The Old Man

by Jesse David

  "Yes, this is enough, but you will have diabetes before you get your memory back. We do not have any water." Ram said.

  "Yes, you are right. Let me get some water."

  The old man gathers a lot of water. He bought 5 gallons, thinking it is not enough.

  "Don't worry old man. Virginia Beach is not that far away. If we drive now, and we don’t have any stop, we will be there tomorrow morning." Mushy said.

  "I don't like to be in a hurry. I am not going to die, no need to hurry."

  "You are thinking the opposite way. You should move faster because your life isn't that long enough." Mushy said.

  "No. The faster you move, the faster you spent your time."

  "So we should slack off and do everything slow, to spend time slow?"

  "No. Because I guess, well maybe, the faster we do things, the lesser we appreciate the moment of our life. We should collect moment. Beautiful moments"

  "I think, I get that," Mushy said.

  Ram is now outside peaking over them from outside.

  "We must go now." The old man said.

  On the way outside, the old man saw a person who is dirty. The clothes seem to be a perfect white, but now, you can't see what the original color is.

  "How are you?" The old man said.

  The dirty man seems awakened by the voice of the old man.

  "How are you?" The old man repeated.

  "I'm hungry." The dirty man is looking at the water and the bread. The man is around 40s but his body looks older than it should be.

  "Have this." The old man gave a liter of water and a loaf of bread.

  "Thanks, brother." The dirty man.

  "Have faith in him." The old man said.

  Ram and Mushy are now on the car. The old man put the food and water on the back.

  When he rides the jeep, both of them are looking to him.

  "What?"

  "Nothing," Mushy said. Ram lay on his back.

  "What's next?" The old man.

  "We need gas," Mushy said.

  They arrived at the gas station. Mushy goes to re-fill the jeep while the old man pays for it. He stands in front of this frowning cashier. The cashier seems beautiful but she is too bored, about life.

  "Here you go honey." The old man said.

  "Honey your face." The cashier whispered.

  The old man thought that everyone in this town has a problem. The business man that has a lot of money has a problem, the preacher that believes in God has a problem, the beggar that doesn't have money has a problem, and this beautiful lady has a problem. The old man thought that he also has a problem, but the difference is, he is solving it. He acknowledged the problem and start solving it. Unlike others, they can't accept that they end up being a loser. So they can't even start fixing it.

  The city is beautiful, but still, it is made of human hands. Humans create a lot of beautiful things. But there is only one Creator that creates true beauty and that is God. But why does a lot of his beautiful creation harbor destruction. Humans keep dirty little secrets. They did a lot bad things. Maybe God doesn't really create us all with being just beautiful. There would always be flaws but that flaws will emphasize the beauty in us persons.

  But what really define our beauty? Is it our looks? Our culture? Our actions? Could it be possible that this beautiful lady is as beautiful as the dirty man?

  How we wish that a lot of things are easy to explain. We humans are easily fooled by beauty.

  Maybe you should not believe in me. Because I do not know who is this person talking to my head. I better be back in narrating the story.

  Chapter 17

  Then they go. Mushy drives for 3 hours until they became sleepy. Mushy starts to find a place where there is light and has a parking lot. The nearest thing he finds to that is a fast food.

  Mushy turns off the engine. They just open the window and rest a little bit.

  Remember that driving drowsy is not safe. If you feel sleepy while driving, stop and take some sleep. If you are drunk, sleep until you wake up sober. Do not be selfish that you only think about yourself. I know, you just want to go home. The thing is, everyone just wants to be home and if an accident happens, both of you might not go home.

  "Good night all." The old man said.

  "It is still early but I am a little bit sleepy," Mushy said.

  "No one is forcing you to drive. We must enjoy every moment." The old man said.

  When the old man looked behind, he saw Ram sleeping peacefully.

  Then they sleep.

  The old man saw flashes of blinding light. He sees fast moving human. But this person in the middle is moving at normal speed.

  The old man looks to his arm. He seems to be younger. His body seems to be younger. He starts to walk in a room full of people walking in every direction. The place is blinding white.

  He saw a child playing in the sand. A lot of people are in here but it seems that this kind is the only thing that makes sense.

  The kid playing on the sand looks behind. The old man looks also, and he saw a house that seems to show up out of nowhere. The old man thought that this room is really big, given it has inside it. And now the room seems to be peaceful, no one is walking, but there is a door in the middle of the room.

  The kid in the sand runs to the house. The body of the old man seems to be on autopilot because he is walking behind the kid.

  The kid opens the door. Then it runs back from where he came. This time, the old man stays on the front porch of the house.

  The old man looks inside. He saw two shadows that seem to be talking. No, they are much like arguing.

  The old man sees that the shadow is coming near him. He tries to get away from the door but it suddenly opened. The old man seems startled. He saw that a Pontiac is in front of the house and the shadow is now going to it.

  As the car go by, the old man saw the kid is looking at the car while it goes. Then it goes back playing like nothing happens. What a weird place and creature, but it seems everything makes sense to the old man but he doesn't really know what is happening. He seems calm and understands everything.

  The old man rubs his eye. He saw a guy. On his twenties wearing a leather jacket, with a crowd but they seem to be shadows. The old man follows the group inside the room. The old man hears the crispness of the laughter, the honesty in every breath.

  The old man continues walking and stumbles into the kitchen. He saw the previous shadow. A shadow of women, she seems to be drinking something in this bottle. The old man sits in the shadow. He even tilts his head because this is what people do when then seem to be mesmerized or thinking very deep.

  The young guy earlier comes into the kitchen. He grabs the bottle then he embraces the woman. Then they vanished. Just like that.

  The old man goes back to the receiving area where he found the shadow of the woman. She is there with another shadow, a man with a big belly. They got this injection and start to laugh out loud. He doesn't know who the person but he is sure that isn't the man earlier. It seems everything makes sense to the old man but he doesn't really know what is happening.

  Then this person passed right through him. The jacket guy just passed right through him, having a big bag. The woman tries to stop the jacket guy. Then the wall collapse. The old man is in the alley where the jacket guy is running from the shadow.

  Then the old man wakes up.

  "Your turn to drive old man," Mushy said.

  "Ok, just going to leak in the fast food. What do you want for breakfast?"

  "Anything," Mushy said.

  The old man checks the back, Ram is still sleeping behind.

  The old man goes to the restroom first. After his leak, he goes to check himself in the mirror. The old man thought that it seem a long time since he goes out from the nursing home. He washes his face. Then he remembers the dream. Nothing makes sense. Maybe that is his memory but still it doesn't make sense.

  He orders 3 burgers for taking out. Then he goes back t
o the jeep. Mushy is now riding shotgun. They eat first then they start their journey. The old man starts to drive. It seems he is been driving his whole life, he can feel that he will now drive swiftly. Maybe this is some flashback from his memory.

  Before he goes out of the parking lot, an old man standing on a side having a thumbs up. He also sees that this man is bald.

  "What does that mean?" The old man said.

  "Stop in front of him. Let him in." Mushy said.

  Mushy goes out. The bald old man peaks through the open door.

  "Hey, can I hitch?" The bald man said.

  "Yeah sure. We still have a room here." The old man said.

  The bald man enters the jeep and they continue.

  "Are you also finding something?" The old man asked the bald man.

  "No, I'm trying to forget something."

  Humans are a pretty complicated creature. One loves it while the other one hates it. One needs it while the other one takes it for granted. One wants to remember while the other one wants to forget.

  Chapter 18

  When you are working in the nursing home and some of the senior are not in their room, you must not panic. Some of them are sleepwalking, some of them barely sleeping and they choose to stay in the garden to check the stars.

  So at first, when the old man is not in his room, Cynthia just goes to the next room. Cynthia thinks that the old man just goes early at the pantry, but when it happens again in 2 consecutive times, hell broke loose. Once a senior is became rogue, I mean when it is gone. They must find the senior no matter what.

  Cynthia reports it to the director so they can find him faster. Asking every senior would be hard. Some of them have dementia and the old man doesn't have a name. The old man doesn't have a lot friend given that he is unconscious for his stay.

  They ask the person in the cafeteria but they didn't notice the old man getting any meals.

  They ask the guards but it doesn't also notice the old man going out.

  Cynthia saw Sam. She remembered that Sam always talks to the old man even when he is still unconscious. Maybe he knows something.

  "Sam, can I have a word with you," Cynthia said.

  "Sure, anything for you," Sam said.

  "Have you seen Muteman?"

  "Hhhmmm. Not really. I'm not sure, my memory is sometimes slipping."

  "When did you last saw him?"

  "Not sure."

  "If you remember something please tell me. Muteman is gone."

  Sam just nod. He thinks on how long till the officials find Muteman.

  You might be thinking what could possibly go wrong if the old man is out on the society. He is just an old man. He doesn't even know who he is. Maybe the nursing home lets him roam around since sooner or later, he will go back because his hungry or hurt. I guess the nursing home mustn't worry.

  Every personnel try to search the old man on their free time. Even some of the seniors try to. Even Sam, he thinks he is making a fool of himself. He knows he will never find the old man here.

  After hours of searching, the security guard thinks a better plan. Why not check the CCTV on the gate.

  "You just let us get tired," Sam said to the security guard.

  The nursing home plays the video for the past day. And they saw it. The old man is just walking casually to go outside the gate. Nice move. I think the guard will be fired for this. Sorry for that.

  "We will file for a missing person." The Director said.

  The director calls the police. The police come to the nursing home for an interview and investigation. This makes it hard to the police, especially which the old man doesn't have an identity, the only thing that could be used to trace the in picture from a CCTV.

  "We are searching the same person." The police officer said.

  I don't know what a better word to describe this is. It could be serendipity or a mere coincidence. But yesterday, an apartment has reported a break in. The characteristic of the old guy is same on the guy on CCTV. The CCTV captures a person going into the apartment and goes out on the next day having new clothes. It seems that the person is a tenant but when the super checks the room, it is open with all of its light turned on. And when he checks, he saw that a safe was open and all of the money is gone. The owner of said the room is an old couple having a vacation. They are the first tenant of the building.

  Because of the fast response of the police, the near establishments have given a warning regarding this. The picture of an old man was given.

  Later that day, the police received a call regarding the old man. The cashier said a mysterious old man that fits the description came to a grocery store and buys a random thing. He even gave a beggar some food. According to the cashier, she saw the old man driving a jeep.

  By this time, the director is puzzled on how the old man does this entire thing. The old man might be this kind of person before he became unconscious. And now, he might be back on his mission.

  Then the police officers continue, they receive a phone call telling that the old man ate in their restaurant. He ran after eating, but on the next day, he came back paying it and ordering same food. The caller emphasized a weird choice of food of the old man, especially the desert.

  The police traced the car and they found out that it has been stolen in a 2nd hand car seller.

  The police are puzzled, the director is puzzled and Sam is puzzled.

  Maybe, even you are puzzled. Me too, I'm puzzled.

  Chapter 19

  "I'm Douglas." The bald man said.

  "Ow. Hi." The old man said.

  "What's yours?"

  "I forgot it. I'm trying to find it."

  "I'm trying to forget mine." Douglas said. "What do I call you?"

  "Gramps."

  "We are the same age."

  "I like it when they call gramps."

  "Where you going?" Douglas said.

  "Virginia beach."

  "Why?"

  "Found a post card on my old bag, maybe it may mean something." The old man said. "How about you?"

  "Anywhere, I am too old to bother where I will go. Doesn't matter where I go, we will all go there at the end." Douglas said then pointing upward.

  "Heaven?" The old man asked.

  "Maybe, just anywhere without a war or a place where no one talks."

  "You been to war?"

  "Many times, I’ve seen hell many times. Even a purgatory might be good for my next life."

  "You believe in those things?" the old man asked.

  "Better to believe in something than nothing. It helps me too look forward to death."

  "Is war so bad?"

  "You will see a man white as snow. See your old friend crying like a baby because his feet were blown off. You stop counting days. You just want to live. Every minute is hell when you are in the war. You just wish you do not wake up every morning. The war doesn't make sense."

  "Yes, it is. But it has been with humanity since we are born. We are such a destructive creature." The old man said.

  "You said creature like we are some kind animal. But that is just the truth. I think we are the only creature that kills its own species because of land, money, resources, and beliefs. We are more animal than the other creature. We are the only creature that pays to live in this planet. And the question is to whom?"

  "I don't know." The old man said.

  "But you know that’s a lot of people go to war just because someone said so. You go there and fight but really don't know what you are really fighting for. They said it is for the country. What country? We humans are the one who tells that this is the country."

  "I guess sometimes, war is the only way. Sometimes you don't steal a land. You defend it. You sometimes don’t have a choice. It is your land after all." The old man said.

  "Think about this. What if there are no countries, just earth. One dialect so we can understand each other. One culture, spiritual beliefs, and balance wealth were everyone is happy. The world will seem to be a better
place."

  "Maybe that will do. Maybe Isolation would be better."

  "We humans are pretty weird."

  "Yes, even in mythologies. Even the teaching in Christianity, angels and demons goes to war. Good fights evil."

  "We don't really know what could correct this world. Let's give up on the war thing." Douglas said.

  "Yeah."

  "Stop the car. I’m going to take a leak."

  "But there is no restroom."

  "I do not care. Do you think an old man care about what people think?" Douglas said. "I have no time to worry."

  It's all field, Douglas has nothing to worry.

  The old man looked behind. Mushy and Ram are sleeping peacefully. That is why they are very quiet, the old man thought.

  Douglas jumps back to the car. "Not going leak?"

  "Nah, want some food?" The old man asked. "Got a lot of food on the back."

  "Nah." Douglas said. "What are you before?"

  "I do not know. But I know a lot of about the bible. You hear it. Someone whispers it. This kid told me it could be God."

  "Ask him to how to stop war and hatred." Douglas said.

  "I will if he talks to me again."

  "Maybe, the answer is just love."

  "Have you killed anyone back in the war?" The old man asked.

  "Yes. That is how war works. But when you kill anyone in this society, then it is called massacre. But when you kill someone at war, you become a hero."

  "It depends on what you're fighting for. You’re on the good side right?' Douglas said.

  "Everyone is on the good side. To them, they are fighting for what is right, and for us, we are defending for what is right."

  "I get that. So who win? The one who is fighting or the one defending?"

  "Doesn't matter, no one I guess." Douglas said. "After the death of soldiers, how do you call that a win? We just had proven their point."

  "You're right. You learn all this things from war?" The old man asked.

  "Of course, one must experience it to know what it feels like. We are doomed."

  "The young one is doomed. We are pretty old."

  They passed some kids that seem to be care free and laughing.