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The man slowly circled the chair standing in the middle of the
room, one hand in hispocket, one scratching vigorously at an
inflammation at the back of his neck. Neon lights
glared upon his bald skull and a slightest hint of a limp in his
walk, a certain weariness ofmovement, betrayed the mans old age.
His lineaments shrouded by the penumbra, hismouth half-open, he
approached the middle of the room and shouted, Is this it?
Nothingbut an empty room and a wooden chair? There isnt even a
door! Rather meagre! I amcertainly not impressed!Well what were you
expecting? Show some decorum. Lavish feasts and luxurioushousings
should be a thing of the past as you most definitely know!The voice
did not so much boom as penetrate deep into the mind of the
listener, striking
his synapses as though they were chords. But the man did not shy
away. He raised hishead and a defiant boldness appeared on a face,
which had been burnt by the sun andswept by the winds.You do betray
yourself, said the man, chuckling slightly. I see you cannot judge
people.My tattered clothes, my premature ageing should have given
you some more insight.
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On the Passage
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boxes my housing, leftovers my feasts. If I have not been spoilt
by Fortuna, then how canyou raise your accusations against he who
knows not luxury? He who has lived an asceticlife. A spartanic
life, a life ofThe voice interrupted him, If you are not content
with your surroundings, then change
them. And hurry up with it as I wont put up with your
melodramatic banter muchlonger.The man looked towards the ceiling
with an air of resignation, while the chairdisappeared and gave way
to a green pasture that expanded along the floor. Blue,cloudless
skies shot up and the hard artificial light became softer and
livelier.How quaint, murmured the voice, which had now trailed into
the distance.Well, what about it? Better than that impersonal rat
hole.
How personal can a stereotypical little pasture out in the open
be? Anyway I digress,now that you certainly feel more comfortable I
shall ask you some questions.Ask what you want Ill answer
truthfully.Yes, yes you certainly will. Not much of a choice there,
eh?I guess so.The man started walking towards a small grove of
maritime pines that had appeared inthe distance, near a coastline
that now trailed off to the horizon.What is the difference between
the past and present.Nothing but the linear nature of time, said
the man, chuckling once again.Im serious about this, so I demand a
bit of countenance. I shall repeat myself oncemore. What is the
difference between past and present?The ocean slowly started
trembling, waves crashing upon cliffs that had not been
thereseconds earlier. Cinders and ashes fell upon the landscape,
thunders and flashes of light atthe horizon. Cities grew and
withered; men and women were born, lived, loved, killedand died all
around him. Gazing upon the sea the man slowly got younger. The
wrinklessmoothed and tufts of raven-black hair began to sprout on
his head and soon a boy ofmaybe some seventeen years stood there on
the seashore. His eyes shone with the spark ofyouth for a moment,
an indefinite, minuscule amount of time before a dull sorrow
mattedthat sudden flare. The man looked towards the sky and
asked:
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