Michael Cerasoli Chapter 1

The heart beats forward -

a story of how a single man

changed an entire country.

Michael Cerasoli <mike.cerasoli@gmail.com>

1:44 AM (0 minutes ago)

 

Table of Contents

Chapter 1                A family in need.

 

 

 

 

Prelude

 

A story of a person who moves to a fascist country and how he tries to make things work for everyone without undermining the government. 

 

 

 

Chapter 1   A family in need.

 

 

It was a beautiful day.  The sun was shining and the season was just starting to change.  John Faust woke up and started to get ready for what was to become the most challenging time of his life. 

 

Was he making the right decision?  Would this work.  His family overseas was struggling in a economy that was pressured by a government that taxed them and made things very difficult for them and John, who had visited them many times, decided he was going to help his Uncle Benjamin with his business.  

 

A car was beeping in front of the house.  He looked out the window and saw his friend Alex was outside.

 

"Come on in!", said John. 

 

John went down the stairs into the kitchen were his wife Tammy was preparing him breakfast.

 

"Good morning, sweetheart!, did you have a good sleep?", said Tammy.

 

"Yes.  Is everything ready for us.  Alex just pulled up", said John.

 

"I know I heard him beeping".

 

A door is knocking on the side door in the kitchen.

 

"Come in!", said John.

 

Alex enters the house.

 

"Hey, good morning everybody", said Alex.

 

"Good Morning", said John and Tammy.

 

"Thank you for showing up here so early.  And thanks for offering to take us to the airport", said John emphatically.

 

"Not a problem, John.  I'm happy for you.  I'm glad you're going to see your family back in your country."

 

John was a well educated man.  He graduated head of his class and the top 2 percent of the country.  He had a great career as a project manager and technology engineer and worked for many Fortune 500 companies.  After his career and success, John began to work for local businesses helping them and middle class families in these very trying times.  From time to time John would consult at some of the big Universitites, Hospitals, and Businesses to bring in extra income.  His house was paid off, his children were grown up and married with children of their own, and family was doing very well.  

 

This made John very happy and successful.  He wanted to give back for all that had been given to him.  His family overseas was struggling in an economy more uneven than the one he lived in.  I mean, many people here were "surviving" but there was also many like himself that were doing very well.  

 

But for his Aunts and Uncles and Cousins overseas, it was much worse.  The government had very few rich people who had a lot and most of them were very very poor.  Throughout the years he would visit them, quite frequently as a matter of fact.  The communities got worse and worse.  There wasn't a lot of crime, probably because of the capital punishment and the fear-stricken people who were worried more about feeding their families.  

 

In addition to that, they were good people.  So when the rich got richer the poor people, who used to be middle class, just kept working harder. It was something John could relate with.  John always felt that the best way to deal with a situation was to work through it.  And the best way to change a business would be to work with them, not against them.

 

His friends would always say to him "Why do you do so much work for nothing?".  John would reply "You know, if I giving even to the most miserable people then they've won!  If one day I wake up and say I'm not going to help people anymore then all the people that resent anyone who is successful, anyone who craves to be educated and enjoy the rewards of their success, then they've won!  And people won't believe anymore in working hard and achieving their goals.  They're be no hope, no desire to succeed, and no love of doing something just because it hasn't been done before.", "What kind of a world would be that?"

 

They were surely speaking in jest.  They all knew John was hopeful and helpful in anyway he knew how.  They just couldn't understand at times when he would give up his own career and time just to start at the bottom again and work his way up.

 

"I hope you know what you're doing?", Alex said, "I've seen you time and time again helping people out and not getting anything in return for it."  "I'm just watching out for you, you know?"

 

"You know I'm not the saint or martyr or just plain idiot like some would think I am.  It's actually strategic, and I tell people this all the time, Alex."  You see all these companies if they would only give back a FRACTION of what they earn from people they would respect them for it.  Most people just want enough to support their families and live a good wholesome life.  It's enough for many people just to know they are secure and can live their life freely.  What's wrong with giving them that, helping to educate them on their terms, and making them happy.  "I would say you'd be stupid NOT TO HELP THEM." 

 

"Here's your coffee, John.  Your breakfast will be ready in a few minutes", said Tammy.

 

"Alex would you like something to eat too.  Some coffee perhaps?"

 

"Yes, please, and thank you!", said Alex.

 

"Besides its the right thing to do.", said John.  "I've reached my goals, time and time again, but always found the need to start over.  Hey listen my house is paid, my children are doing well, and I even have college funds setup for my grandchildren."  

 

"I'm doing just fine!", he said confidently, "If I can help my family while

they're still around and I'm still able then that's just wonderful!".  "My grandparents would have done the same for me as they did for all of us growing up.  They taught us well and just because they're not around doesn't mean that I won't live to help my family and then to help others.", "they are around, they're in our hearts, and I'm only beginning to understand the things they mean and the joy that they brought us".  

 

"You make a lot of sense sometimes, John.", you really do.

 

"Well this field of mine has been a good one.  You know working with computers has been the most interesting field I could ever have imagined.  It wasn't like I was an engineer tied down to my work.  Oh no!  Information Technology, as they called it, allowed me to walk through any door, any businesses, whether it was medical, educational, financial, legal, entertainment, or government just because people had a need and desire to use computers."

 

This was very true being a computer engineer was not like being an ordinary engineer.  The real engineers used to have to submit thousands upon thousands of pages of documentations just to get a product put though to productions while in the computer field you pretty much could do whatever you wanted as long a it worked and you could deliver, you were hired!  Heck you were hired even if you CLAIMED you could deliver.

 

"This job with the government overseas will be challenging, but the balls in my court!  I will look forward to presenting myself and hopefully make it reasonable for them to change the way they look at technology, and the way they look at people".  

 

"Good Luck, John, Good Luck!  I mean it." 

 

"Hey, listen.  Don't worry about me, man.  Its still a democratic state over there, by law.  I just have to find peace one there and come up with a plan that will work for everyone". 

 

"Besides I will be back every two months religiously!  I'm not going to pass up on seeing my grandchildren growing up, and neither is your mother for that matter."

 

John and Alex sat and ate breakfast, continuing to talk about current events, sports, and family like they normally do.  Tammy  started to get everything ready for them to leave for their next adventure. 

 

Knock, Knock, Knock.  The door in the front of the house sounds..  John's son Nick and his wife Alexus enter.

 

"Mom, Dad are you there?", Nick says.

 

"Yes, Nick.  Were in the kitchen."

 

Nick walks in and Alexus follows him.

 

"Oh Hi Dad, Hi Alex.  How are you guys doing?"

 

Alex nods and says "What's up Nick?  Just seeing your Dad off on his next adventure".  

 

"Yea, I know right?", says Nick, "What's up with this guy?  Can't he just leave well enough alone?"

 

Nick's Dad looks down and smiles.

 

"Yea, I keep telling him its time to slow down", says Alex, "But you know your father, always trying to do the right thing here.", he says in a "slangish" voice. 

 

"Listen, Nick, do you have a printout of the plane tickets?", John asks.

 

"Yea, Dad here you go!  Everything is a-ok.  You're all clear, kid!", Nick says, referring to a Star wars movie when Han Solo is telling Luke Skywalker that it was ok to fire against the Death Star.

 

"Thank you Nick.  Thank you."

 

Nick's mom enters the room.  "Oh, hi Nick!, Hi Alexus", thanks for coming by.  She kisses her son on the cheek and gives her daughter-in-law a great big hug.  

 

"Nick, all the bags are by the front door would you be so kind and bring them to Alex's car?".

 

"No problem, Mom.  No problem."  

 

Nick leaves the room.

 

"So where are my beautiful grandchildren, they couldn't make it to see us off?", Tammy asks.

 

"No, actually Christie is picking them up from my Mothers house and bringing them over here.  They're actually on their way.  She's been driving for a year already, you know?". Alexus replies.

 

"Look there they are now!"

 

They both look out the window and see Nick's daughter pull up with their two sons, Joey and Andrew, both 6 and 7 years old.  When the car stops the two kids come running out of the car.  They enter the side door by the kitchen and say "Grandpa, Grandpa".

 

Grandpa is already into a full fledge conversation with Alex.  

 

"Excuse me Alex", John says as the kids are running towards him.

 

"Grandpa, Grandpa" is all they can say as they jump on grandpa's lap.

 

"I need a giant catchers mitt to catch these guys", "damn they're fast!"

 

"Alright! Alright! what's the big fuss here today, gentleman", "how are we doing today?", "is everything alright?".

 

"Yes, grandpa Yes!", Joey says, "Me and Andrew both helped Mommy and Daddy make dinner last night, and then we watched the baseball game with Daddy on TV".

 

"Quite a series this has been, huh Andrew?"

 

"Oh yes, the guy hit a home run in the 9th inning and won the game for everyone.  He brought in 3 "Ribbies".", Andrew replied confidently. 

 

"You mean R-B-I's?", said Grandpa

 

"Yea, Grandpa, RIBBIES!", said Joey.

 

"Thats what the announcers say now", said Alex.

 

"Oh", said Grandpa, "I know that I'm just teasing".

 

So as things would proceed everyone sat around and had breakfast with Grandpa and Alex.  The car was packed and ready to go.  They stayed and talked for an hour or so, and then everyone got into Alex's SUV and went to the airport to see them off.  Tammy was crying and happy at the same time and hugging everyone.  Nick told his father if there was anything he needed that he would fly out there in a second to help him. The grandkids hugged grandma and grandpa told them they would be back soon.  It was a beautiful day.

 

Next thing you know it was time to go.

"Alright Alex, I guess that's it for today.  Thanks for your help.", said Nick.

 

"No problem, John, anytime.", said Alex.