CELEBRATION
- Passed!
- Really? Congrats, man!
- Yah. I got one Credit, one Distinction, and one High Distinction.
- That’s great! Not many can make it, even at Pass grade.
- Thanks!!!
He handshakes the class monitor, grabs the helmet and walks happily out of the English Department. He still does not believe he can make it. Some months ago, he was still in such a maze when he sketched outlines for the final assignments. Those were the toughest in his learning experience, and what is more, he was not in the right mood for the papers. In fact, he had many big problems, which kept him deep in thoughts most of the time, and thus continuously gave him hammering headaches. With a job to do, and problems to think about, the papers were more than impossible for him. In one of his desperate attempt, he talked to his very friend. “Yah, I believe you can do it”, said his friend in the messenger, “but you need to give up things that slows you down”. The friend really shed lights on him. He put aside all the problems, and thus he dug more out of the reference books. One after another, he submitted the papers – though still with an uncertain fear that some of them were not good enough. Now with some lucks, he passes them all!
No classmate is out there in the school yard. Some minutes ago they were still gathering for some chit chat. He thought that he would get the results quickly enough to return and join the talks, but now there is no one to share his pride. Who cares! He mumbles and starts his motorbike. Maybe they are so excited about the scores that they rushed home for celebration. “I should hold a celebration, too”, he thinks, “Let’s see. I should buy my close friend a drink”. That idea brings him a smile, and it lasts throughout the ride back to his office.
...
- Hix, I got a headache – says his friend.
- What’s wrong?
- No. Nothing. There are just too many things to do at work. Don’t worry!
- A real work pressure, isn’t it? Now do you want a friend to share your stress, or do you prefer a nap at noon? – He reluctantly asks his friend.
- Thanks, but I think I need a nap.
- Never mind. Have a good meal and take care...
So he lunches on his own. He orders some food and sits back to enjoy his very moment of freedom from work. He has read somewhere about “never to lunch alone”, which emphasizes on the importance of building relationship whenever you can, even at lunch time, but he cannot do it. All his workmates prefer to buy food and retreat to the office to shelter from the heat at noon. He, in contrast, always walks out and eats at the food stance because he can choose the food for his own taste of the day, and because he wanna enjoy an atmosphere different from the computers and books in his office. Of course he also likes to have someone to talk to, but what can he do when no one share his eating habit? However, all of a sudden, he feels the loneliness. Today is not a usual day. Today is the day of victory. Today he obtains the greatest achievement in his life, and in his family history. For such a moment, he wants to talk about his success so much. For a moment, he feels the bitter of winning alone. For a moment, he regrets being a lone wolf… A lone wolf does not care about living in packs, he thinks, and a lone wolf should be capable of fighting and winning on its own. He chose to be a lone wolf, and this is a part of it, so he should accept it – without any regret!
Back he walks to the office. Working time should start in a minute, so he washes his face to refresh himself for a new session. Work. Work. Work. Only work can release himself from thoughts. Nevertheless, it is actually the longest day for him – for he keeps looking at the clock constantly. He just can’t wait to get his friend out in the evening to talk about his triumph. With his mind wandering too far away, he consequently works very little for the whole session. He no longer can keep himself focus on the tasks…Time always goes slow when we wait for something, does it? Second by second, the session is over at last. He opens the messenger with some excitement. “Hi!!!!”, he types in the little chat window. To his disappointment, a cold message returns: “Your previous message could not be successfully delivered to the recipient. Please try again”. Slowly he closes the lid of his computer. A lone wolf should always expect to cry or laugh on its own… Soon he sees himself drinking till drunk in a café. "Maybe he is in his worst time", chuckles a waiter. Sure he makes the best guess. The only thing the waiter does not know is that today is the man's day of celebration.
Anonymous said:
Yes, probably so it is