The Seventh Night

 

During the week, Nick insisted that we hold our weekly meeting at a restaurant rather than at my home. He explained that, despite enjoying my cooking and the care I had shown during our last gathering, he felt it was important to do something special for me. It was his way of expressing gratitude. Since he couldn't cook himself (as he put it, he could only manage to place a pan on the stove to boil water, and even that he might burn), he thought a dinner out would be a fitting gesture. Out of respect for his feelings, I agreed.

That evening, he parked his car at my house, and we drove to one of the most elegant and expensive restaurants in the city. After dinner, we walked to a seaside park and sat on a bench, enjoying the warmth of the night.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" he said.

"Indeed. I’ve always dreamed of living in a place like this, and by the grace of God, I’m here now."

"You're from Brazil, right?"

"Yes, I am."

"But Brazil has wonderful beaches."

"Yes, but I’m from the South of Brazil, where the beaches aren’t as stunning. What I’ve always wanted was this: warm, crystal-clear water; lush vegetation; peace. And most importantly, no crowds, no busy commercial areas. People rushing frantically, always hurrying to get nowhere, until Death stops them. It’s a very sad way to live. I like to wake up in the morning, jump into the sea in my backyard, swim, say hello to the fishes and crabs, pick some eggs and fruits for breakfast, then dress and go to work."

"That’s the difficult part," he said.

"Of course, work has its downsides, but it also brings many rewards."

"That's where we met," he said.

"Exactly! You see? Not everything is so bad. The truth is, in my country, we can’t have a life like this. London is even worse. The English don’t seem to know what it means to truly embrace the joy of life. But in Portugal, it’s different. Maybe most Latin cultures have it, some more than others."

"I tend to agree with you. In America, for example, people often feel empty. I don’t think we, in general, have the joy of living, as you put it. Maybe it’s because of our British heritage, I’m not sure. What I do know is how frustrating it is to be judged by what you have instead of who you are. I spent years as a drug-addicted male escort. The only thing I had was my body, and even that didn’t belong to me—it belonged to my addiction and the men who paid for it."

A fish leapt from the water, and Nick continued, "I came here to leave my past behind, and I found a whole new world where what matters is who I am. Sure, I’ve managed to build a more comfortable life than many here, but when people appreciate me, it’s not because of the credit cards in my wallet. I am much more than that."

"I’m glad you realized that," I replied. "‘Later’ is far better than ‘never.’"

He smiled in agreement, and a seagull flew across the starry sky.