Crime And Punishment
So I am this person, who thinks life is absurd, is an agnostic tending towards atheist and curious to know if anyone shares the same feeling. So I ask the people I meet to see if they share the same opinion. This event takes place in the cornershop, where a guy looking in his sixties comes to the shop to buy alcohol. While he is paying over the counter, I try to hit up a conversation with him by asking for his age. 56, he replies. On the assumption that he might have some interesting insights about life, since he looked old and wise, I ask "What do you think the meaning of life is, from the life you've lived till now ?". This guy pauses for a while, looks at me and says "Thanks for asking this question." What happened next, amazed me. Tears started rolling from this man's eyes, and he shared his story. He happened to be a Ph.D laureate in Chemistry. He continues, "My family is in Scotland, but I have done so much wrongs in my life and to them. I'd like to see them for one last time and apologise for everything I have done, but I can't. I have got pancreatic cancer now and I'm dying inside each day. These, (he pointing at the alcohol bottles) are painkillers for me." At this point, the friends who were working in the shop were alerted and they tried to pacify him, all the while having a look on their face that implied "What the hell have you done ?" After a while, this guy leaves the shop saying, "Thank you. Thanks a lot for asking that question "...
Now, the twist is, this guy, who used to visit shop every other two days is, nowhere to be seen. No one I know of have seen him around and we aren't sure where he lives. I'm thinking, either of the two happened : He left off for Scotland to set everything right or he left earth. I was afraid to check out the local news obituary. I am just hoping that he will come back setting everything right. But I acknowledge its life, no hollywood flick.
[Update] One of my friends spotted this guy in our neighbourhood again. Upon enquiring he told him that he was indeed in Scotland in the interim. Waiting to meet him now :)