Letter Challenge Day 6

A letter to a stranger

Dear stranger
I saw you on the train once. You are an elderly man. At least 70 is my guess. You were shaking. Your hands were so unsteady. You were looking out the window - you looked kinda lonely actually. You looked at me and I smiled. You smiled back, but didn't notice that I kept looking at you. Observing you. You had an old FjällRäven bag, which you had a hard time getting from the floor onto your lap. You clearly had trouble with your back. You reached into your bag, and found a Rittersport. The squared chocolate bar. It was the one with nougat - one of my personal favorites actually.
The chocolate had already been opened, and only the half was left. You cracked the chocolate into smaller pieces, and took one out of the rapping. With your large fingers and shaky hands, you put the chocolate piece to your mouth, but you dropped it. You dropped the piece into your lap. That almost made me cry. But you didn't seem to mind it. As if it had happened a couple of times before. You picked up the chocolate, and put it in your mouth despite your shaky hands. A smile spread on your face. Just a little smile, one you barely notice. I could clearly see that you took your time to enjoy the sweet soft piece of chocolate. I knew then, that I shouldn't feel sad for you. You didn't want sympathy, cause you were still able to live.
I saw a sort of courage in this scenario. You looked like one of those old guys who wouldn't let people help you, unless you'd become completely disable.
I admired that. I felt like hugging you. I don't know why..
You looked like the lovely grandpa type. Both of my grandfathers died before I was 8 years of age. But I think I'd be honored to have a grandpa like you.

I don't know if you're dead by now.. But a man who loves life so much that he takes time to enjoy every little piece of chocolate, and with the courage I saw a trace of? I don't think so.

Sincerely
Kiri Rehmeier, a stranger you once smiled at on the train.

Birthdays..

My birthday is in 17 days. It’s gonna be my 19th birthday, nothing special really. It’s just.. Even at my 18th birthday non of my friends had time to see me. It’s like.. I really put much into being there on my friends birthdays. I want it to be their day, and to make them have a good time. I have never forgotten a friend’s birthday.

Not talking about anybody in particular, just in general: I’ve never had friends who had time to be with me on my birthday. It’s in the summer holiday, and my friends has always been on vacation or to somebody else’s birthday party. Or having to work, didn’t have the money or they’ve come up with an excuse because they forgot, and didn’t got me a present. You see.. I don’t care about presents. That’s not what this is about. I don’t care about the stupid presents! Honestly I just care about the fact, that my friends spend a little off their precious time, to come see me on my fucking birthday? Is that too much to ask?

This year I’ve really been let down. Or that’s how I feel.. My sister and brother in law can’t see me at my birthday. They have another birthday party that day. As I told my mum; I fucking hope it’s a round birthday! And then my wife called - yeah, she’s having her graduation party the night before my birthday. My wife lives in the upper set end of Jutland than I do, so of course non of my friends who are coming to the graduation party, will have time or money to visit me the next day. So I’m probably gonna start my birthday with hangover, then a two hour drive home, to find that my parents are the only people who have time to drink a fucking cup of coffee with me. OH! And of course - my parents and siblings have to go to bed early on my birthday, cause they’re going to Copenhagen early the next morning!

… Nobody cares anyway.

Fml, Kiri