When Apathy and Enthusiasm Collide:
Dialogue between an Old Man and a Young woman.
Mr. Birminham was a retired and decorated general who returned to his normal life after the war ended. Once he arrived home, he realized his entire life had disappeared. His wife had left him with no reason and since they had decided not to have kids, the house looked empty and bigger now. It took several years to Mr. Birminhan to accept his life was now an empty and included story.
One day in the Mr. Birminham life usually start with a trip to the supermarket to buy 2 bottles of lactose-free milk and a big piece of rye bread. But the morning of the Monday 14th April will be out the normal.
He started by taking the bus to the supermarket as he always did, and with the exact change he paid the ticket bus. He walked to the end of the bus and sat in the last bench. He loved to sit quietly and watch the people through the window while the bus moves to its destination. There is nothing like the tranquility of the last bench, thought the old man.
Suddenly, the bus stopped in a station and a middle aged woman with a black bag on his back went in. Behind her, a serious and quite man dressed as a geography professor accompanied the woman.
Winnie: Excuse me Sir; is there a room for two on that bench?
Mr. Birminham turned his face to the woman and without saying a word he moved slightly to the corner.
Winnie: Oh thank you sir, you are so nice. Most of the people are extremely rude and selfish nowadays, especially young people; but you don`t, you look kind.
The old man continued watching the outside of the bus in silence. The woman put his bag on the floor and sat next to him.
Winnie (trying to break the ice): oh my back is killing me. Aren´t you tired Willie? Cuz I'm exhausted.
Mr. Birminham crossed his feet to make him more comfortable and he accidentally touched the bag of the woman with his right foot.
Winnie: Watch out Sir, my entire life is inside that bag.
Mr. Birminham (breaking the silence with a serious and almost rude tone): Are you sure? Are you sure your entire life is inside that piece of bag? You seem to have a short life then.
Winnie: Not at all, I’ve....
Mr. Birminham (interrupting the woman) listen to me young lady, I've been in the army and I know very clear the importance of a backpack. As a soldier, you have to keep everything inside your bag and not just the necessary for a stealth mission.
Winnie: I have it all.
Mr. Birminham: Really?! Let me guess, girl stuffs. Listen to me young lady, you have nothing inside you bag, nothing!
Winnie: That's not true; let me show you. (Taking a picture from her bag)Look this is me and my husband on a journey to...
Mr. Birminham: Hey woman do I look interested in your life?
Winnie: But you asked for my life.
Mr. Birminham: I haven`t asked anything. And honestly I don’t want to.
Winnie: But I have interesting things, look. (Rummaging in her bag) I have a magnifying glass, a
Brush, my makeup…
Mr. Birminham: As I said before girl stuffs.
Winnie continued looking in her bag when the reflection of a shiny gun called the attention of the veteran.
Mr. Birminham: is that a Browning A1 1911 pistol? You keep a gun in your bag? And what for? Protection? Isn’t enough the escort of your man? (Asked Mr. Birminham pointing to Willie). Or maybe you are planning a robbery (said the old man ironically).
Winnie: No, no, reply the woman. All of these things are just part of my life.
Mr. Birmingham: And how are planning to use that gun?
For the first time since the conversation started Winnie didn’t replied. She stood quite for a few seconds, thinking.
Winnie: Would you like to see a rock with an interesting form I found in a trip to the Galapagos?
Mr. Birmingham (With a threatening tone voice): Do not try to change the subject young lady. How are you going to use the gun?
Winnie (with a slight, almost undetectable nervous voice): Well… actually the gun isn’t mine… it belongs to Willie and… I’m just keeping it in my bag.
Mr. Birmingham (laughing despicably): You are not a good liar. Anyway, I don`t want to listen more fool stories. If you excuse me young lady I’ve reached my destination (Mr. Birminham stood up and walked to the front door).
Winnie: Those aren`t fool stories; those are in fact my memories, my life…
The young lady continued trying to convince the old man while he left the bus.
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ReplyDeleteDear Alvaro, I can foresee your character in this piece. It is a good work but his voice, his rudeness needs some more development. His exit is quite abrupt, you know? He even asks Winnie "with a threatening tone voice" not to change the subject and next thing he does is to abandon the scene! It confused me that he just left like that... .
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