hearing the noise, made a sudden brusque motion, slipped wildly out of control, and shattered his skull on the first step.
I saw all of this, but neither the child had seen the old man, nor the old man the child. For some reason, Gustavo then abandoned the flat roof terrace. In a few seconds, a lot of people had already gathered around Don Cesareo(s corpse, and it was obvious an accidental fall had been the cause of his death.
The next day, I got up very early and immediately installed myself in the window. Don Cesareo's wake was being held in the pentagonalshaped house; there were several persons smoking and conversing out on the sidewalk.
Those people stood aside with revulsion and uneasiness when, a bit later, out of Adriana Bernasconi's house came the panhandler, once again with his rags, his overcoat, his straw hat, and his bag. He passed through the group of men and women, and slowly, gradually disappeared off into the distance, in the same direction from which he had come two times.
At noon I learned, to my sorrow but not to my surprise, that Gustavo was not found in his bed that morning. The Bernasconi family initiated a desperate search which, with stubborn hope, has continued to the present day. I never had the heart to tell them to give it up.
Comments
This short story is incredible! Compared to all the ones I..
This short story is incredible! Compared to all the ones I read in English, it is by far the most interesting and easy to read, yet it still contained a theme. Yes it is very predictable, but that does not take away from the suspense and the surprise. No one could have guessed that the child would disappear. I just found this site today and this is the first story I have read. I love how Fernando is able to use simplistic language to convey an important theme. I also love the fact that he is able to put himself in the story. Everybody should read this story.
Amazing.
Amazing.
Firstly I thought this was a well written short story, it..
Firstly I thought this was a well written short story, it kept to the point without suffocating the story with description. I thought the plot was okay, a little predictable. Although anyone expecting or wanting to be terrified or thrilled by this short story should not read it as it does neither, the short story does not seem much like a horror narrative. However because of the short length or the story I would say it is well worth a read for anyone with a spare five minutes or so, as it does slightly engage the reader. On the whole not a bad read although dont expect horror.
So so. Belongs in a ghost story compilation in the checkout..
So so. Belongs in a ghost story compilation in the checkout line.
Artfully rendered. Bravo.
Artfully rendered. Bravo.
Im going to try this one out on my high school class of..
Im going to try this one out on my high school class of reluctant readers. If it holds their interest, then the story will have passed a crucial test.
I enjoyed the story -- but believe it would do better as a..
I enjoyed the story -- but believe it would do better as a novella, or something more seriously fleshed-out. When the writer gives details, they are wonderful, and I want to see more of them. The theme is not strong enough to hold the story up on its own -- its everyones reactions, its the settings, its the *richness* of how the story is written that will remain with us. As it stands, this story is almost there. - Gisele
~WOW... Well written this story really moved me, keep up..
~WOW... Well written this story really moved me, keep up the good work~
This story is quite a gudden, its brilliant how the author..
This story is quite a gudden, its brilliant how the author ties the religious beliefs of reincarnation in to the story associated with some deaths.
Its a cracker but not much of a horror. vishal
Its a cracker but not much of a horror. vishal
I think this story is a good short worth reading little..
I think this story is a good short worth reading little piece which really keeps the attention of the reader throughout its short course. by rajib
This story is a good horror story. Its quite an expected..
This story is a good horror story. Its quite an expected ending, though
With that shortstory, I`ve made a very good report. For my..
With that shortstory, I`ve made a very good report. For my german class mates it wasn`t difficult to understand.
Very nice, but a bit dofficult with some words that I..
Very nice, but a bit dofficult with some words that I dont understand. Im learning english and I found it interesting and not easy.
COOL!!
COOL!!
Absolutely perfect. One of the very best short stories I..
Absolutely perfect. One of the very best short stories I have read in a long time. Just the right amount of detail to keep your interest up to the end.
how ever a confident reader i am i thought this story was..
how ever a confident reader i am i thought this story was absurd the anding was stupid and the middle was confusing stop giving this story 5 stars !!!!!
this story was straight forward which allowed it to follow..
this story was straight forward which allowed it to follow an original and interesting plot. any "confident reader" wouldnt be confused at any point in this story. i was kept in wonder of what would happen next and was eager to continue reading until the end. Sorrentini has done an excellent job! 5 stars!
This is quite a good story for children to read. It gives..
This is quite a good story for children to read. It gives them a moral lesson: the killing of a human being, though unintentionally,will never pass by without being avenged.You may hide the body, but never the spirit. A reader from Morocco.
This story was pretty good. Ive been reading it in..
This story was pretty good. Ive been reading it in Detention for one of my classes. I chose this story because it was pretty interesting at first and it followed out through the story. It was kind of predictable, but still good. I would rate this story about 4 stars.
Really good. I actually said wow when I finished reading..
Really good. I actually said wow when I finished reading it. But I agree its not exactly what I would call horror.
ive been reading other reviews and...its not his fault that..
ive been reading other reviews and...its not his fault that East of the Web decided to put this in the horrer section as well as the sci-fi section. it was obviously meant, by Sorrentino, to be sci-fi, not horrer. that said, great story i really enjoyed it.
i thought the witness/bystander ie the narrator would be..
i thought the witness/bystander ie the narrator would be punished as well for more definite moral lesson -- pretty disappointed i was
This is a horror story and scared. A tramp be killed by an..
This is a horror story and scared. A tramp be killed by an old man unexpectedly. And many years later, he may reincarnate in a baby. Maybe he want to return taking revenge. The story don’t realize easily, and not so short. So I spend time understanding, maybe I have not seldom read this before. But I love the story like this kind.
For me, the allure of this piece is its simple mystery. ..
For me, the allure of this piece is its simple mystery. All actions are announced and hypothesis are spelled out yet, in the end, the reader is still left wondering a bit. Great story.
SOmebody please explain to me: what is flat roof terrain ..
SOmebody please explain to me: what is flat roof terrain who is Gustavo , he is the pandhandler? Why did Don Cesareo did?
what a short story.Captures the readers attention till the..
what a short story.Captures the readers attention till the end,and has an intresting twist,its a fabulous read.
i think that they story was ok if you like those type of..
i think that they story was ok if you like those type of stories but it didnt really have much of a mystery to it. it was way to prdictable. but overall, i think it was a stry that you would read if you want to sleep at night.
absolutly amazing. sorrentino has nack for describing..
absolutly amazing. sorrentino has nack for describing natural, unavoidable phenonmena that completely overpower human resistance. i would not be suprised to find the author a likeable person, with a love for children and the outdoors, as well as having an approachable nature.
Great story with its precise character description...
Great story with its precise character description. Confusing but yet thrilling story plot. Definitly an A star story! Wei Jie
A story with an interesting introduction having precise..
A story with an interesting introduction having precise charaters which can be distinguished easily. Having a body which catches the readers attention to read on till the end.. Kenneth
HORROR... really catches my imagination.. total awesome..
HORROR... really catches my imagination.. total awesome..
I liked this story; it was simple yet had a good concept...
I liked this story; it was simple yet had a good concept. The fact that it seemed based on a true story made it more compelling to read. Not sure why Gustavo “disappeared” in the end however. Maybe I need to re-read it? :)
A common plot of comming back from the dead made cliche. ..
A common plot of comming back from the dead made cliche. Not nearly as original as I anticipated. Rather boorish.
I find the story to be riddled with irony. It also says a..
I find the story to be riddled with irony. It also says a lot about how curious humans are, with the man looking through his window unnoticed, facinated and captivated by the events in the lives of others.
I find the story to be riddled with irony. It also says a..
I find the story to be riddled with irony. It also says a lot about how curious humans are, with the man looking through his window unnoticed, facinated and captivated by the events in the lives of others.
i loved this story it was the best story i have read a long..
i loved this story it was the best story i have read a long time keep up the great work
aye, wos well decent. good ending too.
aye, wos well decent. good ending too.
this is an AWESOME story i chose it for a short story..
this is an AWESOME story i chose it for a short story project. IT ROCKS :)
A very good story, though not sure that it is a horror..
A very good story, though not sure that it is a horror story. Kept me captivated, like to read such stories more often.
This story is very interesting. I would never had came up..
This story is very interesting. I would never had came up with any idea like this one. This very creative. Good job. You should continue to write stroies like this one or maybe even differdnt. Good luck on your next one.
Im not a fan of short stories. Authors have a tendency to..
Im not a fan of short stories. Authors have a tendency to focus so much on the story build-up, that they forget about grammar. However, I was very drawn to this one in particular.
Not a horror story at all. At the end of the story the bum..
Not a horror story at all. At the end of the story the bum should have turned to the man in the window (the narrator) and nodded. If the narrator had reported the accident to the authorities the bum never would have had the opportunity to get his revenge. I don’t know, something to make it more exciting.
I thought it was a great story very well writtin and..
I thought it was a great story very well writtin and ironic. But you told the reader to much. There was nothing realy to infer or ponder.
I didnt understand the story.. Most of it I understood, but..
I didnt understand the story..
Most of it I understood, but some I didnt.
Like..Is the little boy ...the tramp?
Is he reincarnated?
Or...Are the tramp stealing the child Gustavo from the house?
I accept the explanation of September spring because the..
I accept the explanation of September spring because the story is written south of the equator, but what about "a veritable rainbow of dark-colored rags?"
Are the rainbows dark in South America too?
i thought it was a brilliant story, but it was a bit..
i thought it was a brilliant story, but it was a bit obvious. i would certainly read it again.
george sawyer
I thought it was a great story, but it was a little bit..
I thought it was a great story, but it was a little bit obvious and you could tell what was going to happen next.I would ceartainly read it again or buy the book.
I liked this story it has a very good myster.
I liked this story it has a very good myster.
Message from Fernando Sorrentino, about: [Posted..
Message from Fernando Sorrentino, about:
[Posted 2006-03-03 15:50:28
I accept the explanation of September spring because the story is written south of the equator, but what about "a veritable rainbow of dark-colored rags?"
Are the rainbows dark in South America too?]
I think that (maybe) there is a misinterpretation of the original Spanish text. Other translators wrote:
"How could I help but notice this man? He was a beggar or a tramp, a scarecrow draped in shreds and patches."
Greetings,
FS
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