It was around 8 pm. I was sitting in the cafe near to my university like everyday. I was bit exhausted by student's performance in the last test. None of them did well in the test. After the end of the semester, i would be responsible in font of dean for their bad performance. It s not fair, as a professor my job is to teach them ; i cant study for them!
'How are you, professor?'
I tried my best not be bored and disturbed by saying 'I am good!'
With little bit smile the gentleman asked 'Would you mind if i sit next to you ?'
'Yeah, No problem! Anyway, I am going out of this cafe within some times.'
'Can you remember me ?'
'Actually i don't remember you!'
'We met that day in font of this cafe while you was buying cigarette and we chatted for sometimes '
I couldn't remember him anyway. Actually it is not possible to remember a random person after chatting 5 minutes. Maybe for some people it is. But i don't have that much memory. He said , 'I am Abed. I used to work for military. I retired 2 years ago.' 'Great. Nothing is better than serving your country'. Anyway, I am not that social person and there is no reason for me to be a friend with an old man.
'Do you believe in ghost, Mr. Professor?' He asked me.
'I don't find any reason to believe in it' I simply told him strictly.
'Glad to hear that. I found so many educated people are believing ghost stories these day. Men are exploring the moon and in the same times believing in ghost, what a pity! Last month i saw a physics professor wearing 4 stone rings'
I kept myself in silence, hoping that with being not responded by me he would be bored and lost the interest to speak with me anymore. Then i would get rid of him.
After some minutes gentle asked me,'Do you believe in co-incidence, Mr professor?'
'I didn't understand your question properly. Can you simplify it?'
'I was asking do you believe two random incidents can be connected together'
'I am sorry. I still didn't understand your question.'
'Okay. I will tell you the story another day. Most probably you are tired and bored today.' He said with gentle voice'People don't like chatting with old man. They think speaking with old man is just waste of time.'
I was bit ashamed with words. Yeah, that s true I am bit bored with him. But how would he understand that. I didnt expect that. An old man , living alone always need someone to talk.
'Please, come another day. I will listen your story. I am really bit busy today.'
'I can't say any story. There is a co-incident event in my life - i don't know any story without that. This story is very personal. I told this story to only few people. Somehow i was feeling to tell this story to you.'
'I will be happy to listen your story.'
'I live next to this cafe. That is my home. I will be happy if you come one day at my house.'
'Okay, i will come one day. You can count on that'
After 3 months , i suddenly remembered that i should have visited to that old man.On a Friday evening , i came to his house. It was very simple house. But what surprised me is that i can easily notice he has more than 10,000 books in collection. I couldn't imagine someone like him would have that much collection.
'You have a huge collection of books' I said 'Do you collect all of them on your own?'
'Most of them are collected by my father. He was crazy about books. He used to read a lot. I can't read like him. There are some books that i brought. But I couldn't read them yet.'
'Now you have so much free time. I am sure you are using your time with reading now'
'Actually i have problems with my eyes. I can't read book for a long time. I will be really happy if you read some books from my collection. Books should be read by someone. Books are not for being decorated '
'Do you lend book to everyone?'
'Yes, I do.'
'Do people return thee book after reading ?'
'Not always. But i brought again those missing book. I am living alone. So,I have enough money to provide myself. I spend an amount of money to buy books. You can have a look at my books. By the mean time, i will make some tea for us '
