O.A. - Ruby

“I understand you…”

“You know, I was not always such a whiner,” I interrupted, “before I used to be the soul of any company, I could find a common language with everyone. And now, this is the only place where I can speak out.” I shrugged. “Where else can I moan and groan if not with you?”

“I understood you,” Maria smiled.

The session’s time was coming to an end.

“Tell me, when do you have a meeting with Arthur?”

“Oh, not soon. He is leaving with his family on vacation and said that he would write to me and tell me when he will return. So, we have not even discussed the date of the next session.”

“Oleg, next week I am leaving to study, and then I also have a vacation.”

Well isn’t this the shit… What else can I say…?

“And what am I supposed to do without you… ?”

“Support groups are held on Saturdays. They are supervised by a good specialist.”

“A support group? So, I won’t be alone? It’s not individual?”

“Yes, but such sessions also have a positive effect, just like individual therapy.”

No. No. No. This is definitely not for me.

“How much do they cost?”

“I will talk to them and make sure that they will be free for you. Since Arthur and I are leaving you so suddenly and for a while.”

Yeah… Thanks for that.

“OK, thanks. Then you will also let me know when you will return?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Then you have a productive study and a good vacation.”

I decided to go home by a different route. I just put the headphones in my ears, turned on the player and started walking, not really choosing the route. Since tomorrow is a day off, I can go to bed later than usual.

After 40 minutes of walking, a desire came over me to go into the park and smell the lilacs. All that remained was to find a park. All around me there were only office buildings. I had never been to this area. It was probably a business district.

I got a coffee to go in the first cafe I came across and wanted to sit on a bench, put the player in my backpack and listen to my own thoughts. I decided not to take off my sunglasses so that I could sit with my eyes closed.

10 seconds after my plan was in place the pungent smell of unwashed body and alcohol hit my nose. I opened my eyes and slowly turned my head to the right, there was no one there, and then I slowly turned my head to the left.

“You remind me of my grandson.”

A bearded old man, not really dressed for the weather, was looking at me. It felt like the temperature outside was close to summer and the strong-smelling character was dressed in a winter down jacket, a hat and slippers covering woolen socks. Everything about his appearance and smell spoke of the fact that he lives on the street.

Oh, no, no, no. There are plenty of free benches around…

“Really? Why?”

“You look sad.”

Where the hell did you come from?

“And does your grandson often look sad?”

“Not anymore. He died.”

Well hell in a handbasket…

“My condolences.”

“Everything’s fine. That’s life.”

Something needs to be said. Something needs to be said.

“What happened to him?”

“Drug overdose.”

“Do you have anyone besides him? Any relatives?”

“Of course, thanks to them I ended up on the street.”

Wonderful… Should I keep the conversation going somehow?

Despite the smell that was bringing tears to my eyes there was an urge to hug the poor fellow.

“Is there anything I can do for you?”

“No, dear boy, thanks. I have a place to sleep. Don’t pay attention to my appearance, it’s not as bad as it looks… or smells.”

I opened my backpack to get some money out but the old man stopped me.

“If you want to give me money, I don’t need it. I’ll drink it away anyway. I think I have two or three days left. I can feel it. You know, I’ve lived a bright, eventful life. So bright that there are not enough colors to describe it.”

And was it worth it?

“Please wait here. I’ll be right back!”

I ran back to the cafe where I had gotten myself a coffee to buy some food for the poor fellow but when I returned, he was no longer there. I left a paper bag with a double cheeseburger, three meat patties and a large bottle of mineral water on the bench. Hopefully when I leave the old man will come back and notice the package. And he can eat before he dies.

Despite the fact that it was approaching sunset, I did not want to take off my dark glasses, as in them I could look at the guys I liked who were passing by without fear that someone would notice. Walking along a narrow one-way street, I noticed a sign which said The CLOUD ROOM Art Gallery. As I approached the entrance, my attention was drawn to a poster with a picture of a tall, slender guy in white swimming trunks and a rabbit mask. One the image was printed, in bold red typeface:

THE LAST DAY OF THE EXHIBITION

“THE OUTCAST”

FREE ADMISSION

I looked around cautiously. Not that I was afraid that someone would notice my interest in a guy in swimming trunks… Although… Who am I kidding??? I felt like a little boy who should never be seen doing anything wrong in front of adults… So, they must not, God forbid, see me staring at a man’s body… in swimming trunks… and a rabbit mask.

The gallery consisted of four large white rooms, the walls of which were hung with framed photographs. All the photos showed the same guy in swimming trunks and a rabbit mask.

Why was the exhibition called the Outcast? He’s alone here. Although… Maybe only outcasts come to see him? That is, the name is not about who is in the photo, but about those who look at him…

Apart from me, the only person in the gallery was the girl at the small reception desk, who was so carried away by the correspondence on her phone that, most likely, she did not notice that I walked past her.

The hero of the photo history was depicted in different life situations, places and countries. The only invariable attributes were his white swimming trunks and mask.

I was most attracted by a picture taken in a swimming pool. The hero was lying in the water, posing like a five-pointed star and looking at the sky. There was something soothing and peaceful about it.

“Awesome, huh?”

I shuddered at the sudden question behind me.

From where the hell are people suddenly appearing out of the blue all day?!

The question was asked by a tall handsome man of about forty. He was dressed in jeans and a jacket over a white T-shirt. A bit unsuitable for the weather, but it suited him very well.

Need to say something! Need to say something! Don’t be silent!

“Yeah…” I swallowed loudly.

You’re the king of eloquence!

“Dimitry.” the man held out his hand to me.

“Oleg. Very nice to meet you.” I answered with a handshake.

Very, very, very nice!

Dimitry Dima went up to the next photo. It showed the same guy, in the same swimming trunks and mask. He was standing on the edge of the roof of a multi-story building.

“What good lies ahead? What can be expected?”

Dimitry looked at the picture and I didn’t quite understand (or rather, I didn’t understand at all) whether the question was addressed at me or whether he was just voicing thoughts out loud.

“The End of the World?”

The main thing is not to start imagining our life together ahead of time.

“Isn’t that a movie?”

What the hell are we talking about?