3361 - The man who lived across the street

N. Lygeros
Translated from the Greek by Evi Charitidou

The man who lived across the street used to sit on the balcony.
He would look at the sky.
There was no sky for such men.
Society didn’t allow it.
The balcony was empty.
His parents used to talk to each other.
He used to be the subject of their discussion.
He heard them arguing for his problems.
None of them though used to talk to him.
They used to say that there was no reason.
Because he wouldn’t reply.
Therefore he used to look across the street.
He didn’t know why exactly.
But he felt that that was good for him.
The sun was shining from the window.
The balcony was not seen by the sun, only by the shadows.
Whereas across the street there was justice.
He wanted to say something.
However, the noise of his parents was louder than his silence.
Thus, he decided to raise his hand.
And he heard his mother shouting.
However, he continued his move.
He greeted the unknown.
And the sun’s balcony replied to him.
His father lowered his hand down.
So as not to get hurt, as he said.
They brought him back into his room for his own good.
But he closed his eyes, so as not to forget the sun.