As I was drinking my morning coffee in one of my favourite cafés, with my laptop open to continue translating the book I had started a long time ago — a translation that was progressing very slowly — I overheard a conversation between two elderly people. At first, I thought they were a married couple, but then I realized they were just friends (or maybe something more than friends!?).
The short dialogue I managed to hear went like this:
- My husband has passed away, - said the old lady. - My children have left me alone. Why did God punish me so hard?
- He hasn’t punished you, no. Don’t be sad, you have me.
- But how can I not be sad, my dear? I’m just human.
- God is great. Don’t be sad.
- But I’m human, my dear.
- It’s not your fault. This is life! You cannot do anything about it.
- What a damned life.
- There’s nothing you can do. That’s just how it is.
- But I have no one, my dear. What kind of life is this?
- Don’t you get along with your daughters?
- No, I don’t. Don’t I have the right not to?
- You do, but there’s nothing you can do. It’s not your fault.
- I must be tiring you. Have you finished your coffee?
- Forget the coffee. I just want to sit here with you and take away some of your sadness.
- Thank you.
- God is great! God is great! I don’t know what He can do! I don’t know what to say to you, I don’t know what answer to give because I’m afraid I might say something wrong. I am here for you. You know what I am to you. What am I to you?
- A friend.
- Now you ask me what you are to me.
- What am I to you? – asked the old lady.
- You are my love! - replied the old man, and he reached out his hand and wiped away a tear that had rolled down her cheek
At some point, the old lady turned her head and noticed that I was sitting nearby, just a table away. She lowered her voice. Probably, she was afraid that I might overhear their conversation. I saw her being a bit embarrassed about the fact that I could have heard their conversations. They continued their conversation in hushed tones. The poor lady had tears in her eyes the entire time.
I couldn’t understand what had happened to her or why she was so deeply sad. I never found out why she felt that "God had punished her so harshly." However, the gentleman remained by her side, never taking his eyes off her for a moment.
The scene left an indelible impression on me, one that has stayed in my mind for a long time! At that moment, I had an overwhelming urge to get up and hug them both. But I didn’t do that. I simply continued watching them in silence, with my eyes filled with tears.