The Seer

Yesterday, as I walked in the valley, listening to the repercussion from the now-and-then screeching wheels of the old cars carrying the nomads to God-knows-where, I encountered one of them Seers. He was the first one I'd seen since my childhood, so I was interested in the man. A pallid face, but I couldn't discern easily, for the ash clouds had settled over the place once again. I saw the end of the line of cars fleeing from the now-inaudible perils that have won the struggle with Man. Man had surrendered, Man had fled from the disaster area with indelible memories in his mind. The antagonism between the three blocks of the world has caused the fury of the weapons the men have created to be released on themselves. Despite the idea that a World War would last only a few hours, the doom had been delayed, the war had spread in subtle outbursts. The august weapons had shown their most horrid faces, the awe and reverence had turned into a trepidation from the wrath of science.

I could not remember any time in my life that was full of mirth, people were always hostile, and they did everything to observe their benefits.

I put those ideas aside and turned my gaze on the Seer. All loyalty towards them had started to disappear, but they were still the agile carriers of civilisation. They usually did the immunisation and advised people to be humble. They had books I have no notion of - nobody else has it either.

I sometimes think of the great civilisation of the last century, but can't imagine how it can be. Since it has created a lethal war, it must be a civilisation of men without lucid thinking... The Seer seemed to be in rapture, he was walking with his eyes half-closed. It could be read from his face that he had dedicated himself to his work. He had bruises on his face, presumably because he had come from radiation-affected regions and he was exposed to the lethal winds for a long time. He walked over the brittle leaves at the roadside, following the convoy of cars slowly advancing.

The cars had to stop after a few minutes because a large mob was on the road. The reverberation of their shouting could be heard clearly. The car horns sounded, but they did not pay attention and continued their slow walk on the road.

One of them saw the Seer and informed the others. They got out of the way and started to approach the old man. He noticed them and smiled cordially. "Approach, sons and daughters," he said. "Let this old man give enlightenment to you about many problems."

"What's he saying?" said one youngster, chewing a blackened gum flippantly. "What's the old guy talking about?"

The Seer continued his talk. "After this disaster, I can advise you only not to be egotistic. That's because we can only survive if we stay together, act together, thinking for all of us together."

"Where does he find such things to say?" Asked the youngster to the girl beside him. "I don't know," answered the girl, playing with the curls of her hair. "Maybe they are written in the books."

"Are there any books any more?" Asked another. "I thought all of them had been destroyed."

"Yes," said the girl. "But the Seers have some. They do the healing by magic written in the books, I suppose."

"Hey, old man," said the insolent youngster. "Do you have any pills?"

He was talking about the little pills that are good for fever. They are not magic, of course, but things of the civilisation. I do not know the ingredients, nor does anybody besides the Seers, I think.

"No, my Son," answered the Seer. "I'm not able to find them for a year or more... I'm sorry that I'm of no help."

"God damn you!" Shouted the youngster and pushed the old man. The other members of the mob were also very angry. They rushed upon him, grabbed the bunch of books from his hand and started tearing them apart. "Stop!" cried the Seer in tears. "Please don't do it!"

After the tearing ended, they turned back and continued their long walk towards the hopeful horizon.

I stood beside the man and helped him get up. I saw pages from the books, flying here and there on the wind. Two book covers were moving slowly parallel to the ground. I picked them up and read. 'Pride and Prejudice' said one and the other read 'Moby Dick'.

Of course, I couldn't understand anything, nor did I have any hint about their meaning. They must be about science, I suppose. But I do not know much about science either.

There were tears on the Seer's face. I felt that he knew many things, things I could never imagine.

"Can you tell me?" I muttered.

"What?" he said, startled.

"Everything, of past and present."

He sighed and looked at the far horizon. "Yes," he said. "But there will be many things to tell. Too many..."