Llegando

She’s gonna be late. She knew it. Even though she got up and out of the apartment thirty minutes earlier than normal, she still wasn't going to make it into the lecture hall before Dr. Watson finished his post-chapter review. She's been warned already this semester that tardiness would not be tolerated in this course. Yet here she was, getting ready to rack up her third such tardy in as many weeks. If only she had a few bucks, she'd stop and pick Dr. Watson up a doughnut. She was already late, so what harm could it have done? Oh well, she thought. The joys of being a poor college student.

As she walked down Georgia Avenue, she was completely lost in her thoughts. How was she going to pay for next semester? She’s in her senior year, there is no room for a "gap semester" if she wants to start dental school on time. The advantage of attending the most prestigious historically black college in the nation is that the academics speak for themselves. She’s already gained admission to the dental school of her choice. The disadvantage, however, is that Howard University doesn't stay prestigious by allowing students to default on tuition, even if just a few weeks. With two months to ensure that she has her full Spring tuition, the prospects aren’t looking good.

Back in Santo Domingo, her grandmother always joked that someone had put a mal de ojo on Arelis as a punishment for her mother fleeing to birth her in the States. She used it to explain why Arelis seemed to be followed by bad luck. Indeed, she hadn’t really had it easy and today felt no different.

Arelis turned onto W Street paying little attention to her surroundings, lost in her thoughts. She stumbled. Did she trip over something? It didn’t feel like it. She looked down and noticed a small black journal by her foot. She didn’t know why, but she felt like it belonged to her. She knew how illogical this was, but couldn’t shake it. She wasn’t carrying any books or journals in her hands; they were all in her backpack. Still, the book was familiar and she knew that she had to pick it up.

She inspected the journal and noticed that, while the edges were a bit worn, the book was in good shape. She was mesmerized by the feel of the book in her hands. A yearning to open it washed over her when the blare of a car horn snapped her back to reality. She was standing in the middle of the street, the driver of the car yelling at her as he swerved past. Looking at her watch, she realized that she was now a whole 20 minutes late for Dr. Watson’s lecture. Journal in hand, Arelis sprinted the last hundred feet to the entrance of the medical sciences building.

Arelis slid into an open seat near the lecture hall entrance. She could feel the heat of Dr. Watson’s gaze as he followed her every movement. She could only imagine the paper she would have to craft for this incident. Ok, time to get focused, she thought.

The overwhelming feeling to open the journal returned. She couldn’t focus on Dr. Watson’s voice. All of her thoughts were being silenced by the desire to open the book. Arelis finally opened the cover of the journal. It definitely did belong to someone else, which she always knew would be the case.

These are the thoughts of Rafael de la Cruz. If you are reading this, then I have either misplaced this journal or I am no longer among the living.

What an odd way to begin a journal, she thought. She turned the book over to see if there was any contact information for Rafael. Nothing. She flipped through the first twenty pages or so, looking for a phone number. Nothing. She decided to read through a few pages, maybe she could ascertain how to find Rafael and return his journal.

2nd of March, 1976

Merely months away from graduation and I still don’t know how I’m going to pay for dental school! I can’t believe my scholarship was rescinded. I’ve done nothing wrong! How was I supposed to know that only citizens of this country were eligible? I’m screwed, I don’t know what I’m going to do.

As Arelis read, she couldn’t help but immediately feel connected to Rafael. How could a stranger from so long ago be so relatable? She felt drawn to keep reading. Instead of listening to the lesson, that’s exactly what she did.

15th of April, 1976

What a crazy day! Walking back from labs, I met the most interesting guy. He reminded me of my abuelito back in Higuey. His name was Balaam. Such an odd name. He told me his mother didn’t know how to spell and was trying to name him Allen. “Enough about my name, call me Al,” he said. We chatted for a few. Me going over my financial woes and him sharing stories of the city. As we parted ways, he told me he had a gift for me. He handed me a piece of paper with 06-02-06-09-06 scribbled on it. He told me that these lucky numbers would allow me to win the lotto on my first try. I thought he was coo coo for Coco Puffs, but I thanked him nonetheless. Don’t know why, but I feel like things may be looking up.

1st of June 1976

I can’t believe it. I did it. I don’t know what came over me, but I’ll just count the dollar I played as a loss. I bought the damned ticket, so I guess I should hold onto it until the drawing on Friday. You never know, maybe I’ll get lucky. Or maybe I won’t. This day stinks, I’m going to bed.

Loud conversations brought Arelis back to the present. She’d just spent the entire class reading Rafael’s journal. She quickly packed up her things, trying to sneak out before Dr. Watson had a chance to stop her. It didn’t matter; she knew that if she didn’t catch the tongue lashing in person, there’d be a less than pleasant email awaiting her in her inbox before the next class. She was hungry and all she wanted was an unhealthy meal to drown her sorrows in. She was too broke to stop for fast food, so she settled on making herself the most absurd ramen she could as soon as she got back to the apartment.

She dropped her stuff on the counter, immediately lying across the sofa. Tiana wouldn’t be home for several hours, so she had this time to herself. She would eat. She would get some work done. She’d even make time to call her mom and check in. This was her plan, but in reality all she wanted to do was read Rafael’s journal.

4th of June 1976

This has to be a dream. I keep pinching myself but I’m definitely awake. I won! I checked the numbers after my shift and I actually won! The lottery representative told me that after taxes, I should walk away with about $15,000. That’s enough to cover at least the first two semesters of dental school! Jesus Christo heard my prayers!!

Arelis jumped up from the sofa. She couldn’t fathom what was going through her mind. She didn’t believe in luck. She didn’t believe in Christ or any other god. Yet here she was feeling as if this journal, Rafael, the numbers, all of it were given to her for a reason. This was what she needed to solve her tuition woes! She’d play the lotto and win just like Rafael had done so many years ago. Her rational side knew how ridiculous this all sounded, but down to the liquor she went. She had just thirty minutes to buy a ticket before the cut off for tonight’s DC Lottery drawing.

Arelis walked into the liquor like someone who had already won the lottery and was picking up their prize. She waited her turn at the lotto counter and confidently read off the numbers she was playing to the clerk. She just spent her last dollar on the lottery ticket and was happy to remember that she’d already bought groceries to last her through the week. When her stipend payment arrived in her bank account on Friday, it would just be extra money because she just knew she was going to hit the lottery.

The clock seemed to be moving extra slow as Arelis waited for the lotto drawing. She planned to pass the time getting some work done, but in reality she just lay on the couch dreaming about what she’d do with her winnings. It was finally time, and she could barely contain her excitement. The numbers 06-02-06-08-06 flash across the screen. Arelis immediately realizes that she didn’t win the grand prize, but the 4 numbers that did match were enough for the $25,000 prize. Jumping and screaming, she could hardly contain her excitement. She wouldn’t be able to collect her prize until the next day, but no matter. After the required taxes, she would still walk away with $20,000 - more than enough to cover her remaining tuition bill!

Sleep was impossible. She was too excited to sleep. She lay in her bed just visualizing how incredible it was going to feel walking out of the billing office with a zero balance left on her account. She would use the remaining funds to pay her rent for the remainder of the school year and purchase a ticket home with what was left over. Finally, 7am! She could throw on some sweats and triumphantly walk into the liquor store to pick up her prize.

She grabbed her purse and Rafael’s journal. Rushing past Tiana, and without giving her any explanation, she was out the door. She opened up Rafael’s journal and picked up where she left off, almost as if they could share each other’s good fortunes in the moment.

6th of June 1976

It’s all coming together. I just picked up my lottery winnings. I’m walking straight to the administration building now. Nothing is going to stop me from paying

Arelis froze. There’s nothing else. She flipped the pages looking for the rest of Rafael’s entry, but there was nothing. Strange, but she didn’t have time to figure out where the rest of Rafael’s victorious story was, she had her own to focus on. She walked into the liquor store and provided the clerk with her winning lottery ticket. As she waited for him to confirm all of the information with the lottery office, she felt antsy. He needed to hurry up so that she could march into the billing office, slam her payment down on the counter and dance her happy dance.

It felt like an eternity, but the clerk finally returned, congratulating her and handing her a check for $20,000. Arelis ran out of the store and straight to the school credit union where her measly checking account was waiting for a deposit - any deposit - to return it to good standing. While she waited in line, she decided that Rafael’s journal was now her journal. They were forever bonded by their good fortunes and she would add to his journal to honor their connection.

10/31/20

Llegando! I made it! Just finish depositing my lottery winnings and I’m going straight to the teller’s counter. I am done with damned tuition problems. Howard can have this money because I am

If only she’d been paying more attention to where she was walking and less attention to her journal entry, Arelis may have heard the bus instead of stepping off of the curb. Indeed, like Rafael before her, focussing on her “luck” proved to be pretty unlucky.