Memory Gap (Fiction)

The portable TV, what’s the significance of the portable TV lying on the bed of the murder victim? The Bulik-bulik Bureau of Crime Detection Unit was puzzled. Pedro Pouetmo, the senior investigator, holds the record for the most cases solved in the department, but this case puzzled him for its bizarreness. (It was rumored that Det. Pouetmo was a descendant of Det. Hercule Poirot (Herr-kyu-ley Pwah-ruh) Agatha Christie’s legendary Belgian sleuth). Nothing was taken, Mr. Pepito Tubangbakod, the victim was well liked in the neighborhood. He regularly attended the Church of the Parish of Santa Claus; he was a regular of the local Kawangis club, and practically every child in the neighborhood was his godson. He was a bachelor. But there’s nothing wrong or strange with single hood nor was he a sexual deviant. The man was practically qualified to be beatified by the pope. So, there was no reason to believe that someone wished him harm.

Mr. Tubangbakod was found dead inside his entertainment cabinet where his TV used to be. He had a clean death. There was no wound, nor any signs of struggle, in fact, the police were ready to conclude natural death except for the macabre circumstance of the victim and the TV’s changed places—the TV was on the bed and Tubanagbakod was on the entertainment cabinet. Detective Pouetmo tried his best, but he had exhausted all his investigative prowess and resources, and he was about to surrender and add the case as a blot on his impeccable record when he remembered something.

Mr. Tubangbakod was famous for his memory. He was hospitalized three times for major injuries because of it. First was when he was almost blinded when a spoon pierced his left eye because he forgot to remove it before drinking his coffee. Second was when he was almost electrocuted when he inserted his finger into the socket instead of the rice-cooker’s plug. Third was when he drove on the wrong side of road and his car collided with the garbage truck. And there were other minor injuries and damages to his and other people and their properties but it was always settled amicably for he was well liked--everyone knew of his affliction.

“Chief do you read Mark Twain?” Det. Pouetmo asked.
“No, why? What does Twain have to do with the case?” Capt. Cruz asked.
“Nothing, just an idea. But I think I know what happened to our dear Mr. Tubangbakod”, the detective said.

“Okay, let me hear it Detective.” Capt. Cruz warily replied, “I hope this is not another one of your literary blah, blah,”

“Ouch that hurts. Anyway Cap, I think our dear Tubangbakod was watching TV late, and he decided to go to sleep. Naturally, he would first turn off the TV then go to bed. But supposed he forgot, for someone who was famous for his memory problem, that it was the TV that was supposed to be turned off, and that he was the one supposed to lie on the bed to sleep--supposed he forgot the order of his actions.”

“Are you saying that Tubangbakod put the TV on the bed to sleep, and then he climbed inside the entertainment cabinet and turned himself off”, the chief blurted out.

“Possible.”