November 2025
New Beginnings
by Karen Sepahmansour
Richard tapped his foot on the beige carpet while sitting at his desk. He looked out the window viewing the sunshine from his parents’ comfortable Santa Barbara home. He stretched his legs that barely fit under the desk chair in his bedroom and listened to the old clock above the mantle of his bed ticking.
As he was rubbing the temples of his black wavey hair, his mom brought in the cap and gown. It was ironed perfectly as she usually did with his other clothes whenever he had a date or needed something to wear for his internships.
“Are you getting ready?” she inquired.
He didn’t know what to say. Ready? Ready for what?
Frank, his dad walked in, “You better hurry up, son. We’re going to be late and parking will be a disaster.”
Richard looked at his dad’s serious, eager face hoping to find a good job like his dad had, twenty years with promotions as an engineering manager in the same company. He recalled last week’s family dinner when his dad showed him and his mom the letter of promotion and raise.
Richard’s apprehension grew when his parents told him he had one month to not only get a job, but to find an apartment. He recalled the words his mom asked, ‘What will you do?’
When he glanced at both parents last week, he hoped that they would acknowledge his own reply. “I was thinking of getting a graduate degree and staying for a while longer.’’
His father frowned and answered, ‘No way, it’s time for you to get a job.”
His words were ingrained like cement in his mind. His dad meant it and had gotten fed up with his unpaid internships. The unpaid internships made him feel like he wasted hours when he should have saved money.
Richard fumbled with the gown while they waited outside in the living room. He was looking forward to seeing his best friend, Ben, the one he always enjoyed playing basketball games with on weekends. He looked at the basketball in the corner of his room, then smiled, wondering if those days would come back. There was an uncertainty, like the day his palms were sweaty when he had to make a speech to his engineering class for the first time last year.
#
At the graduation ceremony, his assigned seat was next to Ben, his best friend sitting next to him. “Heh, Bro, what’s up?”
He looked up at his friend and said “Hello!”
“What’s that hello with the frown on your face?” Ben leaned over in his chair.
Richard asked him, “Can we talk on the way over to your house?”
Ben opened his eyes widely, “Sure dude. My parents are getting the graduation party ready at their house. My apartment is too small.”
#
After the ceremony and accolades, their parents met them both for fruits, punch, and cookies in the auditorium. They said their goodbyes and no parents were coming to Ben’s party except for Ben’s parents. Ben scurried, “Hurry up dude, get in the car. My parents want me to help them set up the chairs.”
#
Richard sat down in the comfortable gray Camry that Ben’s parents bought him his junior year in college. Ben already had a job as a programmer in Compo, a computer company, and he also had his own apartment. Richard recalled the day that his best friend was hired and that same week he rented his own apartment. Richard remembered that day when his own ex-girlfriend, Laurie asked him, “When are you going to get a job?” Richard remembered how inferior he felt about his own lag in employment and living situation.
While stopping at the red light, Ben asked his friend, “What did you want to talk about dude?”
At first, Richard’s face reddened since he was feeling a bit down about what his father said. In addition, his girlfriend did not want to be with him after they dated for two years. However, he didn’t want to worry him too much and was embarrassed about some indecisiveness he often had. His friend had encouraging words, not only to him, but to their other college friends as well. “Well, to tell you the truth, I was at first thinking of applying for a graduate degree but my parents would not have it. Mom and dad gave me one month to get a job and an apartment.”
“Yeh,” Ben nodded as he drove through the green light. “Don’t you think it’s about time?”
Richard hesitated, “I have only had unpaid internships at companies.”
“Yeh,” Ben agreed. “But don’t forget the subjects you have studied. You took a double major of business and computer programming. That’s impressive. Why don’t you apply at Compo or some of the other companies?” Ben added, “Your parents have always done so much for you. Maybe that was not such a good idea. Don’t you think?”
There was a silence and then Richard responded, “Yes, I do not even know how to cook. Laurie made fun of me the day I invited her over for soup and it was in a can.”
“Are you still seeing her? I thought that you liked her.”
“Yes, I do like her but, no. Remember, I told you when she went to northern California a few months ago?”
“Yes.’ Ben made a right-hand turn.
“She decided to go to school there and I have not heard anything from her since. I think she has a new boyfriend there. She was upset with me for still being at home.” Richard rubbed his sweaty palms thinking about how he helped his ex-girlfriend pack, and she never even thanked him or gave him a kiss goodbye. He continued, “She mentioned a David who was going to the same college as she. I asked her about it, and she said they both had been writing to each other and he wanted to see her. She met him at her cousin’s party last year.”
Ben pedaled the gas. Did you ask her if she was leaving you for him?”
“I was getting cues like when she told me she needed time away for a while.”
“Sorry, Buddy, I know you cared for her.” Richard smiled, knowing that his best friend understood him.
“Still do. I could say nothing, and I was too sad to let her know how I really feel, especially since she seemed to be excited about seeing the other guy.”
“Gotcha. That must have hurt.”
Richard nodded and said, “Yes.”
#
Ben looked at his friend at the next red light. “Dude, you better get your resume together. I’ll help you. Forget the can soup. I have all kinds of recipes from Dad. He cooks too. My fiancé, Anne, knows so many good recipes. I have been trying them out because I can’t always expect her to cook. She is working too. You can learn.”
“I am nervous about looking for my own apartment.”
“You probably will have your parents cosign initially. Will they?”
“I hope so.”
Richard closed the car door. “Thank you, Buddy for the encouragement.” He patted Ben’s back and smiled as they walked towards Ben’s parents’ home.
###
