The Old Man
Do you know how people die ? I’ve seen many passed away. Let me tell you how you would die, young man
“Its still raining outside ! come sit here”
A bearded old looking guy shouting at me, waving his hand. There’s a few people around him. I can tell he’s being at the center of attention.
“Thanks for inviting”
i sit on the opposite side of him on this round table.
“Do you know how people die ?”
I can just shake my head, thinking why he asked me that kind of question ?
“ I’ve seen many passed away, let me tell you how you would die young man”
The rest of the group staring at him curiously.
Its the first time i get into this coffee shop. The place isn’t really attractive; its very small. Usually I would just passed by, but the guy i met at our hotel recommend that i should go there and try their croisant.
So here i am, trapped in this place. Im not aware typhoon was coming today at this city.
“We will meet the end of our life when we’re doing things we like the most”
He laughed, while pointing the man beside him
“His father died when he was gambling, he’s bad-ass gambler, didn’t he ?”
The man beside him just nod and smile.
“Ben, a teacher, my best friend; he was’nt so lucky that an accident in a lab happened during his chemical lecture. Oh… And Jimmy, that boy, he slipped at a motor race and hit by a truck. He’s been doing that race almost every week, he really loved it”
The old man, wipe his tears. This jimmy seems someone who was closed to him.
“What do you like the most young man?”
He asked me. But, he never give me chance to answer his
“Let me tell you what i like. Everyday i sit here, light my cigarette and drink a cup of black coffee. Yes! you can have the best coffee here”
He open up his wallet, and show me a photo
“This is Jimmy, my son. I wish i could die like him”
“Meet the end of my life when doing something i like”
He put the photo at the table, and gave a weird expression at us. — he look very pale.
“Sigh………!”
I can hear a long breathe from the old man. And nothing else.
His head fall down to the table.
A heart attack.
Attribution
Inspired by a short story by A Mustofa Bisri
Jamesy Pena via Flickr creative commons
