The Old Man and the Tea

There was an old man and woman who did not know each other sitting on opposite ends of a bus stop bench when an angry and disheveled young man plopped down between them.

He went on about how he hated the city they were in and he hated the pollution and rude, selfish people. The he said he couldn’t take it anymore and was going to Chicago. The old man chimed in and said you’ll hate it there. There is lots of pollution and the people are rude and selfish. The bus came and took the young man away. The old man and woman still sat quietly.

Next a cheerful and bubbly young woman came up singing a tune and sat between them. She said hello to them and went on about what a pretty day it was outside and how excited she was to be moving to Chicago. She lamented leaving the quaint little town and the wonderful people but she was still very excited to go somewhere new.

The old man smiled, nodded and congratulated her. He told her he had lived there as a young man and that she was going to love the city, the beautiful skyline and all the wonderful people. The bus came and went taking the sweet young lady with it leaving the old man and woman.

The older lady then asked the man where he was heading. He replied nowhere really. “I just like talking to people who are heading somewhere new,”

She apologized for listening in and asked why he just told the angry young man that Chicago was awful and then told the beautiful young lady how nice it was.

Then the old man spoke. “I have been around the world several times and loved every place I have been. The one thing I have found everywhere I went was me. I had to go to places and do things I never wanted to do but ‘I’ was there with me no matter where I went and I could never leave me behind or arrive without me. That young man sees darkness and he will see it there. The young lady sees sunshine and she will see it there because his darkens and her sunshine are both within themselves.” Then he asked, “So where are you headed this fine day?”

She replied, “I was going to Chicago for a change of pace. My husband died a month ago and I can’t seem to find peace until just now. I think I will skip Chicago and have a cup of tea across the street. 

Will you join me?”

The old man smiled and said, “of ‘course. I love tea.”