"I want to go, I need that money.." I said.

 I had nothing more to lose. That's why I was standing there, on that balcony, beside him, waiting for his reply.

He was like a godfather to me. I mean literally, like Vito Corleone, in “The Godfather” movie; to whom no one could speak, before thinking ten times. We as a kid use to be afraid to say anything in front of him. I heard about his legacy from my mother; about her brother, about the man I am standing beside right now, at this balcony. He has built an empire of his own, from scratch, with his bare hands and empty pockets.

“I want to go, I need that money”, I said. He said nothing as if he didn’t listen to me at all, or what I thought, not convinced. But then, I could not muster the courage to speak more, I already spoke unthinkable. I am already doing unthinkable, standing beside him, for the first time; talking to him like a man, to a man.

I have to leave. Sometimes leaving is the only reason to go somewhere else. After 21 years, I am trying to break the imbecile cord. The cord, drowning me along with the person on the other side. I have to leave home, to keep myself sane.

I came prepared for questions he could ask. I knew he will uproot me like a dead tree if I am a fake. My legs were shaking and my heart was pumping like a mouse in an eagle’s clutches. But I waited for him to say something, as I have to leave, to keep myself sane.

Standing there, he was looking at the vast sky in front of us. He said nothing for a while. My mind calmed down my over-pumping heart. There was nothing more left in me, to break down further. I readied myself to hear him say “No”.

Before I could make sense of it, he said it again, “Bring me a dirty piece of cloth from inside”. I hand it over to him. He started cleaning those balcony grills. For a while, I watched him, like a puzzled puppy staring at his owner, for a clue. I took another piece and we cleaned those grills together; all of it.

He said nothing, but then I got my answers. We did breakfast together, and then I left. I have to leave, with the money, to keep myself sane.