The Modern Day Sidddhartha

The bell rang. Siddney packed his books into his book bag and left the room of his final class of the day. Sidd was an upper-middle class high school student that received one of the finest educations in the state. His mother had passed away when he was young, leaving him with only his father. His father was a well-respected priest and the religious leader of their community. His father knew that someday Sidd would follow in his footsteps by joining the church and becoming a priest just like him.

Sidd met with his best friend Gary when he stopped at his locker before he left school. “Hey Sidd, I got into Penn State main!”, exclaimed Gary. “Congrads.”, replied Sidd, “I got my acceptance letter too, but as you know I can’t go.” “Don’t feel bad Sidd, you’re going to love joining your father in the priesthood.”, said Gary. “I’m not sure that is the life I want”, thought Sidd, “I want go to college and experience the world for myself.” Gary quickly countered, “Yeah, well good luck telling your father that.”

After the bus ride home, Sidd approached his father with his request. “Dad, with your permission I wish to go to Penn State and study there for many years away from home. I am already accepted, I trust you will let me go.” Sidd’s father reacted as though he saw this coming. “Sidd you are to follow in my footsteps as a priest, do not request anything different a second time.” Sidd stood in the middle of the room with his arms folded waiting. After a few moments Sidd’s father caught on to his son’s intentions. “Sidd”, he said “why are you waiting?”
“You know why.”
“You will stand and wait there forever?”
“I will stand and wait.”
“You will grow tired, Sidd.”
“I will grow tired.”
“You will need sleep, Sidd”.
“I will not sleep.”
“You will die, Sidd.”
“I will die.”
“And you would rather die than join me in the priesthood?”
“I will obey my father.”
“So you will not go to college and become a priest?”
“I will do what my father says.”
Sidd’s father thought deeply about what to tell his son. He then touched his shoulder and said, “Go to college and experience the world. If this is what you want, I will not stop you.”

After finishing out high school and his last summer at home, Sidd got ready to head to college. His father drove Sidd and Gary to Penn State where they would be roommates. After they unpacked and Sidd’s father was ready to leave he hugged his son goodbye and said to him, “If you enjoy college and learn the wonders of the world, come back and teach it to me. If not, come back anyway.”

At Penn State Gary was very excited to begin learning from all of the different teachers. He went to class everyday and adored every word that one of his professors said. Sidd was quite the opposite from Gary. After the first couple weeks of hearing professors ramble on about non-sense that he felt did not pertain to him, he stopped going to class everyday. He also started spending time with a bad crowd of students that drank everyday. Only once in a blue moon would Sidd wake up without a hangover.

His drinking got so bad that one night when Gary was trying to study for midterms he asked Sidd, “Why do drink so much? Are you happy like this?” Sidd replied, “Why do Buddists meditate?” “You are comparing yourself with a Buddhist?”, Gary laughed. “Think about it”, said Sidd, “What is drinking? What is meditating? They are both methods to escape from the Self, temporary escape from the torment of Self.” “And this is your answer to life, escaping the Self?”, asked Gary. “Meaning can only be found once one escapes one’s Self; meaning cannot be found by these teachings, it must be learned on one’s own.”
The next day Sidd met with his advisor. He told the advisor of his bad grades, poor attendance, and his dissatisfaction with learning from their teachers. The advisor responded that “Penn State only offers teachings, nothing else.” Sidd confirmed, “I want to let you know that I am not leaving to search for better teachings, because I know there aren’t any. Instead I am going to disregard all teachings and reach my goal on my own.” The advisor than wished him good luck in reaching his goal, then Sidd returned to his dorm.

When he returned to his room he began packing. Gary walked in just as he had finished and said, astonished, “Sidd, you’re leaving?” “Yes”, he replied, “you have chosen your path and I have chosen mine. We will meet again some day, Gary” After said his final word to Gary he left Penn State.

Sidd went back to Pittsburgh and moved into an apartment in the city. While walking around downtown Pittsburgh one day, he saw the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Their eyes met as they walked by each other and he thought to himself that this girl could one day be his wife. Days passed and Sidd kept passing this gorgeous woman, so one day he stopped to talk to her and asked her to dinner. She accepted and told him her name was Cameron.

Over dinner Cameron asked Sidd what her had to offer a stunning woman such as her. He told her that years ago he used to study at Penn State, but was now living on his own in Pittsburgh and the only thing he could offer her was his knowledge and personality. Cameron told Sidd that she requires lots of money and jewelry to keep her happy. Since Sidd did not have either of these, Cameron offered to introduce him to her friend Karl. Karl was a big shot in the shipping business and could help Sidd earn the money he needed to win over Cameron if he had the proper skills for the job.

Sidd headed down to Karl’s shipping company a couple days later and interviewed for an entry position. To start off the interview Karl brought up the fact that he is currently unemployed. Sidd told him he had not needed money before he met Cameron, and that he would be glad to work to please her. Sidd insisted that with his business skills he would be able to handle a small shipping position. Karl liked the young man’s confidence and personality, so he gave him a part-time job. Not long after, this turned into a full-time position due to Sidd’s excellent skills for doing business with people.

After Sidd got his first couple paychecks, he was able to buy Cameron a diamond necklace which cost almost his entire earnings. When he presented the necklace to Cameron, he eyes lit up. She was so overjoyed that she asked Sidd to move in with her. As the weeks went on, Sidd and Cameron’s relationship grew. Cameron was the first woman that Sidd ever loved, so she was also the one that he lost his virginity to.

At the shipping business Sidd earned raise after raise. He moved far up in the company and made more money than he knew what to do with. Eventually he became extremely stressed by the pressures of his work and his relationship with Cameron. He also became sick of money, sick of material wealth, sick of the way his life was going.
One night after Cameron had gone to bed, Sidd took off, walking the streets of Pittsburgh. Disgusted with what he had done in life, he felt as though the only way to end this pain was to end his life. On his walk he came to a set tracks which was used by the T, a trolley that Pittsburghers can ride into and around the city. He decided to end his life by laying down on these trolley tracks. As he lay there he thought about what his life had become and where it may go. Then, suddenly, he saw a bright light, which lead to a vision. In this vision he was told to find what makes him happy, and do that for a living, despite material wealth.

Sidd awoke on a bench in the T station. A man said to him, “Are you alright? I found you sleeping on the trolley tracks and carried you over to this bench. Are you crazy? What were you thinking sleeping in a place like that?” Sidd looked up and saw the face of the man; it was Gary. “I don’t know… but thank you for helping me and staying by my side. How is Penn State going?”, said Sidd. “Sidd!!”, exclaimed Gary, “I did not recognize you after all this time. I actually graduated from Penn State and am just starting my career. How have you been doing?” Sidd quickly responded, “I actually just quit my job… it’s a long story.” Sidd and Gary spent the rest of the night catching up over a couple of drinks. After they said goodbye and promised to meet with each other again they parted ways.

Sidd’s late night walk continued until the early morning when he ended up at Station Square. He came to the Gateway Clipper Fleet dock, a ferry service that cruises the Monongahela, Allegheny, and Ohio rivers in Pittsburgh. He was interested in the lives of these men so he walked down to the ship and talked with the captain about his job. Sidd was delighted with what the man told him about being a ferryman. The old captain was impressed with Sidd’s knowledge for shipping so he decided to school him as his apprentice.

After years of training Sidd was ready to become the captain of the Gateway Clipper Fleet. Sidd was at peace with himself. He was doing what he loved, being the captain of his own ship, ferrying people across Pittsburgh’s rivers. One day on his ship one of his passengers was his very own Cameron. He approached Cameron and she instantly recognized him. “Hello Sidd, I want you to meet your son, Sidd Jr.”, said Cameron. Sidd was awestruck when he first laid eyes on his son. He shook his son’s hand and introduced himself. The rest of the ride he caught up with Cameron and explained why he had left her and that he is now doing what he loves. Sidd Jr. stayed very quiet, still bitter over Sidd leaving Cameron before he was even born. After the ride was over Sidd said goodbye to Cameron and his son.

For many years Sidd spent his life ferrying people across Pittsburgh’s rivers. He was an old man and captain by this time. Then, on a day much like the day that Cameron boarded the Gateway Clipper, Sidd saw Gary on board his ship. He went down from the captain’s quarters to meet with Gary. Gary initially did not recognize Sidd, but he had the same surprised reaction, if not greater, from meeting Sidd as he did at their meeting in the T station. Sidd and Gary discussed their lives and career choices. Gary learned a lot from Penn State and became a successful lawyer. Gary was very interested in Sidd’s life and how he became to be the captain of the Gateway Clipper Fleet. Sidd simply explained that he was doing what he loved what made him happy. Sidd and Gary who were both satisfied with their lives and at peace with themselves, departed for one last