Just The Matter Of Time

The journey seemed difficult, but he had to start anyway. Vicious, so to say, but the hostile road lay besieged to its only occupant. Although he came across as a frail persona, his aura deprecated all incoherence.

He kept walking with heavy steps, reposing his presence on the unmade road, mentally maintained repository of all details he set his eyes on. It was almost dusk when he noticed a 14-year old boy trying to escape the inced crowd. He approached the boy when he managed to dodge his chasers And learnt that he was a petty thief who has been exempted. The old man placed his hands on his fore-head and tried to deter him from stealing in the future. The boy gawked at him in mistrust and fled without uttering a single word.

The old man made a mental note of it….

He resumed his purpose and kept walking, until he came across a man of uncouth disposition. He flirted with dirty streets and reveled his inane existence. The old man noticed his lower limbs unfurled in a queering fashion, only to further deprecate his appearance. On a small conversation with this man of sporadic mannerisms, he understood that he had lost his leg to a gory accident. The man lamented and wept with grief but never tried to combat his unruly fate. Despite the ineffable efforts old man, failed to make him realize the importance of life, so he decided to wait and watch what fate had in store for him! He rose to his feet and this time it was certain to see him again, and he knew it would be soon…

He resumed his purpose. Days passed by….

As he walked past the desolated street, he saw an old man from distance. His sprawling limbs were confined to the ambit of his tattered mattress. He sat there with mouth slightly ajar, as though from eternity, under the vigilant sun who did not miss any opportunity to make brute foray at his sagging skin and sans eyes. The beggar forced his eyes open and tried to recognize the much familiar face which bore such surreptitious expressions that sufficed fairly to perplex him. All that he could manage was to strain his wits to fathom the cryptic smile that played back and forth him.

Finally the old man spoke:

“ Why are you having troubles recognizing me? You have seen me before. I met you when you were a 14 year old kid trying to escape the people who caught you stealing. I tried to make you understand the vices of your trade but u never listened to me and continued with it until you me t with a gruesome accident which permanently disabled you from walking, let alone running. That was the first lesson for you. I had to come to see you again when you were wasting your life cribbing over what you lost. You again ignored what I said and here I am, for the last time to see you living how you chose to. You would have saved your legs and the Sun had you conceded in me then.. True, Man is what he chooses to be”

The words struck the beggar in the heart and he wept.. Finally when he opened his eyes the old man was gone…Time again was gone..!!!!

PS: Readers comments and opinions are invited!