Without a face

There he was, the man without a face,

I had heard about him, everyone had

I was curious that why did he do that, spend so much and went through so much, just to lose his face,

It had to be a very bad face.

I have heard about you, I said

He nodded. I was not sure if he smiled or frowned.

I asked his name, he said he didn’t have one.

I couldn’t guess if he is from the north or from the south,

I didn’t know if his community, his religion,

I didn’t know who is he,

I didn’t know if I could trust him

From his attire, I could guess not a corporate geek probably, a startup freak

It could have been rude, but, this could have summed him up,

I asked, if he supported the present leaders in the government?

I … He said and then he paused

I think he smiled. I guess, I hope.

How do you make friends, I asked.

How do you meet people who you could fall in love with

How do they know if you like something,

How do they know if you are angry or you are sad

It’s so much effort getting to know you

He said, “this is why!”

A few days later,

Tapping his shoulder, I asked him again,

Don’t you miss it?

I think he must have frowned.

I mean your own face. Don’t you miss it?

“I never had one”

I was confused, and he clarified.

What you saw in my face, is a reflection of your image of me, not me.

My face has never been mine. You have been looking for a face that you have seen before and could fit me since we have met.

“This is why!”

I am not really without a face, I am just without my face!

Once you know me enough to fit me one,

You would search one from your past and give that to me.

It’s just a small effort crying of my very human vanity, in the hope that you would at least take the effort to know me.

“This is why!”