5 more minutes

Sam is a 17-year-old ordinary teenager, living in an ordinary neighborhood, in an ordinary city, in the non-ordinary United States of America.

He studies in a public school near his house. He has many friends and many of them are as old as he is. They like pretty much the same things: American football, baseball and video games. Oh yeah... and they love weed.

Sam is in his bedroom. He is listening to music. Someone knocks on his door.

- Sam.

He cannot hear because the music is too loud.

- Saaaaaaaaam...

- Mom ?!?!?

- Turn it down.

- Oh, sorry.

- Wow. Look at your bedroom. When was the last time you cleaned it? When was the last time you made your bed?

- I don't know.

- Come on, Sammie. You gotta keep your bedroom tight.

- Why should I make my bed in the morning if I'm gonna unmake it at night?

- My God. Your are sooo lazy. Just like your father.

- HEEEEYYYY !!! I CAN HEAR YOU, HON.

- SORRY, BABY, BUT IT IS TRUE.

- OK.

Sam starts listening to music again.

- Saaaaam. You know what? Turn it off. Now.

- But you were talking to dad.

- Turn it down. NOW.

- Ok. Relax, mom.

- How can I relax? Look at this place. It is a mess.

- I'll clean it up later, mom. I promise. Now, can I listen to my music?

- Sam, your grandma is really sick.

- Grandma???

- Yeah. Your father and I are going to the hospital to see her. I want you to go with us.

- Today???

- Yeah. We are going in the afternoon. After lunch.

- But mooooom...

- But mom what?

Sam points to his shirt. His mother does not understand. He insists.

- Mom, look at this. What do you see?

- I see a number.

- Good. What number is this?

- 49.

- Good. Aaaaaaand...

- And what?

- Doesn't this number ring any bell, mom?

His mother takes a good look at his shirt and says:

- No. Nothing.

- SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS.

- What is it?

- It is a football team, mom. EVERYBODY KNOWS IT.

- Well, I am not everybody.

- It is the greatest American football team ever.

- NO, IT'S NOT. THE GREATEST IS NEW YORK GIANTS. (says his father from the kitchen)

- DADDYYYY.

- SORRY. I COULDN'T HELP LISTENING.

- Mom, I can't go today.

- Why not?

- Today is Superbowl.

- And?

- Aaand? The country... no, the world stops to watch it. And the 49ers are in the finals.

- Look, son. I don't care. We are going to visit your grandma.

- I'M NOT GOING. I don't wanna go.

- Yes, you are.

- No, I am not. Pleeeeease, mom. I'll go tomorrow. I promise.

- We don't know if she will be alive tomorrow.

- Grandma??? Of course she will. She is a very strong woman.

- Listen. I never force you to do anything, you know that. But I really would like you to come with us.

- Mom, you know I love grandma, right? But it is Superbowl...

Sam's mother looks at him. She wants Sammie to go with her, but she has made a promise to never force him to do anything he does not want to. She wants him to take his own decisions. 

- Ok. You stay home. But tomorrow you're going to visit your grandma.

Sam stands up, crosses his heart and says:

- Cross my heart and hope to die.

His mom leaves the room. After 20 seconds she returns and hugs him for a long time. He does not understand. She is crying.

- Mom? Why are you crying?

- Nothing.

- Really?

- Yeah. I think that all this situation with your grandma makes me a little bit more emotive.

- Are you sure?

- Yeah.

She kisses him and leaves. She turns around and says:

- I love you, Sammie.

He cannot hear. He is listening to music.

* * * * * * * * * *

Sam is at his girlfriend’s house. Her name is Mary and they have been together for 6 months. He does not know if she is the woman of his life, but he does know that she makes him feel good.

Although her parents are out of town, they are not alone. Paul and Linda are there too. Paul is Sam’s best friend and whatever he does he invites Paul to be part of it. Besides, Paul is a huge fan of 49ers too.

- Can you believe that my mom doesn’t know 49ers?

- Whaaaaaaat? Get outta here.

- I am serious.

- I didn’t know that such a person could exist.

- Me neither. Well, this person does exist. And she is my mom.

Both start laughing. The girls are in the kitchen preparing some bologna sandwiches.

- Hey, Sam.

Paul drops something on Sam’s lap. It is a plastic bag with some green inside.

- What’s this?

- I call it ‘fun’.

- Is this what I think it is?

- Yes. Weeeeeeed.

- Awesome.

Sam stands up and hugs Paul. One of the things they like doing together is smoking. And I am not talking about cigarettes.

- Did you bring beer too?

- Of course.

- Wow. I mean… Wow. Beer, weed, girls, football… we don’t need anything else.

- We don’t, but we have.

Paul shows Sam another plastic bag. But this time the content is not green. It is white.

- What the hell is this, man?

- What do you think?

- Is it cocaine?

- Yeeeeeees, bro.

Sam gives the plastic bag back to Paul.

- I don’t want this.

- What?

- I’m not using it.

Suddenly the girls arrive from the kitchen with a platter full of sandwiches.

- Guys, we didn’t have mayo so we… Ooooh.. what is that?

Mary gives the platter to Paul who immediately grabs two sandwiches and stuffs them his mouth.

- White happiness?

Sam did not know that Mary likes it. At least he had never seen her using it. She takes a 5-dollar bill, puts some cocaine on a piece of glass and using the bill she sniffs some.

- WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

- I am having some fun.

- Are you nuts?

- No. Why?

- This is dangerous.

- No, it’s not. Come on. Try some.

Sam refuses.

- Come on, baby. I am the girl here. Not you.

- No, thanks.

- Alright. Suit yourself.

Paul turns on the TV. A reporter from ESPN is interviewing 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick who seems really confident.

Sam grabs a sandwich and a beer. He will smoke some weed later, but will not sniff anything. Well, that’s what he thinks.

3 hours, a Pearl Jam halftime show, lots of beer, bologna sandwiches, marijuana and cocaine later…

Sam, Paul, Mary and Linda are hugging each other and chanting 49ers songs. They are happy because 49ers are the greatest team of the United States of America and have just won Super Bowl.

"We are the champions, my friend. And we’ll keep fighting till the end… Cause weeeee aaaare the champions… Weeeee are the chaaaampions… No time for losers cause weeeee are the champions… of the world."

They do not talk anymore. They just laugh, drink beer, smoke marijuana and sniff cocaine. Sam, who said that wouldn’t use it, now cannot stop.

- Take it easy, man.

- I like this shit.

- I can see that. But, can I have some too? You’ve got almost everything yourself. I didn’t know you like it so much.

- I didn’t know either.

- Ok, gimme some.

- Just a sec. Let me…

Sam sniffs some more and then looks at Paul who is laughing. He turns around and looks at the girls who are sleeping. Suddenly a painting on the wall catches his attention. It is a white horse. Funny. It seems that the horse is TALKING to him.

- What the…

- What’s up, Sammie? Having fun?

- Am I talking to a horse?

- Yes, you are.

- That’s aweeesome, man.

- I know, right?

- How come am I talking to you?

- It’s because you are high.

- I am, aren’t I? I guess it’s the effect of the cocaine.

- Yes, it is. It happens all the time. 

- I can’t believe I am actually talking to a horse on a paiting.

- Don't worry. You are not alone. Everyone can talk to animals and things when they have some snow.

- Paul can talk to you too?

- No, he cannot.

- But you said that everyone...

- Yeah, but Paul didn't have any cocaine today.

- What? Why not?

- Because you had all of it.

- Really? Wow. It was my first time.

- I am afraid it was your last time too.

- What? What are you talking about?

- Well, Sam. As long as I enjoy talking to you, good-bye.

- Why good-bye? Are you leaving?

- I ‘m not going anywhere. You are.

Everything gets dark. Paul disappears. The girls disappear. The painting disappears.

***********

Sam opens his eyes. He is wearing a white robe. He doesn’t know where he is or what he is doing there. A man with a white beard approaches. He is whistling.

- Excuse me.

- Yes?

- Where am I? What is this place?

- Here? It’s Heaven.

- Oh, thanks. WHAAAAAT? HEAVEN?!?!?

- Yes, Heaven.

- Oh, no. If I am here it means that...

- Yes, you're dead.

- WHAAAAT? AM I DEAD?

- Yes, you are.

- How come?

- Overdose.

- But… but… but…

- I know. Shit happens.

- But I can’t be dead. I am supposed to visit my grandma. She's very sick and...

- Oh, she's dead too.

         - WHAT?

- She died yesterday. Just like you.

- Oh My God. My mom must be devastated.

- She is. Losing her mother and her son on the same day. It's not easy.

- And my dad?

- He is trying to be strong for him and your mom. 

- My grandma is dead and I didn't have the chance to say good-bye and tell her how much I loved her. And I didn't say good-bye to my parents either.

- Well, you had the chance to say good-bye.

- No, I didn’t.

- Yes, you did.

- When?

- Remember when your mom told you she was going to pay your grandma a visit? Well, that was your chance.

- Yes, I remember. But… but…

- Instead of going with your parents and spend some time with your family you decided to watch a football game.

- But it was Super Bowl.

- So what? You could have recorded and watched it later.

- IT WAS SUPER BOWL.

- It was just a game. Just... a... game.

Silence.

- Am I gonna see them again?

- Yes.

- When?

- I don’t know.

- Send me back, please.

- I can’t. I don’t have this power. Who lives… who dies…  who resurrects... it does not depend on me.

- You’re not God?

- No, I am not.

Silence.

- I wish I could have told them how much I love them. I wish I had 5 more minutes.

- You had the chance. You had many opportunities, but you always took it for granted. You mother told you every day that she loved you. Every single day.

- She did? I never heard.

- Of course not. You were always busy listening to your favorite music or reading or playing video game.

- But… but…

- Your father loved you too.

- My father. No way. He never told me that he loved me. That’s I am sure.

- No, he didn’t. Well, not at least out loud. But everything he did, he did for you. He wanted you to study in he best schools because he wanted you to be better than him. He would spend nights and days in the mechanic shop, working hard to make that happen.  

- That's why I could barely see him.

- He was so proud of you. He thought you were becoming a fine young man. He really loved you.

- Oh My God. I never noticed. How could I be so stupid? If I could go back I would tell my grandma, my mom and my dad how much I love them.

- Sorry. There is no coming back.

Silence.

- Well, Sam. It was nice meeting you, but I have to go.

- Nice meeting you too. Can I ask you a question before you go?

- Sure. What is it?

- If you are not God, who are you?

- Me? I am just a dream. And you are about to wake up?

**********

Sam wakes up. He looks around. He knows where he is. It is his bedroom. He looks at the alarm clock. It says 10 am. He runs to his parents’ bedroom and jumps onto the bed. Nothing. The bed is empty. He checks the living room and then the kitchen. Still nothing. He sees a note on the table. “Off to the supermarket. Be right back”. He goes to the bathroom. He will take a shower and brush his teeth. He is so happy. It was just a dream. When he just finishes putting his 49ers jersey he hears a noise coming from the kitchen. It is their parents. They are back from the supermarket.

- MOOOOM. DAAAAAAD.

He hugs both of them. 

- Wow. Someone is in a good mood today.

- Mom, you look so beautiful.

- Thanks, honey.

- You too, dad.

- You don't have to lie, son. Why are you so happy? Is it because of the game?

- No. I am happy because of you. I am happy because I am alive. I am happy because you are alive. I am happy because I am here. I am happy because you are here.

His mother laughs.

- Well, I am going to prepare your lunch, ok? I will leave it in the oven.

- Why?

- Your father and I are going to visit you grandma. I know that you...

- I am going with you.

- What?

- I’m gonna see grandma. It’s been a while I don’t see her.

- Are you sure? You never liked to visit her. Besides, it is Super Bowl. I saw you talking on the phone with Paul. You said you would…

- I’ve changed my mind. From now on I want to spend more time with you guys. I realized I have spent more time with my friends than with you. I really want that to change that.

- And the game?

- Well, mom. As someone told me: It's just a game.

His mother cannot believe in her ears. As a sensitive woman, she starts to cry.

- Come on, mom. You don’t have to cry. Come here. Give me a hug. Come on, dad. You too.

It is a beautiful scene. The three of them embraced in a warm hug. No one says a thing. They just hug. After almost 2 minutes, Sam looks at his mother’s and father’s eyes and says:

- I love you, mom. I love you, dad.

**********

5 more minutes. That's all Sam wanted. And miracously he got it. But as you know, miracles do not happen everyday. So do not waste time. Tell people that you love them. Tell people that you care about them. And do it today. 

Tomorrow can be too late.