The Neighborhood Hero

My name is Sogoro Sahito, I’m a man at age 40. I did quite well in school when I was young, so I managed to skip a year. When I was seventeen, a few weeks after I graduated, my parents passed away from a car accident. After that I found myself working to the bone to keep myself alive, and get myself through university. After getting my associate degree in literature, I decided to move back home to Sendai. Upon getting back I was contacted by my father’s attorney to stop by his office. My father wrote in his will that if anything happened to him and mom, I would inherit the family home if no one bought it. My father also left some money saved for me, something to get me started after I graduated. I found myself crying, firstly due to how grateful I felt. Secondly, due to grief, my father's gift from beyond the grave reminded me of how he always tried his best for our family. Everything reminded me of how much I missed them, of how I wished they were still right by my side.

I found myself moving back into my old home, it changed so much in three years. I decided to clean up the place, and that’s when I found a housekeeping guide left by my mother. I decided to look inside, only to start trembling as I read her handwriting. She wrote down exactly what was needed for certain chores, but what broke me were the little notes she left in the margins.

Today, little Sougo ran into the dinner table. Remember salt is good for bumps.

Sougo has a weakness for ice pops, especially homemade ones!

Wee one decided he didn’t want to eat his carrots, looks like I need to be a little creative!

“...Mom.”

I started bawling without a pause, I was afraid of this. I was afraid of the loneliness, but I can't just stay like this. My parents would want me to keep pausing forward, as their son it’s the least I could do. Making a declaration in my heart, I continued living in honor of my parents. In order to show further filial piety, I decided to pick up my mother’s hobby of gardening. As for honoring my father, I decided to step into his old career and become a postman. Twenty years later, I’m still doing just that.

****

That is to say, after twenty years this is getting a little tiresome.

“Ye-owch!”

“Grrrr!!!!!”

There I was, getting attacked by a Mastiff. After twenty years, I’ve realized the best thing to do in these situations was play dead. Well, play dead and pray I wouldn’t get peed on. While I hoped I would need to break out the luxury detergent, the Mastiff playfully chomped down on my arm.

“Ye-owch! Wait, I give! I give!”

“Woof!”

The dog lifted my arm playfully, as if to say he won. When did I become enemy number one for these dogs?

“Huh? Mr.Sahito? *Gasp* Arnold! Let go of him this instant!”

Hearing the voice of his owner, Arnold released me. Ms. Mizuno began scolding her pup for his behavior, well I guess he’s a little too old to be a pup. Perhaps out of guilt, I decided to reward Arnold’s efforts. I took out a biscuit from my pocket and gave it to him.

“Good game Arnold!”

“Woof!”

“Mr. Sahito, if you spoil him like that he’ll never learn.”

“Oh, sorry Ms. Mizuno.”

“It’s fine, kindness is a part of your charm.”

With that I grabbed my bike and began my tour around the neighborhood, I have two hours before my next slot after all. One of the things I loved about this job was the wind blowing through my hair as I rode down the city streets. As I did passerbys would shout hello to me, I guess that’s another bonus of the job. Being a neighborhood hero, just like my father once was.

“Hey Sogoro, heard at work or hardly working!”

“Oh, Good Afternoon Detective Habara! How's the patrol?”

Beside me was Detective Habara, he mainly handles investigations but sometimes he helps out the police as well.

“Actually, I was meaning to ask, by any chance have you seen a red Sedan with a suspicious trunk?”

“Oh, like that one?”

We both stared at a red Sedan with a rainbow trunk, Detective Habara smirked and caught his left fist with his right hand.

“That’s the guy! Good eyes Sogoro!”

Habara’s car sped off so fast his coffee went flying out the window. I gave a silent salute and went on about my business. I decided to stop by my house and grab some lunch, but I found myself hitting a snag.

“Hey look! It’s Loserman! Get him!”

It was the son of the Sakurai’s, he and his gang loved picking at me. They began their usual routine of throwing rocks and jeers at me.

“Loser! Get a real job!”

“Did a dog beat you up again!”

“How was that old lady’s lemonade!”

I ignored their comments and turned nimbly on my bike in order to dodge their projectiles.

“Sorry kids, You’ll have to try harder than that!”

“Oh yeah, well let’s see how you dodge this!”

The Sakurai’s boy picked up a strange object in his hand, I couldn’t tell what it was at first. Upon realizing what I was dealing with, I immediately tried to speed away. Sadly I wasn’t so lucky this time, as his ammo reached its mark. I felt a soft yet stall substance hit the back of my head, I touched it to make sure it wasn’t what I thought it was. I was wrong, terribly wrong!

“Hope you enjoy scrubbing the poop off your hat old man!”

With that, those boys began laughing at my plight and ran away. I couldn’t help but sigh, I guess I will need that luxury detergent after all.

****

“Luckily I always have an extra uniform at the ready.”

I put on my second uniform after a quick shower, it was properly ironed and checked for lint too. Luckily my partner was here when I needed a hand.

“To think those boys flung dog feces at you, maybe its time we had a sit down with the Sakurais.”

“That would be good, but at the same exact time I don’t want to add blood to the water. Especially since they go to the same school.”

“*Sigh* You’re too nice honey, but that’s also the reason I fell in love with you.”

My wife Haruka winked at me and got back to making lunch. I met her back when I was twenty five, it all started with a package mix-up. After that the rest was history, and ten years ago-

“Dad!”

“Oh, Tomoro! How’s my favorite son doing!”

“Dad, I’m your only son!”

I lifted up my son, and twirled him in the air. Until my back nearly gave out, this resulted in Haruka giving me a quick massage. After that we enjoyed a light meal together, with sandwiches and a simple salad.

“Make sure to take care of yourself honey.”

“I will dear, I doubt I’ll run into those kids a second time.”

“Those kids? Did Saki mess with you again today dad!”

Tomoro slammed his hands on the table and looked me in the eyes, where did my son gain such conviction?

“Tomoro, there’s no need to-”

“No Dad! It’s not right that those guys get to pick at you and treat you like garbage. Why don’t you speak up, or chase them off!”

“That’s not what a postman does…”

“So what, you're just gonna keep getting hurt by those guys?”

“If it allows me to continue being a friend to all my neighbors than yes.”

Tomoro looked down for a moment, and then back at me with tears in his eyes.

“Well you know what, fine be their punching bag! I don’t want to have a spineless father anyway!”

Tomoro ran up to his room, as soon as he slammed his door I found myself clutching my heart.

“Dear, Tomoro didn’t mean it. He just hates seeing you get hurt, you’re his hero afterall.”

“I know Haruka, I used to say similar things to my father back then too.”

“I see, then using that perspective, are you sure you want to keep the same stance your father did?”

Haruka didn’t look at me with frustration, or anger, she asked me with the same cadence she’d ask one of her patients. All I could do at that moment was sit there and think, was this really okay?

****

Tomoro’s frustration and Haruka’s worries got me thinking about a lot of things. I've been doing this job for a long time. I’ve been attacked by dogs, had to put up with annoyed clients, and picked on by neighborhood kids. After twenty years, I’m finally starting to feel the weight of it all. My eyes don’t glow like they used to, my hair has some greys mixed in, and my muscles are sore constantly. To add onto that, my family has started to worry about me. Is this truly how I should spend the rest of my life? Is this what I really want? As I thought about it, I began to remember a conversation I had with my father as a child.

Hey Dad, why do you work as a postman? Don’t you hate it?

Of course the job is unsavory at times, but I do enjoy it. After all, this job allows me to be there for people when they need someone the most.

Be there when people need someone? Dad, what exactly did you mean back then? I decided to push my thoughts back for later, that’s when I noticed something. Saki, or rather Sakurai boy, went out in the middle of the street to get his ball. That’s dangerous! What if-

I couldn’t finish my sentence, I found myself peddling harder than I have ever peddled. A truck horn blared as it sped towards Saki, upon seeing the truck he screamed and dropped his ball. I rushed in and grabbed him just in time as the truck sped by. Saki was trembling until he realized he was safe.

“W-Why! Why are you here!”

“Because helping the people of this town is my job!”

Saki froze for a moment, then he looked away with a flushed face. I guess I left a good impression, but sadly I didn’t have time to admire myself. As if it were a prank, right after narrowly dodging that truck, a Honda came charging in at a greater speed. I knew I wouldn’t make it, so I used the last of my strength to throw Saki out of the way. I got him to safety, but in the next moment I was flying through the air. After that, my consciousness became hazy. When I opened my eyes next a group of people surrounded me, Saki was shaking my body and getting blood on himself in doing so. His eyes were red with tears, he begged me not to die. A woman pulled him away, and someone yelled to call an ambulance. The Honda got pulled over, and the driver was being handcuffed by Habara. He glanced my way and then trembled with a tear in his eye. I see, it’s okay buddy, I don’t blame you. That said…Before I go…

“...Please, my family…let me speak with my family…”

I feel cold all of a sudden, it feels like I’m being submerged in water. I can’t move anymore, I’m starting to lose my vision. Dammit, why’d it have to end like this! I committed the same mistake I swore I’d never make! I failed to see my son graduate, Tomoro, please forgive me!

…Haruka…forgive me…

****

The day was dying down, and in a forest a girl was walking by. Her age could pass for a middle schooler, her fashion was punk themed. She munched on pretzel sticks as she followed the dot on her device’s screen.

“Let’s see…Here’s our new hire! Ha! Fella got taken out by Honda-san!”

The girl began laughing hysterically, as she pointed her finger at the unconscious man.

“I’m going to enjoy breaking you!”

With a sinister smile, the girl grabbed the man’s leg and began dragging him back to town.