The Hero: Prelude [COMPLETED]

The Beggar

4. The Beggar
ALTHOUGH I WAS physically looking at the wide array of duffel bags with a variety of designs, I was thinking about the old man outside DashBuy. I looked around DashBuy, there were people of all different colors, sizes, and identity interacting with each other. There are some people whose ancestors were slaves, or servants, others are the direct descendants of princes of royalty with regal blood flowing in them, of course these distinctions always existed. But the society treats everyone the fairest as possible. No matter their class or social status. That's what I've been taught my whole life.

I didn't think, all this would be defied, before today.

I ended picking out a turquoise duffel bag in replacement of my old violet one. We walked to the self check area, I allowed Reagan to go in front of me. After all, she only brought two small bags of saltine crackers. All the while I wondered if I bought  enough of the food, I remember last year and the year before, they only served sausages, which, as a vegetarian, I seriously couldn't stand it, and ended up surviving on one bag of peanuts and three saltine crackers. Tough.

After checking out, we walked out of DashBuy together, when I caught sight of the man, the A-tier actor. He was shivering, it seemed like. This all seems like a joke, how could there be any beggars? "Spare me." He whispered as we walked by. Reagan immediately stops in her tracks.

"What is it that you want?" Reagan asks, gently. He gives a faint smile.
"Spare me not money, but some mindfulness." Reagan was obviously confused.
"We cared enough to talk to you. If you love to act, go to Bo Act, the streets is not your floor." I replied. "I didn't plan to spend more than 15 minutes at DashBuy today, yet we've spent 18 minutes here, because we were mindful of your presence." He didn't look up at me.

"Fools. All fools. Now steer clear of me if you don't want your time to be wasted." He sound offended, but voice wasn't a least bit accusing, it was nothing more than a faint whisper, laced with a cold breath.

Prejudice is a great time-saver. You don't have to get the facts to form an opinion— E.B White

We crossed the street, and the prolonged silence between us felt like an eternity. I cleared my throat, " Ummm.... where are you planning to go afterwards?" Reagan shrugged.

"Guess I have no plan. Probably just gonna wander around the city."
"Sounds fun." She gives a half-hearted smile. "But not practical." I add. She shrugs.
"Lily, I hope you realize that nothing can always go according to your plan. That's why it's called life, not a plan."

"You have a point."
"I guess it's because I don't come from here, I don't understand the culture."
"Where are you from then?"
"Um, errr.... I guess you can say, I'm from the place you never heard of." She can be quite funny.

"Nice. That sounds pretty cool actually. I never left Tray before." I said, my voice filled with a sense of longing.

"I see."
"Most people never leave their place of birth their whole lives, or switch their jobs. It's just pointless because every job sucks."

"Yea, I heard that." At that point, Reagan seemed bored.
"And they say all cities look the same, so I guess you were raised in a place no different from mine. It must be your family."

"Yea, yea..." she says, as we continue to drift off the sidewalks, unaware of time slipping.