Theater #6 - Drabble
Old Man of the Eventide
It’s been a month since I moved from my hometown to this small town. This town is beautiful, and 30 minutes from my current apartment there’s a small dock where I could see the sun sets. Everyday after work in the evening, I always walked pass that dock just to see the sea and boats. And there was one thing that caught my attention, there was always be an Old Man sitting alone while staring at the sea. As far as I could remember, it was always the same Old Man. Wonder what he waited for…
Until on another plain evening I decided to approach him. “May I sit here, Sir?” I asked him, tried to be polite. That Old Man smiled and nodded, but still he didn't take his eyes off from the sea. “Seems like you always sit here, Sir”, I asked him again, just to break the silence. But he didn't answer me. “It’s relaxing, right? Sitting here under the tree, staring at the sea, waiting for the sun to set and enjoy the winds. This town is beautiful.” I tried hard to start the conversation, but that Old Man still didn't answer me nor took his eyes off from the sea. I gave up. Wonder if he was actually deaf.
I tried to make myself relaxed and stared around. 30 minutes sat and did nothing made me getting bored. Helplessly, I tried to ask that Old Man again, “What did you see?”
“The melody, Young Man.”
Ok, so he wasn’t really deaf. Good to know.
“Pardon?” I didn’t get what he meant.
“Can you feel the melody of the birds, waves, and winds? They’re making beautiful rhythm, creating the nature orchestra.”
This Old Man wasn’t really deaf, but he was little bit insane - that was my very first impression about him.
I forced myself to sit there little bit longer just to be polite. But honestly, I couldn’t feel the rhythm nor understood what that Old Man said. And after a few minutes, I stood and decided to go home. Then that Old Man suddenly said, “Take care, Young man.”
“Thank you.” I smiled, and left him. But that Old Man still didn’t take his eyes off from the sea.
On my way home I was still thinking, “What did that Old Man actually wait for?” And without I realized, the eventide has came.
******
On the next evening when I went home from work - still walked on the same route. I saw that Old Man was sitting there on the exact spot just like yesterday, stared at the sea and horizon. Even though I felt that it would be useless for me to sit there again, my feet just walked to him.
“Welcome back, Young Man”, still without took his eyes off from the sea, that Old Man greeted me, “today is beautiful as always.” I just smiled. Then on the next minutes, I just sat there near him and stared at the horizon. And without I realized, the sky started to change its color into beautiful vivid color. The eventide has come.
“May I know why you always sit here, Sir?” I asked him, curious.
“I am waiting for the end of the day, Young man. When the sun has disappeared from the horizon that’s when the day is over.”
‘What so interesting about the end of the day, huh? Except it will always be orange and then turn into dark’, I spoke to my mind. And as if he could read my mind, that Old Man said, “What date is it today?”
“June, 23rd….Wednesday.”
“2010”, he added.
Then silent…
“In 90 years, today is the only June 23rd, 2010. So was it in the other hundred thousand years. And after the sun sets, that will be the last time when the sun shines Wednesday, June 23rd. That will also be the end of June 23rd”
Honestly, I was too stupid to actually understand what that Old Man meant. This Wednesday would end just like any other Wednesday in my life. The day would pass by and the calendar changed so fast without I even realized. So, why should I care?
And before the sun actually set, I decided to go home. “Excuse me, Sir.” I stood; ready to leave the Old Man.
“Take care, Young man.”, he smiled.
Late night when I was going to sleep, I stared at my calendar. Too many streaks, and too many days have passed by. But what? And without I realized, I fell asleep.
******
Since then, just to satisfy my curiosity. Everytime I went home I always sat there beside that Old Man. Just sat and did nothing but stared at the faded color of the horizon. Until one day that Old Man asked me, “Look at those birds.”
I looked above.
“Have you ever wondered the end of those birds journey?”
‘How should I know??’, I said to my mind, “back to their nest….perhaps?”
“And have you ever wondered the end of those birds life?”
“I think when they get old - for birds size - they will probably die, Sir.”
“There’s a big energy controlling the universe. The energy to balance the creature life and nature. Anima mundi. The flow of energy. All that comes from the universe will be back to their mother earth. And since you are the part of the universe, you will be back to mother earth as well. And that’s how metempsychosis works.”
Silent.
I couldn’t say any words, since I was just too stupid to understand what that Old Man talked about.
“So, do you believe in metempsychosis, Sir?”
“I do”, he smiled, still stared at the horizon.
Sadly again for today I couldn’t stay until the sun really set.
******
It’s already been a month since I sat there, beside that Old Man. We talked about a lot of things. He taught me so many things. And I have to admit that he is really wise. But until now he never told me his name nor his family, he even never actually looked at me when we were talking. Today I decided to sit there again until the sun set.
When the sky has started to turn its color and the sun has slowly gone down, the eventide came. And I asked to that Old Man, “What’s so interesting about the end of the day?”
He smiled. “How old are you?”
“24”
“And have you ever noticed that in 24 years of your life the eventide sky was never be the same?”
“Eh?”
“How many hours have you passed?”
“It’s too long for me to count.”
“And have you realized that in 24 x 24 x 365 hours of your life the clock never stop ticking? Some people were too busy to run after of what became their ideal. They never stop to see what they already achieved just to be grateful. They never see what has changed around them, ignored the beauty of the autumn and the calm of the winter. And when they finally realized about what they have missed, they’re already old. Just like those leaves of the autumn. All will fall to the ground and withered. Perished.”
Silent.
There was only the sound of the winds and waves which cut the silence.
“What is your name, Young man?”
“Simone.”
“Use your time wisely. Never forget to thank God for every air you breathe today and every color you see on the eventide sky. Life is a process and creation. And there will always be invisible hands which guide every fate on this universe, including the meeting of two humans.”
I nodded and smiled. “Thank you, Sir.”
“You are welcome, Young man,” that Old Man smiled, and finally turned at me.
Then the two of us stared at the faded color of the horizon. Thousand vivid colors melt in the sky as the sun has finally set…
******
On the way home, I accompanied that Old Man while having a light chat. When I arrived on his door I asked him, “Could we meet again, Sir?”
He smiled and answered, “If metempsychosis does exist sure we could meet again someday.”
I nodded and waved him good bye.
“May God be with ye, Young man.”
But again, I forgot to ask him his name…
******
But since that night I never saw him sat near the dock anymore. And on the 4th day I decided to go to his house just to make sure that he was alright.
When I arrived on his house I found nothing but empty house. I was so confused until a young lady came to me and said, “That Old Man already passed away yesterday.”
I was shocked and couldn’t say any words. Yet it was too fast.
On my way home I remember the last thing he said, “If metempsychosis does exist sure we could meet again someday.”
Then I smiled, “Yes, Sir. Let’s meet again someday, and talk away the night with our memories…”
******
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nisa's comment: -_____- yg ini perasaan agak bosenin yak. hueeeeeeeeeehhhh....