Shorty 001
I am truly sorry for my previous angry post. It just came like that.
Now, I am curious to know your thoughts about this story I wrote last week. Feel free to criticize me, to clobber me with your opinions and to be honest with me and yourself. So without further ado...
Chessboard
The old man was sitting alone among the loud chatters that surrounded him in this cool afternoon. The patio was unusually full as the spring sun had finally showed its warm rays. He was observing the people who walked around him as he left his cup untouched. No one noticed him but the waiter who was staring at the man's drink that remained full for the last hour.
There was something odd about the old man.
He was in his late sixties with striking white hair that added his charisma. The wrinkles upon his face carved every single years of his life, especially around his lips that always showed kindness no matter how slightly he moved them. His most astonishing feature was his eyes; the incredibly blue eyes reflecting the sky above that would undoubtly pierce every soul they would look at. The broken white chandail he was wearing matched perfectly his pale skin tone.
The old man turned his head slowly as if he smelled something. He beamed at the sight of an another man who approached his table.
"Good afternoon, old fellow," says the newcomer. "Been waiting here for long?"
The newcomer was obviously younger but one could sense that he had lived through so many things during his life. The dark and formal suit he was wearing contrasted with the warm afternoon. His nonchalant attitude attracted members of opposite sex, but yet he didn't even give them a glance. His eyes were dark and focused, but at the same time, they radiated a certain heat as if the infernal fire resided within his pupils.
"Not that long, my friend... but you know that I never mind waiting, don't you?"
"Yes, I do realize that... patience is a virtue." The newcomer smirked. "And I hate virtues."
He stared at the old man for a while. A moment after, he broke into a laughter.
"You did cut your beard finally!", he said.
The old man caressed his chin tenderly. He recalled on how he was quite known for his gracious white beard.
"Yes, I did have them cut. I am kind of bored that people see me only that way."
"Well, my friend, it's your life after all." The newcomer stopped for a while. "Life has a different meaning on you, of course.", he said with a wicked grin.
The old man just smiled. He was busy observing a couple few tables for them. The newcomer followed his gaze and shook his head as he pulled out a cigarette from a black metal case.
"You do believe in that love crap, don't you?", he mocked as he lighted up his cigarette.
'Why shouldn't I? As a matter of fact, I exist because of it, don't I?
The newcomer just inhaled the smoke and smiled. "Then tell me why my business has been properous these past decades if what you say is true?"
"You're telling me that I couldn't exist?"
"I am telling you... you funded my business to make THEM believe that you exist... therefore, if I thought you didn't exist, I wouldn't be neither."
The old man just sipped his coffee quitely, never broke his gaze toward the couple.
"Those two you're looking now, let me tell you that the girl would cheat on him in three days."
The old man stared at them with a certain sympathy. He seemed having thoughts of doing something, but he renounced at the end. His companion was looking at him, interested.
"I know you were going to do something, weren't you?" He put his cigarette in the asthray.
"Yes... I admit I had the intention. But somehow I decided not to. They have their own life."
The newcomer was indeed very curious right now. "That isn't you at all. In fact I never see you like this before."
The old man just gave a long sigh.
"I don't know. I don't know if they needed me anymore."
He lifted his eyes towards the city, with the beautiful river crossing the area. "They seem to be doing allright. I don't know if I should interfere with their life."
The newcomer looked confused. All these times, this could be the second time he was caught by surprise.
"But if you decided to end your corporation, you wouldn't need me at all." He was simply amazed on how the meeting turned out. He didn't want to lose his company. He was in love with his work and he was the only one who could handle it properly. For years he was reigning and now the thought of losing what he love the most gave a new sensation within him. Could it be fear?
The old man stayed calm. He was certain of one thing. Those who were about to be abandoned would need another guidance.
"How about this situation," said the old man, "what if I gave you my position, starting effectively tomorrow."
The fire within the newcomer's eyes glared. Another surprise. Jamais deux sans trois, he thought silently.
"You will get full control of everything that I did until now, and you'll be free to do anything."
The newcomer was simply struck. He wasn't expecting any of this. But somehow he knew that he was the only perfect candidate. Who was he if not the person that knew every single aspect of the business. Wasn't he the one who once dug the darkest hole only to find the brightest light.
"What if I accept your offer? Would you interfere one day?" He wanted to make sure that he was free to do whatever he pleased.
"You will get a full freedom. I always keep my promise, don't I?
"But you know that I have a very different view, right?"
"Yes.. I am aware of that. But I trust you. Even though I was the one who pushed you out from my board once. It was for your own good. You were the first to fall, yet the first to rise as well."
The newcomer looked at the old man intensely. He knew that it was the only opportunity.
"I accept, then."
"Great... I will tell everyone tomorrow morning then. I expect you to be there too. Could you wear something a bit lighter for..."
"This is me and I will never change." The newcomer cut the sentence.
"Yes, indeed. I apologize. Now how about a game of chess before we go?"
The newcomer took out a small chessboard from his briefcase and put it on the table.
The old man looked at the pawns and took the black ones.
"I always wonder what would it feel to play with these..."
The sun was shining brightly.
End?
Now, I am curious to know your thoughts about this story I wrote last week. Feel free to criticize me, to clobber me with your opinions and to be honest with me and yourself. So without further ado...
Chessboard
The old man was sitting alone among the loud chatters that surrounded him in this cool afternoon. The patio was unusually full as the spring sun had finally showed its warm rays. He was observing the people who walked around him as he left his cup untouched. No one noticed him but the waiter who was staring at the man's drink that remained full for the last hour.
There was something odd about the old man.
He was in his late sixties with striking white hair that added his charisma. The wrinkles upon his face carved every single years of his life, especially around his lips that always showed kindness no matter how slightly he moved them. His most astonishing feature was his eyes; the incredibly blue eyes reflecting the sky above that would undoubtly pierce every soul they would look at. The broken white chandail he was wearing matched perfectly his pale skin tone.
The old man turned his head slowly as if he smelled something. He beamed at the sight of an another man who approached his table.
"Good afternoon, old fellow," says the newcomer. "Been waiting here for long?"
The newcomer was obviously younger but one could sense that he had lived through so many things during his life. The dark and formal suit he was wearing contrasted with the warm afternoon. His nonchalant attitude attracted members of opposite sex, but yet he didn't even give them a glance. His eyes were dark and focused, but at the same time, they radiated a certain heat as if the infernal fire resided within his pupils.
"Not that long, my friend... but you know that I never mind waiting, don't you?"
"Yes, I do realize that... patience is a virtue." The newcomer smirked. "And I hate virtues."
He stared at the old man for a while. A moment after, he broke into a laughter.
"You did cut your beard finally!", he said.
The old man caressed his chin tenderly. He recalled on how he was quite known for his gracious white beard.
"Yes, I did have them cut. I am kind of bored that people see me only that way."
"Well, my friend, it's your life after all." The newcomer stopped for a while. "Life has a different meaning on you, of course.", he said with a wicked grin.
The old man just smiled. He was busy observing a couple few tables for them. The newcomer followed his gaze and shook his head as he pulled out a cigarette from a black metal case.
"You do believe in that love crap, don't you?", he mocked as he lighted up his cigarette.
'Why shouldn't I? As a matter of fact, I exist because of it, don't I?
The newcomer just inhaled the smoke and smiled. "Then tell me why my business has been properous these past decades if what you say is true?"
"You're telling me that I couldn't exist?"
"I am telling you... you funded my business to make THEM believe that you exist... therefore, if I thought you didn't exist, I wouldn't be neither."
The old man just sipped his coffee quitely, never broke his gaze toward the couple.
"Those two you're looking now, let me tell you that the girl would cheat on him in three days."
The old man stared at them with a certain sympathy. He seemed having thoughts of doing something, but he renounced at the end. His companion was looking at him, interested.
"I know you were going to do something, weren't you?" He put his cigarette in the asthray.
"Yes... I admit I had the intention. But somehow I decided not to. They have their own life."
The newcomer was indeed very curious right now. "That isn't you at all. In fact I never see you like this before."
The old man just gave a long sigh.
"I don't know. I don't know if they needed me anymore."
He lifted his eyes towards the city, with the beautiful river crossing the area. "They seem to be doing allright. I don't know if I should interfere with their life."
The newcomer looked confused. All these times, this could be the second time he was caught by surprise.
"But if you decided to end your corporation, you wouldn't need me at all." He was simply amazed on how the meeting turned out. He didn't want to lose his company. He was in love with his work and he was the only one who could handle it properly. For years he was reigning and now the thought of losing what he love the most gave a new sensation within him. Could it be fear?
The old man stayed calm. He was certain of one thing. Those who were about to be abandoned would need another guidance.
"How about this situation," said the old man, "what if I gave you my position, starting effectively tomorrow."
The fire within the newcomer's eyes glared. Another surprise. Jamais deux sans trois, he thought silently.
"You will get full control of everything that I did until now, and you'll be free to do anything."
The newcomer was simply struck. He wasn't expecting any of this. But somehow he knew that he was the only perfect candidate. Who was he if not the person that knew every single aspect of the business. Wasn't he the one who once dug the darkest hole only to find the brightest light.
"What if I accept your offer? Would you interfere one day?" He wanted to make sure that he was free to do whatever he pleased.
"You will get a full freedom. I always keep my promise, don't I?
"But you know that I have a very different view, right?"
"Yes.. I am aware of that. But I trust you. Even though I was the one who pushed you out from my board once. It was for your own good. You were the first to fall, yet the first to rise as well."
The newcomer looked at the old man intensely. He knew that it was the only opportunity.
"I accept, then."
"Great... I will tell everyone tomorrow morning then. I expect you to be there too. Could you wear something a bit lighter for..."
"This is me and I will never change." The newcomer cut the sentence.
"Yes, indeed. I apologize. Now how about a game of chess before we go?"
The newcomer took out a small chessboard from his briefcase and put it on the table.
The old man looked at the pawns and took the black ones.
"I always wonder what would it feel to play with these..."
The sun was shining brightly.
End?
posted by rangga @ 6:22 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home