Only Human....

CHAPTER 1: OLD NAM

It was a cloudy and lazy afternoon. There was rain in the morning, cooling the hot weather a little. Alan was waiting for his bus, trying to find a nice song to listen to while waiting, browsing through his song library on his mobile. He finally finds a song he feels like listening to, and started tapping his fingers on his sling bag to the rhythm of the song. His mind starts to wander. He likes to do this: just sitting there doing nothing and listening to a nice song, and perhaps sing along with it if the situation allows. He finds it refreshing and soothing.

The bus was taking ages to come as usual, but Alan was in no hurry. He was heading to school to meet his pals to study.

They can always start without me. I can afford to be late a little, Alan thought to himself.

As his thoughts wander far from reality, mind-travelling to all the time and space that exists only in his own ‘mindworld’, he fails to notice this old man coming up to him from the side.

“Hey there little boy”

Alan had the volume turned pretty loud, but he could sense that there is something in the reality world that needs his attention. Images started to become clear as he starts to focus on the real world again. He did not take long to notice the old man in front of him now. In brown shorts and a pair of slippers, and the top button of his dark blue shirt unbuttoned, the old man looks like any other old man. Alan takes off his left earphone to hear the sounds in this real world.

“You got a cigarette for me boy? I just came out of Woodbridge Hospital and I do not have money for a smoke. “

“Sorry I don’t have one. I don’t smoke” Alan replied as-a-matter-of-factly.

Woodbridge Hospital is the Institute of Mental Health; where the people with mental problems go to. But Alan did not despise the old man. If there was any feeling or emotion in Alan now, it was sympathy.

As the conversation ended, Alan put his earphone back in his ear, and the old man sat down beside Alan at the bus stop. Before Alan could immerse himself in the music this time, the old man called out to him once again. Noticing it earlier this time, Alan took out his earphones much faster and turned to face the old man one more time.

“I only have two dollars with me now. “ He proceeded to take out a two dollar note from his pocket.

“When I get home later, I won’t have money to eat. Can you give me some money so I can buy food?” He looked at Alan with the same blank eyes as before.

In his mind, Alan had conflicting thoughts. He pitied this old man a lot. He wanted to help. But yet, at the same time, his other half of the brain started to sound the alarm.

What if he is just a swindler? Should I really give him money?

 But something made him realize he did not had to answer the questions. He had no money on him! Alan had not been able to withdraw money the day before when he was out because the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) was down. Feeling relieved that he did not need to resolve the dilemma, he started to explain apologetically to the old man.

“I’m sorry, I have no cash on me now. “

At the bus stop, there was another woman waiting for a bus. The conversation between Alan and the old man had caught her attention. She was looking over at the pair.

Noticing her, the old man started asking her for money now.

“Hey there madam, I only have two dollars in my pocket, would you kindly give me another two dollars for me to buy a meal when I get back? “ the old man asked again with no trace of emotions in his voice.

“I just came out of Woodbridge” he added.

Alan had no idea why the old man was telling people that. Was he trying to get the pity of people?

Some people will get put off by just that fact alone! Alan reasoned to himself.

The middle-aged woman took out her purse from her hand bag and started looking through it. She took out a two dollar note and gave it to the old man.

“Thank you madam” the old man responded, in his emotionless voice yet again.

Alan started to put his earphones back on again, thinking this is the end of the issue, but he was wrong. Unexpectedly, the middle-aged woman started talking to the old man......

To be continued....

for now.. a song...