Tuesday, December 24, 2013

THE WINTER TALE

Once there was this young boy, that lived here and there, most about in social institutions of a big city, but it actually liked to be outside watching traffic jams, counting cars, figure people behaviour,  watching neon lights, big wall advertisements, hanging out with its palls, making some pranks or bullying at school.
Very soon his round big green eyes allowed him to become aware of the surroundings, but hated the winter season, because he was always looking to find new ways to get warmer, but his skinny type body wouldn´t permit such comfort with so much lack of clothing, so he thought to be in constant move, which meant always in some kind of trouble. Most of the times his actions were based on self amusement i.e. "just for fun";
In snowing days, when he skipped to classes, he liked to be at the park climbing some of the not so small trees, throwing some "snow gifts" (so he called) to the crossing by foreigners (yes, he and the gang had a code for that: throwing snow balls to locals was forbidden, unless of..... having done it...).
It happened that one of the days, some old lady has crossed they're sightview, the same old lady that they're used to know when passing under her window behind some translucent white lace curtain.
The sun was fading away and the silence of the park was interrupted time to time by some cold breeze and some people jogging.  With all their weaponry set and ready to "fire", they've waited the right moment to strike, and unlikely, because of their code, one of them thought and murmured that the end of the day was somehow near and probably that was their best chance to get a fine target, but the young boy tried to refrain them, up to the moment that one of the other sent is snow gift to the poor lady. She was wearing a wood cap, dark scarf over a long light jacket, hardly handling two plastic bags , when she fell on the floor triggered by the gang hit, so she dropped the bags spilling every thing of the content, while prostrated in the snow floor, hoarsely, called for help. Silenced in the trees, the youngsters remained freezed, not only by the dropping temperatures, but also for the situation itself, when suddenly noticed two persons that seemed to go on rescue but unlikely they intercepted the old lady grabbing her with violence and demanding  her money ... the kids couldn't believe what they're watching, so two of them jumped of the tree and ran away, the young boy stood alone and with a mix of controversial feelings, started to yell as throwing some more snow balls at the two men; With that kid intromission and noise the men runned from there and got away, leaving the old lady frozen, crying , no one more came for help despite the so much fuss. The young boy jumped of the tree, and nervously walked towards the lady and arriving asked if she was ok? Visibly scared she urged to instantly cower herself ; The told her to not be afraid so the bad were gone, and he was there now and would help her; And so he did. First he helped her to seat, and cleaned  some of the snow in her hands face and clothing; eventually, his smile made her feel more calm and yet with difficult breathing she murmured a thanks for his action. After the young boy insistence, she accepted his help to raise up and and walker at home. During his walk, was just thinking how the hell he put himself in that situation and how would leave it; there was no way back, he felt guilty as never before and didn't understand why, watching behind his back he saw his two friends peeking.
Finally they got to the old lady's home, an old mansion in middle of the big city; She have invited him for a cup of tea since it was cold and would like to thank him for his gesture; After some long hesitation he entered that big door, and after he slammed the door a grey cat appeared from the long dark and tall corridor; He took of his sort of wrecked gloves. He was invited to go to the main room where there was already a generous fireplace and a big couch and dozens of books. She served the tea in a small table near the couch and the brown wood seats, where the boy waited. He was just amazed with  size of the house with paintings and the books and written papers, spreaded all over.
While pouring the mint tea, she commented that she used to see him crossing her window for some time and like to hear the gangs laughs, which were very inspiring for her ideas, so he concluded that she were a writer.
He asked if she would write about that park episode, at what she observed with some perhaps but had not yet decided what the subject be... if it was about some crooks that tried to steal her or about a skinny boy and his gang that attacked her with snow balls and after regrets and guilts help and old lady and after that modified his all life, helping others and especially that old lady that would be pleased to help him and educated till his manhood or until he fed up with it and follow his own path.
The young boy cried at the old lady arms hopping that the guilt just fade, the only ones that seemed to ever transmit some affection up to the moment. He promised to stick with her ever. And he did. The years crossed fast as the universe laws permitted and the boy became a fine adult business man, keeping the old lady promise, the same old lady that had already left the world the mansion the crying boy, but raised a fine person and changed the world, their world. Now was his time too, to change anyone else's world. And so he did.








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