“When the hell did I last tell someone my story?” the old man in his 80's asked himself. “Ah! That guy with the cheap ass knickers! But anyway, who might this girl be, you ask?” the old man pointed the name written on a gravestone beside him.
Elaine nodded. Excited to hear this old man's story.
“Her name's as you can see here, uhm, Saoirse.” the old man smiled to the clouds. Reminiscing the past, happy that again, that atleast, his story would once be heard. “Saoirse means "freedom" in Irish by the way. But I don't think she had that with her.’ the man sighed.
Elaine's eyes focused on the gravestone. Read the name aloud, “Seer-sha, what a nice name. So who is she?”
The old man chuckled. “Patience is a virtue my child.” he smiled. Elained frowned. “Saoirse was you see, someone, who's one of a kind.” he smiled widely. “She's a reader, a woman who loves books. In a world filled with women who loves attracting male attention, she is indeed one of a kind, different from the many. She's very caring to those who have less, something that made me like her most.”
Elaine nodded in agreement. Knowing how rare it is to see women who loves books over men.
“I first knew her when I was borrowing a book. Ahh, a book written by some fancy fantasy series writer. That was his first novel you see and it was very impressive.” the old man paused. “We made a great bond that started with books, became friends, shared problems, and solved word games together.”
The wind blew hard, snatching away the old man's cap. A brown cap, your typical grandfather would wear when he's out wandering alone. “Oh would you be so kind to run for it? Please?” He pleaded with his palms clapped to each other.
Elaine stood and ran for the cap. The cap was caught by the wind, rolling onto some tombstones and grasses. Towards the direction of the old provincial library. Elaine had caught it halfway to the fence. She grabbed it and then went back to the old man, who's still sitting on his picnic mat beside Saoirse's gravestone.
“Thank you beautiful being” Elaine handed him the cap. “Your're welcome” Elaine smiled.
“That library over there, was one of my favorite places you see. Best date ever, though I don't think she'd thought of it as a date.” he placed the cap back to his head while chuckling a little. “It was my dream date, date inside a library.” he smiled and sighed.
“Saoirse and I, I think fell in love at the same time. Things happened so fast, so fast that it seemed like the world was rushing to give us a conclusion. I confessed to her months earlier than planned, my bad it didn't go as I dreamed it to be. But still, I've sent her the word.” he sighed again.
Elaine, now delighted to be hearing the climax of their story pinned his eyes to the old man. With a smile wider than the San Andreas fault casted on her smooth white face. Curious eyes await.
“Things went good for a while, until certain problems came.” smiles in their faces both turned unto gloomy frowns. “She never told me the truth, the truth that she was already taken. A six month old relationship. On the very day I knew it, my mom who was suffering from cancer also died. It was kinda bad day.”
Elaine gasped. “I'm sorry. I didn't know your story was this sad.” Elained said with tones of sympathy.
The old man laughed. “Not because two problems came at the same time the story would be all so sad.” he coughed. Still chuckling from Elaines words of sympathy. “Nothing good comes from being so negative my child.”
“Then what happened next? Why are you laughing?” Elaine asked in a rushed tone. Confused of how the story was going.
“Saoirse broke up with the guy.” the old man said. Elaine, back to her delighted mood, again smiling up to her ears. “But the guy didn't want to. And would never would want to. Well I kinda understand him for that.”
“Just what the fxck? Oh pardon my language.” Elaine angered from what he said, let a curse slip out of her tounge. She wished she had never said it.
“It's okay, happens a lot.” the old man said.
“So what happened next? Did they got back together or did you save her from this guy?”
“Nope, she decided to return to him. Locking herself to a decision she never wanted. She was done with him. Nothing inside her heart was left for him. But there's no helping it. There were things that even love cannot fight.” the old man said, almost in an angered voice.
“So I decided to wait, wait for my turn. Wait for her return; to me, that is.” pain creeped out from inside. His eyes filled with sadness. Dull, tired, and hopeless, it only meant one thing. “But she never came back.”
Elaine, devastated from the story, but also confused, immediately asked the old man. “If she never returned then why are we here at her grave? How'd you know this was here?”
The old man chuckled, “Elaine died a year ago, old people sometimes just die peacefully you know.” he smiled. “I've been watching her all those years. Until now.”
“So you mean you waited till her death?”
“Ofcourse I did. I promised to, why won't I? I waited, and waited. Even when they got married, I was there. In a corner, watching her march on long red carpet to the aisle, rose petals raining from everywhere, invaluable smiles casted on everyone, she was so beautiful. Too bad I never had the chance to be the groom.” he smiled painfully.
“Oh God you're insane.” Elaine raised both her hands, expressing disappointment and shock from this old man.
He giggled, “Remember to always keep your promises, then your life would be happy. Be contented even though you're just getting the spoils of those who had so much.” he faced the gravestone. “Oh my dear, I wish I could relive those days.”
