The Witty Writer

A conversation to remember

The sound waves of La Isla Bonita hit the eardrums of Roy and nostalgia sent him to a decade back when he was getting ready for his wedding. He was crossing an empty road at midnight and the whole neighbourhood was ghostly quiet except the song. He sought the source of music finally, after two blocks, he found the source of the music. There was a bar at the corner of the street named “Converse” with a symbol of a burning arrow. He slowly lifted his hands and pushed the door with hesitation and a golden light reflected on his shoes. He shut the door and turned back in turbulence and he forgot to breathe for a moment. Finally, he pushed the door and the place was mysteriously dark but the counter was shining in the yellow spotlight.

He must have walked a few hundred steps yet his legs were heavy though he was in great shape. He looked younger in his late 30s but his trench coat and briefcase gave him the look of an old professor. He gently walked towards and stood in front of the counter and glanced at the neon burning arrow sign. 

Suddenly the sound of footsteps approached but he could not see anyone and a lady appeared from the back door.

“Can I get you anything?” smiled the lady.

“Was she waiting for me?” thought Roy.

He put his one hand on the corner of the counter and another hand to bring the stool closer. He leaned forward and did not utter a word and removed the coat.

She did not waste any time and started making drinks. She had a strong posture and several tattoos on her arms. Her red curly hair was touching her oval-shaped face just like Greek sculpture. She was without any flaws in her appearance but her eyes were very vulnerable. She looked like a badass athlete in a sleeveless white t-shirt but irresistibly attractive.

Roy was looking down in hopelessness and he was staring at his ring finger. There was a mark of a ring and it seemed the ring was recently removed.

She placed two coasters in front of Roy.

“Here is your Gin and Tonic” referred to Roy.

“Did I order Gin and Tonic?” inquired Roy.

“No, I just figured out that you are a guy who likes Gin and Tonic” smiled the lady.

“That’s strange I really wanted to order this drink,” thought Roy.

He slowly moved his hand towards the glass and floating ice cubes on the surface with a slice of a lemon in the corner of the glass always makes him relaxed. He started to sip the drink and his eyes got stuck on the unique tattoo on the shoulder of the lady but he couldn’t figure out what it was. 

 “Your tattoo seems awesome” suspected Roy.

“Which one?” Asked the lady.

“The one on your left shoulder” replied Roy.

“Yeah, that one belongs to my bloodline,” stated the lady.

“What does that mean?” questioned Roy.

“The one who knows everything” smiled the lady.

“The one who knows everything?” chuckled Roy.

“Do you own this place? By the way, what is your name?” asked Roy.

“Yes, I own this place and I am Natasha”

“Only Natasha like Madonna? Where are you from? You don’t seem to be from around or Japan?” questioned Roy.

“I am afraid I can’t tell you that” responded Natasha.

“You have Heterochromia, One eye is blue and another brown” pointed out Roy. 

So you noticed, “Did you dump her or she dumped you?” guessed Natasha.

A heavy feeling in the stomach made him speechless and his face turned pale and after all, he wanted to divert his mind from her ex-wife. The silence took over the conversation and in a shaky voice he murmured to himself “she left me”.

“So what did you mean by that the one who knows everything? Do you know everything or you are just teasing me?” asked Roy.

Yes, and I am not teasing.

“Can you tell me about myself?” queried Roy.

Natasha gently leaned on the counter and looked in his eyes. The sudden act of Natasha left Roy’s heart motionless and he gulped the drink. He was holding his hands nervously and his legs were shaking. Finally, after two minutes of staring, she gasped.

You were born in New York. You are a professor of psychology at Tokyo University. You recently got divorced. You are looking for answers but you can’t ask. You are afraid of the darkness. You wanted to become a doctor but ended up in psychology. You had no place to crash because tonight your ex-wife is getting her stuff from your place and you did not want to see her.

Roy froze for a moment and a sudden coldness took over. His eyes were wider as just saw a ghost. He got the courage to utter two words in a shaky voice “That’s enough”.

“Everything she said was true. Even my parents did not know about the aspiration of being a doctor” thought Roy in turmoil.

“I was right?” inquired Natasha.

“Yes. Indeed” relieved Roy.

“Why this place is empty?” asked Roy.

“I come here to fulfil my destiny,” said Natasha.

The answer made Roy bewildered and thoughtful “what is she saying, destiny, family business, etc.” Am I drinking too much?”

“Do you think life has a meaning?” asked in curiosity Roy.

“Meaning of life?” laughed Natasha. I thought you would ask a question about my relationship status or how did I get these tattoos? Where am I living? When does this bar open? Can I buy you a drink?

Roy glanced at her in annoyance.

“And you said you knew everything” provoked Roy.

“I am just kidding” giggled Natasha.

“Who decides the meaning? Does life have meaning? No. we create meaning and we define life. We are the product of this world and manufactured without an expiry date. If you know the expiry date, would you care about the meaning? We try to find meaning because we don’t know much about it and that’s why we tend to follow others.” replied Natasha.

“I never thought like that in my life. Is she just messing up with me? Or I am being delusional?” thought Roy.

Natasha gazed attentively Roy as his eyes were wide open and not moving at all and staring her weirdly. After a few seconds, she snapped her fingers.

“Sorry, I was thinking. Can you please replay that song?” hesitated Roy.

 “Sure and I could have never guessed that you like this song” smiled Natasha.

I know you are blown away by my answer and as I said earlier, I know everything and I know that you want to ask another question.

The strange sensation spread in his body. “I think there is nothing to hide and she knows everything, I don’t know how?” thought Roy.

“Do you think love exists?” hesitated Roy.

“I can answer this question in a word but for the sake of your question, I will elaborate my answer. The concept of love was brought up by miserable people. Love is glorified to serve a bigger purpose just like mythologies. The concept of Love is contagious and people will believe in love because they are miserable. If you are miserable then love exists”

After listening to Natasha, his illusion shattered like thousand mirrors dropped on the concrete floor.

“One last question and we are done,” said abruptly Natasha.

“What happens after we die?” hesitated Roy.

“Nothing happens, you will cease to exist that’s all” replied Natasha.

“What about soul and afterlife?” questioned Roy.

“There is no soul and no afterlife. Just like the product, you will be thrown out in the garbage,” answered Natasha.

After listening to the last answers, Roy’s heartache with dreadness and he wanted to smash that glass.

“100 Yen for the drink”

He put his hands in pocket and there was no cash and he offered debit card.

“We don’t accept debit card “cried Natasha.

“Can I ask you the last question?” inquired Roy.

First, you need to get the money and then I will answer your question and don’t worry I know what you want to ask. There is an ATM outside, you can get cash. 

Roy got his coat and rushed outside. He found the ATM and got the cash. He sprinted towards the bar to ask the final question but the bar vanished in thin air. He looked everywhere like a madman who lost his lucky penny. 

He was out of breath after sprinting and sweating like hell. His mouth became dry and he was swallowing air heavily. His heart was beating like a drum. He put his hands in pocket to get handkerchief but he found a coaster instead. He looked at it attentively and there was something written on one side. After reading, he ran towards his home even though he was out of breath. He was running with tears and touching his cheeks but he was smiling. 

Image source: pixels