The Twenty-Eighth Night

 

"Hey, who's that guy with you in that picture?" he asked during our evening backgammon game.

"An old friend."

"Like... old old?"

"I’m not sure what you mean. I was actually older than him. That photo was taken the year we marked forty years of friendship."

"Whoa. Forty years?"

"Are you guys still friends?"

"He passed away a few years ago."

"Man... I'm sorry."

"It’s alright. After he died, I decided to come live here on the island."

"Were you two…" Nick said with a hint of curiosity.

"No. Never. But when you sustain a friendship that lasts over forty years — and share that much of your life — the bond becomes very deep. In any case, he had a partner."

"Where's he living now?"

"In Brazil. He usually comes here once a year."

Nick made a brilliant move with his pieces, gaining a significant lead.

"I think I’m about to win this one." he said.

"Not if I can help it, silly boy!"

"You guys were really close, huh?"

"Very. If you must know, he was the only person I ever loved. Thank God he didn’t return my feelings — then I learned to be his friend."

"I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to stir up anything. I had no right to pry. Forgive me."

"There’s nothing to forgive, Nick, truly. That wound was once very deep, yes — but it was many years ago. Since then, I’ve made peace with it, by embracing my friendship with him. But believe me when I say: we would’ve been terribly unhappy had we ended up together. We were vastly different. Fundamentally incompatible."

"And because of that experience, you stayed alone..."

"I’d put it another way. I’d say God used that experience to train me in the chastity He asked of me."

"God trained you...?" Nick said raising an eybrown.

"God never abandons us. In fact, every misfortune I’ve faced in life proved to have purpose later on."

"I don’t have that kind of faith."

"I know. No one’s perfect." I said with a half smile.

"Well, this imperfect soul just beat you again! Got any more of that amazing dessert in the fridge?" he said and fter a moment in silent he continued: “If I were still living my old life, you wouldn’t be my friend, would you?"

"If you were still living that old life, you’d be dead by now — and we never would’ve met."

Nick went silent for a few moments, lost in thought. Then he said: "You think maybe God was getting me ready... to meet you?"

"An intriguing thought, isn’t it? What do you think?"

I glanced over at the photo taken so many years ago, that had sparked our conversation. I smiled, then walked to the fridge to fetch us some more dessert.