Just a Jump

It was a nice weather that day. If it hadn't been during working hours, it might have been worth going out into the countryside. And it was quiet on the roof. There was only one living thing in the distance. Normally there's a lot more people hanging around. Just perfect. Just what he needed. 

So the suit went to his favorite spot and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a cigarette, put it in his mouth and reached into his pocket again for his lighter. But he found nothing. He reached into another and another. Again, nothing. It was only then that he realized his mistake. He must have left it in the office. 

But when he imagined he'd have to go back to the office. To go all the way again, to find the forgotten object and come back again, he swore to himself. He didn't have that much free time again. Fortunately, a redeeming thought occurred to him. The man... maybe he had a lighter on him... maybe not. After all, he's not smoking, he's just standing there watching. Maybe he's waiting for someone. But what would he be doing here? Everybody comes here to smoke. Who is he, anyway? He was sure he's seen him before, but not here. He doesn't even look like he works here. Nobody wears a hood.

The suit's mind has been busy, but he can't conjure a fire by thinking. So he went to see the strange figure. Even as he approached, he addressed him as "Hello, sorry to interrupt" and the waiting man turned around. He didn't speak a word, just looked him in the eye and made a slight gesture as if asking what the suit wanted, and the suit added in a friendly tone "would you have a light? I forgot it in the office."

The man just reached into his pocket to support the suit's bad habit. And while the suit leaned in, the man just quietly said, "This will kill you someday."

"I know... but it helps me get away from work. We all do it. I'm sure you do it too."

"If you can call it work..."

"What do you even do?"

"A supervisor..."

"I guess you're new, huh? I haven't seen you around here before."

"No, I've been doing it a long time."

"I see... But you don't come here much."

"Not much."

"And what's brought you here now?"

" Oh... I'm just jumping in."

With the last word, the entrance to the roof reopened and a third joined the two present. Another man, in his early thirties. With an absent expression. He didn't even look at those present. As if they weren't even here. Without any sign of greeting, he walked past, dropped something small on the ground, and continued towards the edge. Then he climbed up onto the ledge where he stopped.

It took a few moments for the suit to realize what was happening. Assessing the situation, he quietly uttered, "He must be trying to jump." And the man behind him replied dryly, "Don't tell me, I thought he came to ski." The suit paid no heed to the inappropriate remark and started after the jumper, trying to reach him. He had only taken a few steps when the man on the ledge turned to the approaching suit in response to the call and gave him an absent look, then turned back and leapt without a moment's hesitation.

The world suddenly stopped. The empty space where the man had stood a moment before completely overwhelmed all the senses as if nothing else existed. Who was he? What had happened to him? What had brought him to this point? Could he not have done otherwise? The suit stood there like a pinned man. He didn't understand what had just happened. It was only the touch on his shoulder that broke him out of his lethargy.

He turned around and there stood the one who had been there before, who asked quietly, "Do you want to know why he jumped?" But that question didn't even make sense. What kind of question was that anyway? How to answer it? Why did it even come up? So the man just added, "Of course you do. Ask." And he waved his hand towards the spot where the jumper had given up his life a few moments ago. The suit turned back again, and the jumper stood there again as if he had never jumped.