Live forever?

The girl looked at him and asked if he wanted to live forever.

It was not a question he had ever considered.

His initial response was to ask why?

She looked at him and said,  ‘Think of all the marvellous things you will witness.’

‘But everyday now is incredible,’ he said.

The girl was puzzled by his answer. She said he was not thinking far enough ahead.

‘Why would you want to die,’ she asked?

‘It’s what we will all do.’ he said

‘But if we could avoid it,’ she said, ‘wouldn’t you take that option?’

‘No,’ said the boy.

‘But why, I know I would.’

‘Maybe,’ he said, ‘ the thought of living forever is too overwhelming.’

And for him it was.

His reality was simple, birth to death.

That’s how it was.

He accepted that.

And in accepting that he determined to live each day as best he could.

He saw himself as contributing to society in far more useful ways by doing all he could in the immediate to make his and other lives bearable.

For he saw the woes of the world.

The greed, the pain, the lust for power, the disregard of human life.

He understood that some people had it a lot worse than he did.

But to make his mark upon the world he would do what he could to make his tiny patch of it ok for all he came in contact with.

The girl listened to all he said.

She said not a word but tilted her head and looked into his eyes with her own deep brown ones.

There was something about the girl that the boy found attractive.

Apart from what he thought was a naïve view on reality and a romantic vision of an impossible future her physical appeal was striking.

When he was finished she smiled and said, ‘I can see what you are saying. I still think it would be cool to live forever.’

‘Don’t you think you’d be lonely if you lived forever?’

‘How could I be lonely?’ she asked.

‘You would be starting all over again and again. All your loves would die off and you would be left with no one. You’d have to find ways to start over again. For me that would get very tedious.’

‘Yes,’ she said, ‘I hadn’t thought of that.’

She thought for a moment as she looked closely at him. ‘I guess I could just stay here with you.’

‘You could,’ he said,’but you might not like it.’

‘I wouldn’t?’

‘No,’ he said, ‘I am not as worldly nor as outgoing as you.’

She smiled at him thankful he was honest enough to understand he was not like her in any way.

‘I don’t expect you to be like me. But what is important is that you are here now. That thought alone makes me tend towards your view of life.’

‘I am flattered,’ he said. ‘I don’t have a great track record in relationship. I fear I will hurt you as I have hurt others.’

She took in his words.

‘Yes, She said, ‘you could very well hurt me. Then again I could do the same to you. Hurting loved ones is a hazard all people have to deal with. It’s called being human.’

She peered at him and said, ‘ I want to know more of you.

What goes on behind those blue eyes?

What makes you laugh?

What are your passions?

Would you share a meal with me?

Would you walk with me and talk of things you hold dear?’

The boy also wanted to delve into her mind.

He was well aware of the physical attraction.

He was well aware of the urgings within his body.

Desire would have to wait.

With age and maturity he had leant to be more patient, more determined to listen, to wait and see what was around him before jumping to any conclusions.

He was aware of her unspoken language and realised how good be felt basking in her warmth.

‘I don’t want to live forever,’ he said. ‘But it would be nice to live long enough to know a love that was genuine and not dictated to by past sins and baggage.’

That statement led him to ponder the precious moments he missed.

Companionship, the physical presence of another person, the joy of making love morning and night, the thrill of daytime hours being awake to her every word and those slight but purposeful touches, a hand in passing, her leg rubbing his as they sat watching a film one thought the other should see.

He looked at her and asked if she could manage to hang around long enough for him to realise that dream.

‘Well,’ she said with an impish innocence, ‘If it doesn’t work out so well with you I can always try again because I may well live forever and if that is so, then by rights, I will be able to improve with each new love.’

‘I think you will do worse than me.’

‘I hope not,’ she said. ‘Be with me, here right now, and let’s see what happens.’

The boy looked at her, grinned widely and nodded his approval.

He liked the idea of the here and now.