Chapter 10 And Just What Is Love?...
The old woman was quieted. She was beginning to understand what the Watcher had meant when he had told her that he was made a little higher than humans. The Watcher then had a question for the old woman. He turned to her and looked her in both eyes.
“What do you hope to gain by attaining the love of another, that you don't already have?” The old woman had never actually thought about it that way.
“Well...I guess if I had a companion I wouldn't be lonely,” she said.
“Do you feel lonely right now?”, The Watcher asked her.
“No, not exactly”, she replied.
“And don't you enjoy the privacy of your own home with all of your own things?”, the Watcher asked.
“I guess I do,” the old woman said laughing.
“Well then you don't need love for that”, He said. “What else do you hope to gain?”
The old woman tried to think of a more clever answer. “I would have someone to talk to,” she said.
“Are we not talking right now?” the Watcher asked her.
“Well yes, but it's different,” the woman protested.
“How so?” the Watcher asked.
“Well, we don't have any particular connection,” she said.
“Do you feel a particular connection with Bob?” He asked her.
“I guess I do”, she replied. “But Bob's young and like a son to me.”
“And what of your special book?” the Watcher asked her. “It's much older than Bob and when you read it, it speaks to you directly and very personally. Does it not?”
“Yes it does”, the old woman answered.
“Well then you don't need love for that,” He told her.
“You don't understand,” she told the Watcher. “Love is not so easy to explain but we all desire and need it.”
The Watcher put his hand on the old woman's shoulder. “I do understand”, he said. “I understand that love isn't love until it's given away. I know that your capacity to love can be measured by the types of people that the Great One gives you to love. Sometimes He will allow very difficult people into your life, simply because you are the only one who has the capacity to still love them, and the ability to find the value that He has placed on them. And I know that love covers a multitude of wrong doing.” The old woman was silent as the Watcher continued.
“Love is not all fun and games as humans like to think”, he said. “It's not about happy times and watching the sunset together. Nor about two sets of eyes meeting across a room, or holding hands or flowers and candy. Most humans have no idea why love was even created. Love gives you the desire to become someone's strength when they most need it: becoming their words when they themselves can't speak; becoming their courage when they themselves are afraid; and becoming their vision when they themselves can't see. Love makes you hold someone's hand and shoulder them, helping them to bear the grief as they watch their loved ones be placed in fancy boxes and lowered into the ground. And I know that there is no greater love than this- that a man would lay down his own life for his friends.” The Watcher fell silent for a minute looking up into the sky.
The old woman had to admit to herself that she had never thought of love like this. She had only romanticized it.
“I don't want to discourage you,” the Watcher told the old woman. “And there is most probably still some handsome and charming fellow out there for you, like the man Boaz of your dream. But if you never find him, you have not missed out on love. Love has been with you all the time,” he said and then he was gone.
The sea of men began to disperse as usual, running this way and that and soon the old woman was alone standing in the morning sunlight. It wasn't long before she heard Carlos calling her name and running toward her.
“Here you are”, he said handing her a piece of paper. “Someone came looking for you yesterday- a man”, Carlos told her. “He said he was a good friend of yours and that you should meet him in town today. We searched the whole dock for you yesterday but no one knew where you had gone. So he left this note for you”, Carlos said.
The old woman thanked Carlos and found a bench where she sat down and read the note: “My trip went well and I have a few days off to relax. I would like to buy you lunch and talk for a while. Meet me in town at ‘La Cita's Café’ at 12 noon. See you then.”
The old woman was so excited! She thought sure it must be Bob! She rubbed her finger across Bob's ribbon she wore daily pinned to her dress. She had wondered how his trip to Paris was going and couldn't wait to hear all about it. She had also been longing to try the food at ‘La Cita's’, an upscale cafe that had just opened in town.
It was still quite early so the old woman decided to take a walk down the dock to pass some time. As she walked she could hear birds chirping and the laughter of children running about the dock. There were even a few patches of flowers blooming along the edges of the dock that she'd never noticed before. She thought about some of the things the Watcher had said and how having a companion might change her life dramatically. He was right. She did love her privacy in her own home with all of her own things. It gave her a sense of independence and control over her life.
She wasn't sure if she could easily adapt to someone questioning anything she did, or if she even wanted to adapt. She had been alone for a long time and she had to admit that it hadn't been all bad. But on the other hand it was no fun being alone. She wanted someone to cook for and to take care of. Even at her age she felt like there was still time to grow old with someone. Either way she anticipated having a special day with her son, “Bob”.
She wondered if he had brought her a souvenir back from his trip to Paris. She hoped he had taken the time in between business meetings to visit the Eiffel Tower. It was one of the things she'd always wanted to see but hadn't gotten around to. She had heard tale of how it bursts into a shower of scintillating lights every hour each evening.
“How breathtaking it must be!” she thought.
Walking down the dock she imagined all of the little shops he must have passed during his stay in Paris. “The elegant clothing and the exemplary artwork must have been inspiring,” she said to herself.
The old woman felt so proud of Bob and although she hadn't known him long, she really loved him. He had turned his life around and become a success. One moment he was contemplating suicide and the next he was on top of the world. She smiled just thinking of it.
Quite a bit of time had passed now and the old woman thought to herself, “I'd better get on my way to La Cita's and meet Bob.”
She wished she had worn her good dress but she had no idea that she'd be doing anything special today. As the old woman was leaving the ship yard a young fellow called out to her, “Leaving so soon today?” he said.
“Yes, I'm on my way to have lunch with my son”, she said happily.
It wasn't long before she reached “La Cita's Cafe.” The Cafe was brimming with customers and the old woman didn't see an empty table anywhere. She scoured the room and eventually she spotted Bob. He was busy talking on his cellular phone as were several other patrons of the Cafe. He looked so important. She was proud to be dining with him.
When he saw her he quickly ended his call and stood to greet her.
“My, you're looking splendid today,” Bob said as he embraced her.
“Thank You”, the old woman replied. “I'm so happy that you thought to spend some time with me.”
“The pleasure is mine,” Bob said. “There is nothing more I would rather be doing right now.”
“But surely you must have some important work to tend to”, the old woman said.
“There will always be work to do. My time is better spent here with you. My new Mom”, he said. The old woman's heart melted as she sat with Bob pushing her chair in behind her.
“So, tell me all about Paris!” she said excitedly. “I want to hear everything!”
“Well... of course the sights were amazing”, he began. “There's
no place like Paris in the spring time.”
“Did you see the Eiffel Tower?!”, the old woman interrupted. “Unfortunately, no”, he said. “I was meaning to, but each time I headed there something came up. However, I did visit the Louvre Museum!”, Bob told her with excitement. “I saw the famous paintings of some of the greatest artists in the world! Including Da Vinci, Delacroix, Vermeer and Rubens!” , he exclaimed. The old woman was on the edge of her seat now.
“Enough about Paris”, Bob said. “What have you been doing since I last saw you?” He asked her.
“Oh, nothing as exciting as you”, she said. Just then a waitress came over and took their order. As they sat waiting for their food the old woman decided to ask Bob a few questions.
“Bob?” The old woman said.
“Yes?” He answered.
“Can I ask you a few questions?”
“Of course, anything”, he replied. The old woman took a deep breath and began.
“Bob, what made you decide to marry your wife? Was it love at first sight or was there more to it?”, she asked him. Bob was quite surprised by her question.
“Well, my wife is very beautiful”, Bob told her. “But it wasn't love at first sight. During the time that I met my wife, I had just acquired my business from Simon Williams. He died suddenly before he could really teach me the ropes so I was struggling to keep it going as successfully as he had. Around that time I met my wife, Monica.” Bob told her as he remembered.
“Monica had a degree in Business Management and we started talking one day about all of the ways I could make the business thrive. She had some very good ideas and showed me how to implement them. We built the business up together and now it's more successful than Simon had ever imagined it could be. We have offices in 60 different countries all around the world. In the process of all of that, Monica and I began to date and before long we were married. I found her to be indispensable in my personal life as well. So I married her”, Bob said smiling. “And I've never been happier.”
Bob's experience wasn't at all romantic but it was meaningful, the old woman thought.
“Why do you ask?” Bob questioned her.
“Oh, I guess I'm just wondering how fate decides who will find love and who won't,” she said.
“I don't know that it's fate which decides it,” Bob told her. “Sometimes people are presented with the opportunity for love but choose not to seize it for one reason or another: waiting for someone taller or more distinguished, or often times waiting for someone funnier, more attractive or wealthier and so on.”
“I guess you're right,” the old woman said.
Their food arrived to the table and they sat and ate. Bob's phone rang constantly and he kept excusing himself to answer it.
“Business never stops”, he said.
The old woman assured him that she didn't mind. She was happy that he had become someone so important: A big business man who traveled the world. And a loving husband who had seen an opportunity for love and seized it. Then for seemingly no reason at all the old woman glanced over Bob's shoulder and she saw a familiar face coming in the door of the Cafe'.
It was the goodly old seaman she had shared a bench with down at the dock some weeks back. When he saw her he smiled and made his way over to where she and Bob were sitting.
“How have you been?” he asked her. “I just docked this morning and wondered where I might find you.”
“I've been well, just having lunch with my son,” the old woman replied smiling. She was flattered that he had remembered her.
“Oh I don't want to interrupt you two,” he said.
“No, it's quite alright”, the old woman assured him. “My son was just leaving to handle some very important business.”
“Isn't that right Bob?”she replied giving Bob a wink.
“Yes, that's right Mother,” Bob exclaimed standing to shake the old seaman's hand and offering his chair.
“Do sit down and keep my mom company as I must be gong now. Order what ever you would like,” Bob said. Bob kissed the old woman on the cheek and assured her he would see her again before he left in two days. He paid the waitress in advance for some more food and wine and he dashed out of the Cafe'.
“You know I questioned everyone at the dock trying to find you,” the old seaman said. “They must have all taken me for a mad man,” he said laughing. “That is until I met Carlos.”
“Really?” the old woman said laughing also. “That's very sweet of you. I guess you have some time to waste while you wait for your vessel to be loaded? She asked him.
“Well, not exactly,” he said. “I won't be going out on the sea for a few days. And this time when I go out it won't be on the steamer. I'll be taking my New Yacht out for the very first time...and I wondered if you might like to join me?” the old seaman asked staring lovingly at the old woman. “Ever since I met you that day down at the dock I haven't been able to think of anything else,” he said. “Sitting and talking with you there I felt like a young man again. And your beauty made me realize that I still had a lot more living I wanted to do. It's beautiful out on the ocean but it's quite lonely,” the old seaman continued now holding the old woman's hand. “And from what you told me that day I imagine you've been quite lonely too. Let's not spend this season of our lives alone. We've already missed the spring and summer. Soon the fall will come and then winter. It gets rather cold in winter,” he said now falling silent.
The old woman couldn't believe what she was hearing. She went from feeling excited to being nervous and then back to being excited again, all within a few seconds. She was flattered that the old seaman had been thinking of her while he had been away. She didn't think their meeting had meant anything at all to him. Although she had to admit that she had thought of him too.