Word from an old man.

I met this old man at night outside the building just below the publishing company, he was sitting down near the bench under the a big shady roof and staring up in the sky, rain drops started to drips on the pavement. Sitting relax with portable radio cassette running playing old 80’s Chinese music beside him. And sing and hum along, dressed only with khakis blouse and short pants in his 70’s. I was about to move out from the building as my night job on customer computers have been settled and planning to drag all my stuff back into my car just across the road. And settle to nearby coffee shop for a good night meal The rain started to rain heavily.
“Young man! Its wet out there just wait for a while” he nudge.
He was right, it couldn’t hurt to wait until the rain cease rather than going back at night in cold and wet my car cushion. So I stood there with a box of CD software and some PC tools.
“What do you have over there?, wants some bak-pau?” he said.
“No thanks, and this is some computer stuff to fix computer” I replied.
He stare silently, raise his eye brow and then lean back against the bench with a wide smile; “ Oh computer I see……..emm..computer guy!..uumm yeahh…mmm….”
The rain seems to be longer than I ever expected with loud thundering sound from the dark nigh clouds…I waited and waited fear I will miss my day with computer games by midnight.
“Wah! Computer everywhere, phone with computer, computer tv, computer business, computer hospital, kids play computer, pay tiket with computer and soo many… too many computer around..amazing! amazing!”……….then he halt, took a bite of meat bun and gulp, he continues with a blank stare into the front surroundings of busy streets under the rain: “ people so busy with computer, …haiiya..they make money.. ..no time.. no emjoy… family.. no time.. no time.., ……. You,.. computer make you happy? You live with computer?”
“No sir, not always” I spoke….actually its my 50-50 facts.
The old man smiled and replied; “Life is very short you know…” then he hum along with the oldies song from cassette player.
Puzzled with his words I just smiled to him. The rain almost calm down, I start to walk slowly along the corridor to nearby path where I could reach my car without getting wet. I passed in front of the old man and wave at him. Just a few steps..
“Never be slave to a machine, they are not everything….this thing bring sickness” he murmured.
I look back at him pondering and yet smiled with confusion. He seems to relaxed with those words, he looks calm and enjoy staring at the city lights late at night, look wise and ambiguous.
He turn his head to me and said “ Don’t be like my daughter…hmmmpp…peace is not in the machine”.
“Where is she now?” I asked.
He took a long breath and ease himself in a relax position, “Very very far away from here…very far away, but I have no regret”.
So I thought she must have been working overseas. “Oh!”, I turn around and continue walking.
“Hey! Do you feel stress at work?” he stare at me.
“Nope! Why should i” I replied.
“Good, I wish my daughter was like you but it was too late” he shook his head and continue took a last bite on the meat buns…”enjoy life…you know there lots of nice food you can enjoy.”
“Umm…”, I grin. So I left the place silently leaving the old man ponders by itself under the lights of city nights.

Back driving in the car looking at by standers with working suits outside the windows, I recall what the old man says and understand what he meant. Back few months ago I worked very hard and catch up with opportunities day and night. My nose bleed every morning, headache, sleepy and muscle pain. But now everything went ok, I felt much healthier and enjoy more outdoors every day. I know now. Learn to enjoy, avoid stress, ignore obstacles, ignore the rules that govern us into work slavery. Life is good when you enjoy every minutes of things you always wanted to feel, hear and touch. Thank god I was born to explore the world and able to mix around with weird people day and night, learning new things.

At the same night I pick up my sister who worked late at night at medic lab inside private medical center. Then saw a familiar face come out from the door in his late 20’s . “Did you diagnose this guy?” I wonder. “Oh, he came to monitor his blood pressure level, he needs stress management” my sister answered. To bad I knew that person…working under the same building where I worked for.