short story I

It was a bright morning. All the children were crowding around grandpa and pestering him to tell a story. "Grandpa, grandpa, grandwa, story, story, please tell us a story..". Grandpa loved these children more than himself. Since the breakfast plates were all clean after eating and the milk glasses were fully empty, grandpa now has to fulfill his end of the deal, that is to tell a story.

So they all sat down on the cool green grass which was freshly mown, under the shadow of a huge tree in their garden. It was very cool and comfortable, like when you suddenly come into the shadow from under the sun. Grandpa began..

HA!. One evening, when i was mowing this grass, a strange looking fellow came in and said

'Hello there old man. I am a journeyman travelling by foot. I have traveled great distances across many countries. I have crossed many rivers, climbed many mountains. I have seen many types of people, short ones, tall ones, some taller than that, thin people, fat people, some fatter than that, happy people, angry people, some angrier than that. I am very tired now after walking all day. Do you have a room for me to stay for tonight? Can you provide some food for my hungry stomach?'.

I said,

'My friend, you are welcome to stay and eat in my home. Lets go inside.'

So we sat down to eat our dinner at the table. Then i noticed a bracelet around his wrist. It had a coin that was very old looking, rusted and beautiful. It had a mountain and river on one side that i was able to see. Being curious about the coin, i said,

'The coin in your bracelet is beautiful. Does it have a story?'

The traveler said,

'Sure it does have a story. Every souvenir i have has a story. I collect souvenirs so they will remind me of the many places i go. This bracelet was actually a necklace of my dog. I loved my dog very much and his name was Ego. Ego was very fond of me too. He likes to be around me, barked and jumped at anything that moved, but he would not listen to me always. I used to be with my dog all day and he slept with me in my bed. We did everything together.

I thought we were inseparable, but one day, he got sick and in few weeks he died. I felt lonely and was afraid of everything in my life because there was no Ego in my life anymore wherever i go, whatever i do.

Then i decided i should know more about this world and about myself. Without Ego, i felt like i needed to travel. This is the story'

I said thank you for a great story and the traveler left the next morning to continue his journey in life. Thus the story ends my dear children.