Blows in life

All about resillience perserverance and survival

For years I worked as a detective in the fraud and related crimes departments, but in my entire career nothing had given me much headache as crimes involving money laundering and corruption. Such crimes had dilapidated and impoverished our nation to the core, for long we gave our best only to reach a dead end, majority of the perpetrators and those involved were well connected both internally and externally. They had planted their moles everywhere including our departments and local civil forces. But one case caught my attention and stuck with me for years, how it ended am not very sure for I had already retired from the forces.
Carlos was an accomplished automotive and mechatronics engineer, initially he began as a crafts man but later joined engineering school and graduated as an engineer. With the skills and acquired knowledge he was one of the very best the country had, sought after in many villages and cities across board. Carlos partnered with his longtime friend Raphael and together they founded an auto repair shop where they refurbished old cars and renovated vintage cars. Later on in their career they partnered with a city tycoon and opened a luxury cars company where they generated money to the tunes of millions to add themselves in the list of local tycoons.
Josephina Martina was his wife and together they had a son, Martina used to work as a ballerina, one of the very best at her time, where she later on became a socialite and influencer, sought after by various beauty and cosmetics companies. With age and growing responsibilities she had to quit her career and became a ballerina coach in a country that believed in nothing better other than being trained by the best of the very best. Simone was their son but unfortunately he developed a rare syndrome that affected his movement and affected some of his senses. Treatment was very costly and it in a big way drained them both emotionally and financially, to ease the situation Carlos had to look for some consultancy jobs which to some extent helped ease the situation.
For Martina it was never easy, it was a situation that took a toll not just in her social life but in their relationship as well, to some extent she became quite distant and withdrawn. She began drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes but it only made matters worse for her, she slowly began falling into depression while Carlos began some clandestine relationships just to get himself away from the realities at home. At long last a cure for Simeon was found but was very costly which resulted to them liquidating almost all their assets both acquired and inherited. The surgery and treatment was a success and Simeone was back on his feet and very healthy like never before.
Their relationship and the burning love and passion that founded their union had slowly died down, the fire was now flickering from a distance. They would argue on most instances and fight almost on everything, no one seemed to understand the other anymore in as much as they tried to make things work the more they drifted apart, they too didn't understand how they got to such a point but such were things only heavens could answer.
The government in its concerted efforts to curb corruption and embezzlement of public funds formed a multiagency task force to mitigate money laundering that had crippled major sectors of the economy. We were more than ready to deal with this monster that had almost rendered our careers useless at a time we were adamant in bringing forth a nation where everyone would prosper and benefit from their own efforts and hard work. Unfortunately the car business was the first to be hit, for a longtime it had been used by government agencies and state parastatals to launder proceeds of corruption and embezzlement of hard earned taxpayers money in order to benefit a few greedy individuals at the detriment of the needy majority.
We had a slogan that kept us going that for the needs of the majority we had to sacrifice the joy and pleasure of the few. Carlos lost his job and some of his close associated were placed in confinement centers awaiting investigation and trial for crimes they had committed. Carlos was a very clever man, he always made sure if things were to go south no amount of investigation or background digging would ever link him to any criminal or crime related offences. With Martina jobless and Carlos helpless they began taking loans from banks and friends just to be able to get by at such tough times of their lives, they had thought of divorcing but for the sake of their innocent son they had to shelve that idea and focus on surviving for the time being.
Carlos had grown up knowing that it was a privilege to be a man but being a man was a task quite hard to prove not just to the society but to oneself. At any other time he would have been more than a match to his troubles and short comings but this time around it had struck quite hard and a time he was never prepared for such tragedies. He tried to seek help but realized most people he had thought to be friends were just there for the benefit of what he would offer and how fast he would come through whenever they needed him, now that circumstances had rendered him useless he was of no use to them and one by one they deserted him and avoided him like a rotten carcass.
His clandestine girlfriend was arrested alongside his friends and her father and all their assets recovered by the state, the only hope he might have had. He thought about running away but his ego was somehow fragile and his love for his only son proved to have weighed him down both physically and psychologically.
Carlos was once a boxer and the best at his time, winning titles and even street recognition all over town and even nicknamed Carlos the genie, before he thought of ditching boxing to focus on his family and business. He thought of going back to the ring but something reminded him that he is no longer the young energetic man he used to be and tactics had changed over time and even rules which he wasn't very conversant with. Carlos was not one who would give up and trying his best regardless of the odds at stake was like a hobby to him and that's how he had survived in murky waters of dealing with hardcore criminals and getting his way around justice.
Carlos reached out to his old time friend Rico who used to be his coach but was now quite aged and not as effective as he used to be but very resourceful as far as his expertise was something to go by. Carlos was amused when he saw him approaching the farm from a distance but was not surprised for he knew someday he would come back either in need or in gratuity, from a distance he would tell he was a man in distress from how he looked, frail and wrinkled knowing how young he was. After greetings he looked him into his eyes and told him, "I have been expecting you son, since I heard about the money laundering scandal that involved your luxury car business, but am happy you are not behind bars like the rest of your associates but even if you were I wouldn't be worried for I have known you to be a tough man not just on the streets but in life as well, welcome home my boy". Rico was not one who would mince his words.
Carlos began training and lucky for him there was a tournament that was scheduled in a months time so he had ample time to prepare and gather the necessary skills for he knew very well he was to face a four time champion who was feared and celebrated in equal measure. Unlike old times this time around Rico was a bit easy with him for he knew time and tragedies had worked quite hard on his physique and a small mistake would render him useless and cast him to a wheelchair. But what surprised Rico was how fast he was learning and how effective and punctual he was, as a matter of fact his determination made him to put aside all the duties he had on his farm to focus on this very determined man who would give his life to fight for his loved ones and their well being.
But Rico as well as any other man his age understood that a man in need would kill a wounded lion just to save his ego and secure his once lost reputation in the society. Finally the day of the match was now here both sides walked into the ring majestically heads held up high and chests high as the audiences cheered and supported their preferred competitors. Martina and their son Simeon were present despite Carlos pleading with them not to be there but they were his family and if they wouldn't be there to show their love and support who would?. Pancho was the best fighter and an award winning boxer known far and wide, no body knew his weakness and no one dared to face him at a time they knew he had something to fight for especially now that he was about to retire from the ring and focus on his personal businesses.
Pancho entered the ring laughing and beating his chest while jeering at Carlos and asking if he has instructed his family on where he preferred to be buried after the match. Indeed he was a champion and a role model to many who aspired to be like him, he was loved for his generosity and resilience that inspired even those in other sectors of life. The spectators on Panchos side were almost thrice those on Carlos side, but non the less all that mattered was the size of the fight in him and not the size of the fighter on the other side. On the blue corner stood Carlos for that was his favorite color and on the red corner stood Pancho, the bell rang as the referee signaled for the fight to begin.
The first blow was enough to knock Carlos out and a thunderous loud bang was heard as he fell to the floor of the ring looking helpless and almost giving up, but to the surprise of many before the referee could finish counting to nine he was already up and assured everyone he would continue, even Pancho could not believe the only person who did not look surprised was Rico. When Pancho threw his first fist, Carlos realized he had an injury on his right shoulder, so he knew his weak point and where he was to focus if he were to win this fight, the price money was more than enough to solve all his problems and he wasn't giving up, not when he is still alive.
The next thirty minutes the only sound that was heard were blows exchanging from both side, no one was ready to go down and Pancho had under estimated his opponent and now he was finding it hard keeping up with his unpredictable tactics not even his long time experience in the ring would combat nor counter attack, Pancho was getting tired and his pace slowing but Carlos kept going relentlessly until he hit Pancho on his right shoulder and he went down unconscious. Everyone couldn't believe it for nobody had attempted taking down such a giant in that sport.
Finally Carlos was the new champion and no one was happy and elated as Rico, Martina rushed to hug him as their son celebrated this new victory that had brought life into their lives and hope of a better future. Many may have forgotten how the fight was, but the final words from Carlos remained stuck in their minds and hearts he said amid cheers and periods of short breaths, "This fight reminds me of what life is all about, in its essence and existence it will deal you blows, some that might even threaten your very existence but all that life requires of you is to get up, gather your muscles and counter every blow knowing in the end you might end up with wounds and fractures but the good thing is they shall finally heal and life moves on".