The atmosphere was alcoholic, beer glasses strewn everywhere. "...and I still remember how her hair felt on my face, lads." said the old man. Everyone round the table listened carefully to this old man. Maybe he was important. Or the stuff he was saying, was important. "And how she always knew, when I was staring at her and then she would give that shy smile and turn the other way." All the men on the table reminisced their loved ones and agreed to the old man's words, which seemed true and wise at the moment. "Do you menfolk remember that sweet feeling that overflows through you when you wake up and see her face, the first thing in the morning? Yeah, I still remember that feeling. You might think with age, I might have some troubles with my memory, but no, this part of my mind, its all still clear to me." The men could do nothing but listen to him, and sip their beer in silence.
"And I can promise you one thing, lads." the old man continued, "nobody in this whole town could whip up a nicer and a tastier breakfast than her. Maybe she used some special stuff, to make it extra delicious, I don't know. But whatever it may be, it was the best, I tell ya." The men were almost salivating at the thought of it. The bartender decided to close the bar for a while and listen to this old man speak. It may be helpful some day. Soon the crowd grew around the table where the old man sat. He kept speaking, "The best thing about her was that when I got sad for some reason, she'd always be there to cheer me up. And I'd do the same. I'd hug her and kiss her on her forehead and whisper "Everything will be okay, my dear." And she trusted me. She trusted my words." The old man started coughing. Someone brought him a glass of water, he drank it and wiped his mouth with his handkerchief. Everyone was paying attention to the old man.
"Do you folks know how it feels to be loved? Or how it feels to love someone? Well if you do, answer me this: Do you think you'd do literally anything for that loved one? To keep them by your side, at all times?"
Nobody spoke a word. Silence all around the table.
"Well if you can't, then I'm sorry to say this, son, you haven't realized what love is yet. You folks are too scared, and if love came strolling right in front of your garden, you'd rather close the curtains than take care of it and look after it. You men should be ashamed of yourselves, half of your life has already gone and yet, you're sitting here, in this bar right now, when you should've been out to dinner with your family. Appreciate what you have, before it's too late." All of a sudden, the atmosphere changes from calm to almost chaos. Everyone despising the old man now, for insulting them. As the old man stands to leave, and heads for the door, a man calls from behind, "Hey old man ! If you think we're not doing it right, why are YOU all alone here, in THIS bar right now, instead of having a dinner with YOUR family? Why is the love of your life not by your side right now? Couldn't you keep her with you till the end?"
The old man stopped dead in his tracks. "My wife died in a car accident, along with my two kids. Twenty five years ago. That is why I said to you, appreciate what you have, before it's too late."
The old man walked out the door. Everyone stood silent now. The guy who shouted earlier, felt ashamed for his actions now. He went to the bartender and said "The next round's on me. Get everyone a refill."
As everybody gets a fresh glass of beer handed to them, the man stands up and says, "I'd like to make a toast."
"A toast to what?" another man says.
The man replies, "A toast to love."
No comments:
Post a Comment