It was thunderstorms all over in Wylie and Roger still had some ground to cover before reaching home. Scattered T-storms, mighty winds, zero visibility and broken posts questioned his mind with how far could he drive. Overlooking the sight of wrecked cars and trees, he decided to take the next exit and pull over to the nearest gas station. Roger tried to check his cell phone to find the nearest hotel but no network. He thought he’ll get into the gas station to see if they had a local phone he could use and get something to eat and drink. Unfortunate the line was dead, neither was the attendee aware of any hotels around. He decided to stay in his car or take shelter under the gas station roof for a while. Bored in the car he walked towards the gas station and he saw a tattered person. Standing from a distance the man asked if he had a light, Roger walked towards him and offered him a cigarette.
Roger: Crazy night huh!!
Man: Yap, just another thunderstorm.
Roger: Just another? Are you crazy? This is like one of the worst I’ve seen in ages.
Man: I have seen worse than this.
Roger: You don’t look that old, what year was it?
Man: Twelve years ago.
Roger: May be I missed it. I’ve been here for more than ten years now. I haven’t seen anything like this before.
Man: Yap. Born and raised for fifty two years in Wylie. How was your day?
Roger: It was okay. The storms made it worse.
Man: Blame it on the Mother Nature!
Roger: Well I’m not blaming, just had a bad day and thought would relax when I reach home and I’m still standing here talking to a stranger. You think this is a good day?
Man: Thunderstorms had nothing to do with you having a bad day. Face the problem that you’ve right now and deal with the other one when you’ve to.
Roger: Who are you? Do you even know what happened at work?
Man: No. And do you think I care? Why would it matter if you got fired or had a fight or you didn’t get your lunch or you were humiliated in front of thousands of colleagues? Do you think I care?
Roger: Whatever man. I just had some personal issues and then I actually happen to take it all out on one of my colleague for his mistake.
Man: You paid him for that?
Roger: What?
Man: Did you pay him for that? Did you pay him to listen to whatever your mind exploded onto?
Roger: No!! Are you crazy? Who does that?
Man: Then who explodes on the colleague for his personal issues or small problem?
Roger: Well it wasn’t a small problem. It was his mistake.
Man: That’s your opinion. And you just blasted out everything on him thinking he created a crime just because you were already out of your mind and let the person face it. Why?
Roger: I’m not saying a word to you.
Man: You think you had a bad day, ask your colleague how horrible his day would be, when for a small mistake of his you created a scene and made him feel like a total worthless douche.
Roger: That’s not right.
Man: It was your personal problem, you couldn’t handle it and if someone came to you with another small problem, you just puked it on him and you think you are having a bad day? No, my friend; your colleague is having even worse day. And he doesn’t blame the Mother Nature. Instead he blames you for making his day worse because you couldn’t control your mind; you didn’t know how to clear your mind off before talking to him. You are responsible for sorrowing people’s hearts because you cannot control your mind, neither can you control your anger nor watch your words. Who’s a total worthless douche now? You won’t have an answer because according to you, someone made it a bad day, Mother Nature ruined it further. But you cannot accept the fact that you cannot handle your mind and your words. Remember a stretched angry mind can never be handled by anyone but yourself, and if you fail to do so you hurt everyone yet think it was their fault.
Man: When you look in a mirror, what do you see? Do you see what the others see? Chances of that happening are less. You always look at yourself and not what others can criticize you for. When those who know and love you are prepared to be flexible and accommodating, why do you still aggravate to someone thinking you are right and other person’s wrong. Why can’t you have an open mind and say, let it be. That’s precisely the message from the sky to you every single moment.
Man: You would be thinking why even am I listening to this homeless guy, but let me tell you something, few years back when I was as nicely employed as you are, I had a family that I loved. I worked as hard as you do and enjoyed being with my family as much as I could. One fine day I had a bad day at work and had an argument with my wife over the food she cooked for me; I lost my mind and asked her to leave. I didn’t know what was going on in my mind but I just couldn’t stand her arguments because I found them baseless. I thought I was right and she was wrong or she’s trying to defend herself with stupid arguments. When I look back, I realize my arguments were baseless and hers’ were just a way to cool me down so that I can flush it off. I wanted to prove that I was right and she was wrong but what do I see now? A victim of my own mind! All these years I just wished to take back those words but when angry, the words spoken are so loud that the other person never forgets a piece.
Roger: I’m sorry man. I didn’t know you had to face so much.
Man: It’s alright. I quit my job and I’m still paying her the alimony amount year by year. You think I’m a homeless person? I’ve a house right round the corner. But without them, I would rather prefer sitting here and meet people like you than talk to those empty walls. That is my way to punish myself. That’s the message from the sky I receive every single moment.
Roger: Smirks I didn’t know you had such a past.
Man: It’s not my past; it’s my perception of looking at things. She would have a different perception and so would you.
Roger: Alright, the sky seems to be getting clear now. Seems like a message to me?
Man: I’m glad you start seeing that.
Roger: I’ll start driving then, can I drop you somewhere?
Man: Nah, that’s alright. I’ll be fine.
Roger: Sure?
Man: Nods. You be good.
