people are people

"You’ll never be content"

He shook off the ash from his cigarette by sticking his hand out the window.

"And what's more you'll never be happy, cuz you're just anoth-"

The wind blew in through the open window and carried the words away leaving me with only scraps of phrases.

I couldn't hear him and I didn't mind. I was completely immersed in the road ahead of me. I didn't want to think badly of him; not at all, I was very grateful.

The window closed and the cabin filled with harsh and mature phrases again.

"I pick up guys like you almost every trip. You're all the same."

Well, I couldn't keep quiet any longer I had to say something. To breathe life into the dialogue. I wish I didn't have to think about it I'm so tired of empty talk. Maybe I should-

"Hey, are you listening to me?" his cloudy eyes lined with pouches under the eyes and a scar on his cheekbone looked up at me.

I was completely immersed in my own thoughts, all the sounds around me becoming one solid background. He's waiting for me to answer... what am I supposed to say...

"Well I think people are all different. How can they be the same." I said.

"My boy when you will be my age you'll understand it. People are in many ways unpleasant creatures. You were lucky to meet me, 'cause I ain't like them at all."

"Is it because you picked me up on the road?" I smiled.

He turned back and picked up some chocolate from the bed.

"That's right! Who else would have picked you up at a time like this. Here you go I'm sure you're hungry"

"Oh, thanks." I took the chocolate and put it in my pocket.

At one moment along the way the truck bounced a little on a bump. I saw the icon swaying because of the bumpy road which had been hanging almost motionless the whole time before.

"You know in the East people believe the human is the whole universe. And you've reduced everything to one concept. All people are the same."

"They don't teach you anything good in the East. They're loonies."

"How do you know that?"

"Well.. I know and that's it." he said and pulled his cap.

There was some unspoken silence for a few seconds.

"Have you ever had an unfortunate experience with them?" I looked at him.

"No, I haven't talked to them at all. I don't need it. It's a waste of time."

He pulled the lever and the big yellow headlight broke the July night that almost swallowed our truck.

He said after a short pause: "Actually one of my friend told me they're awful guys."

"Who's the good one then?" I asked.

"It's hard to say. I don't like Europeans. That's for sure."

"Huh, Europeans? Really? What have they done to you?"

"Nothing I just know they're fools."

I breathed out

"I guess americans also aren't friends of yours?"

"You got it, my boy, you got it"

"It must be nice for you to live here. Everybody's nice in your country."

"Where? Right here!? I hate those bastards. Everyone here wants to fool each other. You can't trust anyone."

"I hadn't noticed that to be honest. There's a lot of good people around here."

"Me-eh, you're just a lucky guy."

"Ten days in a row? Damn how lucky am I, huh?"

"Just an hour ago I filled up at a gas station and those bitches wanted to screw me around. You see?! They tried to fool me, man! Leaved me out of fuel!" he said and opened the window.

The cabin was noisy again with the wind blowing in. We had to speak louder and louder.

"That's sad to hear."

I brushed back the hair that had fallen into my eyes.

"That is okay to hear, pal. It's just the way how this country exist. People don't believe in anyone or anything, everyone just wants to get rich at the expense of others. I told them I was in a hurry, otherwise I'd go out and smash their faces. Every single bastards"

"Do you think that would do anything?" I said and zipped up my hoodie.

After a short pause he exhaled and said sadly: "Unfortunately no, you're right there...that's probably why I didn't touch them."

He blew his nose into his palm and shook the snot out the window. The old night wind decided to stay in our cabin silencing us for a while with its presence.

"Are you cold?" he asked.

"Slightly."

"I thought so but you're all shrunk up and sitting there. I'm gonna have a smoke and close the window, okay?"

I nodded my head and made myself comfortable in the chair with my arms crossed. He took a pack of cigarettes from the dashboard without taking his eyes off the road.

"Damn, it's empty." he sighed.

"No more?"

He laughed.

"I always have some. You can't do without cigarettes on those long trips. Open the locker above you and take one."

He turned the light on. The cabin became warm and cozy with the yellow and soft light which flooded the whole space. I looked up and saw two lockers. One above the seat. I took out a box of cigarettes and pulled out a new pack. Under the block I saw a crumpled and faded photo: a woman and a man with a young boy standing next to them. They are all smiling.

"Hey, take it." I closed the locker and handed him a pack of cigarettes.

"Thanks pal." he said and began to deftly open the pack with his hands not looking away from the road.

I looked at his hands. My gaze running over his fingers for quick moments trying to discern the ring finger. I wanted to see something he wasn't already wearing.

Once he was done with the pack he turned off the lights. Our reflections in the yellow soft light on the windshield disappeared as the light turned off like a picture on TV fades. After that, the familiar road with the endless yellow stripe in the center was in front of us again.

"Actually you're lucky 'cause you're with me tonight and I have a lot of time to tell you more things about life, about folk. My own experience, how it works and you name it. Otherwise you'd still be roamin' around fooled, deceived and happy."

"Well, you see I have to get off soon. My way goes to the left." I shouted over the wind.

"Already leaving? That's bad. Anyway I'll drop you off at the fork. It's close by. We'll be there soon. Okay?" he looked at me.

"Okay."

"By the way, where are you going?" he asked and pulled out a long-awaited cigarette.

I turned round to him and said: "Well... I don't really have a destination. The main thing is to move for me. What do you think?"

"Smoke?" he asked trying to lit the cigarette.

"Well... no."

"That's right and don't start. You're so young and you stay that way."

"So... How long have you been smoking?"

Finally he lit the cigarette and threw the lighter on the front panel.

"Oh, about 30 years. I started early maybe 15."

"Wow, so early."

He took a puff, let the smoke out and continued:

"So when I was your age I'd been smoking for about.. I dunno maybe five years or four. Yeah five years for sure."

I silently nodded a few times.

Soon he finished the cigarette and closed the window - we fell into silence for a while.

"You know, you're an interesting guy. What do you want to be? I mean... damn you're so young. You got the whole life infront of you. Who do you want to become or are you going to wander back and forth all your life?"

I smiled.

Our truck squeaking on the brakes began to slow down.

"I am gonna drop you off right here it'll be easier to catch a car. They're slowing down on the turn here."

"Thank you. Really. You've helped me out"

"Oh, nevermind, man. You're welcome. Take care!"

I got my backpack from the bed and climbed down the stairs from the high cabin to the ground.

"I want to become happy."

He looked at me and asked in surprise: "What do you mean?"

"You asked me before. What would I like to be? My answer is happy. I want to be happy."

An awkward silence hung in the air for a second.

"Huh, what a weirdo you are, my friend." he said and laughed.

In his cloudy and dull eyes, just for a second, but I saw something warm and sincere. A light that had faded years ago.

"Have a good trip!" I smiled and closed the door.

I was alone in the middle of the fields on a warm summer night. A fork of two roads and a truck driving away taking with it the only sound in the vicinity. Taking with it one more soul. A universe. Full of contradictions and inconsistencies, sometimes harsh and cruel but still the universe that somewhere in the depths of everything still keeps the lights of good.

The sky full of stars above me smiled with all its brightness. Silent applause from the twinkling stars like a thank you for what they have seen this night.

"Hello, stars! Don't you tell me where to set my tent here?" I said happily looking at the sky.

"By the way someone wants the chocolate?"