Who am I?

A loud knock echoed through the apartment. Someone yells to try to get the attention of the person inside. A man wakes up hearing these noises. His head starts to ache as removes the sheet. He thinks to himself why he is in pain, so he tries to remember the previous day. His first thought was that he might have been drinking. Only blank thoughts came to him yesterday. He tried to remember someone he knew that would help to remember. At first, he thought of a friend. Then, a coworker. Finally, his parents. He draws a blank every time. Thinking of a question to ask himself. A question he spoke out loud. He hoped that someone is listening that can answer his question.

“Who am I?” He asked.

He runs to the knock. Hoping to find some answers. Opening the door, he sees a pretty petite woman. With her short chestnut hair and voluptuous curves. She looked as though she was about to say something, but her hand went to cover her eyes.

“I know it’s a hot day,” she said. “But at least put some clothes on before seeing your landlord.”

“My landlord?” He stated it as a question.

“Yes. Now hurry up and get dressed, so we can talk.”

He closed the door to look around the apartment. To his surprise, there was very little he had. A table with one chair. A single sofa without a tv facing it. In the bedroom, it was just the bed that he just slept in. His clothes were in a duffle bag. He hopes that they didn’t smell bad as he put on the clothes. After he gets done, he walks back over to his landlord. She waited outside of his apartment.

“Finally,” she declared. “You are late for this month’s rent.” She held out her hand.

He was startled by how aggressive she was. “Before I give you your money, could you answer one question?” He asked. She looked annoyed, yet nodded in response. “Can you tell me who I am?”

As soon as she responded, her mind became blank on how he was. She knew that he was one of his tenants, and it has been over a year since he moved into the apartment. It wouldn’t have bothered her if it was just his name. Since many people are living in the building. She couldn’t remember everyone’s name. For some reason, she couldn’t remember the first time meeting him. Thinking about it was starting to give her a headache.

“It doesn’t matter who you are,” she stated. “I need this month’s rent.”

“You haven’t answered my question.” He said. “You won’t be getting rent money before you tell me what I require to know.”

She pushes her way into the apartment. “Look, I just need this month’s rent. If you hurry up, I will leave.”

The man started to get mad. “Then I’ll call the police to make you leave.”

“I’m still the landlord. As such, I still own the apartment that you live in.”

“Do you remember if we are at least friends?”

“Why are you asking that?”

“You won’t answer my first question, so this question might be easier to answer.”

“No, we are not friends.”

“How do you know? You didn’t even think about it.”

“I don’t even have to think about it. What is with all these questions? I thought you wanted me to answer one question.” She said on the verge of yelling.

“I can’t remember who I am. I just need something to tell me who I am.”

She looked into his eyes to see if he is lying. His eyes didn’t waver as they made eye contact. Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself down.

“Fine,” she said. “I will try to remember if we were friends.”

“Just check with your earlier memory,” he pleaded. “Maybe we were friends as kids.”

She leaned against the wall. Recalling her childhood memories. She didn’t like her past as much. As she tries to remember, the man just stared at her. He admires her body but wonders what made her into such a bitch. As he pondered this, an image appeared in his mind. He saw a little girl crying on a swing while the other children made fun of her. He felt sorry for this girl. He wished that there was some way he could help this girl. The image suddenly changes. Where a boy appears and other kids just disappeared. He held out his hand and asked, “Do you want to be friends?” The little girl just nodded and took his hand. The man came to a sudden realization that the boy was himself. He didn’t know how he knew. It was just that he knew.

“I remember,” she blurted out. “You were my childhood friend that saved me from those bullies. How could I not have realized it sooner?”

At the same time, the man came out of his trance. “Wait, you remember me?” he asked.

“Yes, you are the one that saved me from these bullies. I would have become a terrible person if you didn’t save me.” She looked into his eye with love and trust. There wasn’t a hint of the person earlier.

“Then, do you know my name?”

She wanted to answer, yet her mind was still blank on who he is. “No, but I’m willing to help you to find your lost memories. Just as you helped me out.” She clasps his hands together and gives a small kiss on the cheek. Then, she starts to walk out the door.

“What about the rent?”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll cover it. Since we are friends.” She smiles as the door closes.

The man sat on the chair. To review what just happened. He wonders what made her suddenly change like that. Also, the image that he saw with the girl and the boy. It didn’t make a lot of sense. A sudden ring coming from the other room made him jump. Following the sound, it came from one of the pockets in the duffel bags. He pulled out to reveal an old flip phone.