Third time is fate

We all need a man who will make us believe in the magic of the lollipop

POV Singto

28.10.2003

I first met this guy when I was nine years old. I was coming home from school that day. I was in a lousy mood: I'd gotten a "B" on my midterm, and I was terrified that when I got home and my parents found out, I'd be disappointed. After all, their son had been a straight A student until now.

So when I came out of school, I decided to go to the park. Sitting on the bench, I desperately tried to figure out at what point I had made a mistake. When I got so distracted that I gave the wrong answer to a question.

"I had spent the whole evening yesterday and the night before preparing for this test. How could this happen? What am I going to tell Mom and Dad now?"

"What should I say?" - I suddenly heard a noise to my right. When I turned my head in that direction, I saw beside me a short dark-haired guy, who was smiling at me charmingly at the moment. And you know, even though I was very upset about the recent events, I couldn't help but respond to this sincere gesture of sympathy by smiling back.

"So what should I tell Mom and Dad, P'?" - the stranger asked again, making me wonder whether I should tell the first person I met about my troubles. Even though he's so friendly... So I decided to clear up what interested me first, and try to avoid answering.

"And what makes you think that I am P' to you?" - I asked.

The answer struck me to the core, making me smile again.

"Because you're taller than me. And you seem grown up," - answered the boy seriously.

"Hmm, that's not the answer I had in mind". - I sniggered, though I hastened to say. - "But, anyway, you were right. I am P' to you".

"And why am I a Nong' to you?" - The boy asked just as earnestly, but this time there was only earnestness in his tone. But there was laughter in his eyes.

Deciding to answer the stranger in his own style, I said:

"Because you're shorter than I am, and you seem like a child".

And the next moment I was almost knocked off my feet. Not literally, of course. I almost fell off the bench when I was caught up in a wave of pure positivity, which was expressed in the laughter of my interlocutor. I wanted terribly to join him, but I was older, so I should be more restrained. So, again allowing myself just a warm smile, I continued this strange conversation:

"So you're still a Nong' to me?"

"Yeah," - the boy said with a laugh. - "Though I wasn't entirely sure of that. I just blurted out the first thing that came into my head. And look, it was an accident".

"You're interesting," - I said. I covered my mouth with my hand in fright, and wondered frantically if I had offended the guy. Did he think I had used the word "interesting" as a mockery?

But my companion smiled broadly again and said:

"You're interesting, too, P'. By the way, my name is Krist. Let's get acquainted. What's your name?"

"Singto, my name is Singto," - I answered, and with every new minute I spent in Krist's company I felt a strange feeling, as if we had known each other for a long time.

"Nice to meet you, P'Singto. And now that we've met, maybe you can answer my first question after all?" - Krist said, pulling me out of my thoughts.

Maybe I shouldn't have been so quick to surrender to this Nong's charms. But the weather, not too hot on the day, the slightly uplifted mood, and the sunny smile of the guy, who seemed to be made of joy, tipped the scales in favor of the younger man. Remembering the reason for my sadness and sighing heavily, I began my story.