The man who went

They held each other’s gaze as if they knew they had been destined to meet. But none moved. After a few seconds, which seemed to have lasted hours, the baker behind him asked "would that be all Sir?" Turning around, the man embarrassedly said "well, yes thank you, everything’s fine, see you next week". When he quickly turned again to leave, the woman was gone. He hurried outside, stopped and looked in each direction of the village street. She was nowhere to be seen. But he just had to find her. He knew she would change his life dramatically and he just couldn’t let her go. He decided to take a right, where most shops and cafes and of course the village pub were. He ran, stopping in between to look into the shops and surveying the people at the cafes. But there was no yellow dress to be seen. Soon he came to the end of the main street, trying to think of what he should do. Where else could he look? He looked behind him again, down the sunny street and there she was again. Coming out of one of the side streets. He started running, the paper bag swinging and almost breaking. All of a sudden he stopped, watching her walk slowly down the street. What should he say to her? Why did he have to meet her? But he shoved the thought out of his mind - he didn’t know and didn’t care. There was something that told him he had to continue. And then she turned. She looked at him, smiled and slowly started to walk towards him.

No words had been necessary. She had taken his hand and without saying a word they had walked towards the bus. She seemed to know very well where he lived and for a moment he asked himself how, but then let it go. It didn’t matter. Good old Willy had been in the bus, twinkling his eye towards the man as if saying, "nice girl ya got yaself there old chap". The man had smiled at him and taking the woman at the elbow, had guided her towards the best seat, away from the dying sun. They got off at the old bus stop just outside the garden. The birds were singing and everything was quiet and peaceful. They had spent a quiet evening, cooking in the big kitchen together, laughing at small jokes and finally eating outside, enjoying the warmth of the last summer days. She told him then how she had known where to find him. And how she knew she was looking for him.

"You know," she said, not watching his eyes but the shadows growing longer behind the trees, "I feel, I’ve always been looking for you. There was something in my mind that time that told me it had to be you. I had a sister once, living together with me in a small apartment. She used to say that once you found out for yourself what you were looking for - because everyone is always looking for something, that’s how life is - one just has to go and find it. It doesn’t matter how much time and pain it takes, you will never be perfectly happy until you do". She turned her head and smiled her beautiful smile at him, cuddling up in the garden chair. "And that’s just how it was for me. My sister passed away tragically and I had to find out for myself what I would do with my life now.