Ignazio Boschetto imagines

Birthday themed imagine

Early October brought cold breezes and brown leaves gracefully falling from the trees. The air smelled of wet soil and the city was slowly -yet enthusiastically- preparing for Halloween.

As your private ritual demanded, you climbed the hill at the far end of the town. It was at that time of the day when you could slow down, breathe, release the stress. It was an hour just for and about you. Watching the starry sky had long ago proven to be the best remedy for your aching heart and soul.

You reached the top, closed your eyes and took a deep breath. Exhaling, you opened them and looked at the view of a busy city going to sleep, with only a few streetlights preventing it from sinking into darkness. The sky was moonless and clear, providing a breathtaking starry scenery.

The grass was freshly cut. As you sat down, a cold breeze swept past you, causing you to rub your upper arms to get warm.

An unfamiliar man appeared in front of you and offered you his jacket.

"Here, take this. It's getting quite chilly these days."

You guessed he was the figure who had visited the hill a few nights ago and came back every night ever since. He was tall and muscular. His facial characteristics and black hair gave away a Mediterranean descent, as did his accent. His big, amber eyes revealed a rare maturity for his age, a deep sorrow and a troubled soul.

You took the jacket and thanked him with a smile.

"Do you mind if I sit down with you?"

"Not at all."

The moments passed by in silence and stillness. Once in a while, you would catch a glimpse of him staring at the sky, as if he could find all the answers he was looking for among the stars.

"Do you come here every night?"

He broke the silence, but his gaze remained on the sky. The question surprised you. He certainly didn't seem the guy who makes small talk

"Yes, for the past couple of years. It's my sanctuary."

"What- what does it mean?"

"The sanctuary? A place you feel safe. It's where I go to feel better, to find myself."

Although it was difficult to describe your feelings for this place, he seemed to completely understand you. As if he had an escape of his own. He nodded with a smile.

"Where are you from?"

"Italy."

His eyes brightened up at the thought of his beloved country.

"And how did you find this place? Rarely do people come over here. Even locals."

"As you said, I needed a sanctuary. Today more than anything."

"Why? What happened?"

He closed his eyes and frowned. He still hadn't looked at you.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked, you don't know me and it's obviously too personal."

"No, it's alright. It's actually nice talking to someone who doesn't claim they know you and is willing to listen."

He lay down and you followed suit, feeling the soft grass underneath your hair.

"It's my birthday today."

"Oh, happy birthday then!"

You certainly did not expect that answer.

He thanked you with a small giggle, which revealed more sorrow than happiness and gratitude and turned to a frown all too quickly.

"I'm doing what I love, I'm famous, I have money. Someone would say I have all the blessings of the world and I should be happy and thankful for all of it, but it's not that simple."

"Of course it's not that simple. Money can't buy happiness, only chocolate."

He laughed and you laughed, not because it was a good joke, but because it felt right. You were still staring at the stars when he turned his head and looked at you, the sound of your laughs slowly drifting away.

"I like you."

"Why? Because I crack crappy jokes?"

You were finally looking at each other's eyes. You must have been staring at the stars for too long, because at that moment you swore you could see some of the stars in his eyes.

"No, well not only because of that. You are the first girl I meet that understands, that listens."

"You certainly don't know many girls who care about the soul, do you?"

He nodded negatively with a sad, defeating smile. You turned your gaze at the sky and smiled as well, bringing in mind the familiar feeling.

"So tell me, what is a successful young man searching among the stars?"

"I don't know really. Maybe some company, maybe some genuine beauty, maybe some answers. Maybe myself."

"The stars really make you philosophical, don't they?"

He chuckled and returned the question.

"I have a theory. You know how they say that we're all made of the same elements as the stars? I believe that we have some stardust in us, but not enough to make us as beautiful and complete as the stars. We desperately need to feel whole. Thus, we seek for the stars. Or, we seek for that one special person who has in them all the elements that we miss. This person makes us whole. Makes us perfect, just like the stars."

He listened carefully and moved his palm slightly, so it could touch yours. The physical contact brought him chills he couldn't explain, as if a bolt had struck him.

"Why settle with the stars, while you could seek the person?"

"Because I lost my faith in humans. No matter how many people I've met or dated, I've always felt that emptiness inside me. I've always remained a half."

A nod of understanding was enough to realize that both of you were suffering from the same "disease".

"I'm lonely", he blurted out after a few moments of silence with a gulp in the back of his throat. "I'm surrounded by people who love me, I have two wonderful colleagues that have become my brothers, yet I'm more alone than ever. It's my birthday and it has made me realize that I've let one more year pass in vain. In loneliness. I read somewhere that "our life every day gets shorter" (credit to Greek poet George Seferis, who was honored with a Nobel of literature in the '60s) and it made me think that I have waisted too many days of my life. I too search for that other half, in a world that sees me as a whole."

"Maybe you should show to the world the real you then. Just as you did with me."

You had turned your head to the side again, watching him look at the stars. He was taking a moment to think.

"It's not that easy. The world isn't like you. They don't understand the way you do. You're a strange person."

"I'm only a stranger", you interrupted.

"You're a strange stranger then. I don't even know your name, yet here I am, opening my heart and soul to you."

"And I did the same to you."

You closed your eyes and took a deep breath. Surprisingly, the sole presence of that man had made you feel somehow lighter, as if the weight of the world had been lifted off your shoulders.

"Maybe we're two strange strangers, two lost halves, trying to figure out our path on the stars towards becoming wholes."

Looking back on that night, you would conclude that you were indeed two strange strangers, two halves. But you weren't lost. You were just blind. The other half was just beside you. All you had to do was open your eyes.