July 5, 2003

I was watching a movie when suddenly the door bell rang. I looked at the clock, it was 2:00am. This made me suspicious. I stood up and looked through the peephole and was surprised to see Alfred at the door. I opened the door and let him in. Then I led him to the lounge and asked why he had come so late. I could see tears in his eyes when I asked him.

He said. “I want some money, please help me otherwise I will die.” I knew why he needed money?

Alfred was my best friend since school. I met his mother recently at a shopping centre, she told me that Alfred was now on drugs. She had tried her best but she could not change him. I sat beside him and put my hand on his shoulders. He burst into tears. “Help me, Jawad! you are my best friend, please help me,” he sobbed.

Then I said to him, “look Alfred, you don’t have to suffer like this, I will put you in a rehabilitation programme and then you will be okay.”

He nodded and said, “No, I cannot wait, first lend me some money if you can and then we will later take rehabilitation into consideration.”

I apologized and said, “Sorry Alfred! I cannot help you.”

Alfred stood up and said, “Okay, thank you! I thought you were my friend, bye”. Then he started walking towards the gate briskly.

Suddenly a trick came to my mind and I ran after him: “Alfred! wait! I am sorry, I did not mean this, I will lend you some money.” He stopped and waited for me to bring the amount. I went inside pretending to bring some cash, but instead called “15” emergency to call police so that they could help admit Alfred to a rehabilitation centre.

I took some time inside and as I came out, the doorbell rang. Alfred at once guessed that I had called the police. He held me tight so that I couldn’t open the door. But I pushed him aside and ran towards the door. I opened the door and pointed towards Alfred and said, “It’s him.” The inspector arrested Alfred.

While going outside, he looked behind and said, “How can you do this to me? You were my buddy.”

I replied, “It’s for your own good.”

The inspector took him away. I did not feel like a hero and sat down on my couch and asked God, “have I done wrong?”

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