I went to the service five minutes early. The church is packed with mostly students from our college, but there are many who came from nearby community, too. A young man in front of me looked rather bewildered. I guess it is his first time too in this church. I took a seat beside him. His face was kind and pleasant. When he smiled at me, I couldn't help but begin a conversation.
"Hi. Are you in junior year, too?"
"No, I'm a sophomore."
"I'm Jake." I offered my hand.
"I'm Alphonse." He shook my hand.
"Just moved in?"
"Yes."
"Me also."
Silence.
After a while the service began. The songs were unfamiliar to me and the sermon was a little bit bleak. Or perhaps it was my mood.
After the service ends, I talked a bit more to Alphonse. For some reason it was comfortable talking to him although he and I didn't talk much. We talked about which part of the hostel we live, what courses we are taking and about the college in general before going our ways.
I went up to my room. I unpack my things and began arranging my room.
Night quietly fell. My labour was largely finished. I went to a 7-eleven nearby for a quick dinner.
Quiet. The streets were bustling but it is quiet. The chatters of people filled the air, but still, my heart was quiet. I returned to the hostel. Not many people there since the term hasn't begun.
I couldn't find my towel in the morning so I tried looking for it again but to no avail. I took out a spare towel and went to public bath. Nobody was there.
I took my time bathing and since there was no one, I hummed some songs that were sung in the morning service.
The following Sunday I was a little bit late. I spotted Alphonse and quickly occupied the empty seat beside him. He was mildly surprised but soon smiled with a silent "Hi again".
"Hullo," I replied.
I could recognise some songs in the service and the sermon was not bad. Alphonse and I had lunch together afterwards. Then we went our ways. I tried playing the songs in the service. There is a grand piano in the common room and it is open for public. Since the common room is usually quiet on Sunday afternoon, the piano was all mine. I'm not that great a pianist. I've never had a real piano lesson, so I can only play simple songs. But I often feel satisfied after playing, as if I have poured my heart out.
The next Sundays I looked forward to meet Alphonse in the service. We would have lunch together and had a light conversation then I would go to common room if I am in the mood.
On one Sunday afternoon, Alphonse asked, "What do you do after lunch?"
I said I usually went to common room to play piano.
"Oh, that's why sometimes I hear someone playing piano. So that's you. I never bothered to check."
When I went to the common room later in the day, Alphonse walked in when I was playing and sat at a chair nearby.
"Continue playing," he said, when I stopped.
So I continue. At the end of the song Alphonse said, "Can you teach me? I play, too but I'm not that great a pianist. I've never had a real piano lesson, so I can only play simple songs."
Exactly, I thought.
"Well, I don't play well, either."
The next Sundays, my routine includes playing piano with Alphonse listening faithfully, sometimes playing tunes that he knew.
I could recognise some songs in the service and the sermon was not bad. Alphonse and I had lunch together afterwards. Then we went our ways. I tried playing the songs in the service. There is a grand piano in the common room and it is open for public. Since the common room is usually quiet on Sunday afternoon, the piano was all mine. I'm not that great a pianist. I've never had a real piano lesson, so I can only play simple songs. But I often feel satisfied after playing, as if I have poured my heart out.
The next Sundays I looked forward to meet Alphonse in the service. We would have lunch together and had a light conversation then I would go to common room if I am in the mood.
On one Sunday afternoon, Alphonse asked, "What do you do after lunch?"
I said I usually went to common room to play piano.
"Oh, that's why sometimes I hear someone playing piano. So that's you. I never bothered to check."
When I went to the common room later in the day, Alphonse walked in when I was playing and sat at a chair nearby.
"Continue playing," he said, when I stopped.
So I continue. At the end of the song Alphonse said, "Can you teach me? I play, too but I'm not that great a pianist. I've never had a real piano lesson, so I can only play simple songs."
Exactly, I thought.
"Well, I don't play well, either."
The next Sundays, my routine includes playing piano with Alphonse listening faithfully, sometimes playing tunes that he knew.
1 comment:
Eh...there is some familiarity here=) haha if Alphone were a girl, would a romantic ending ensue? I wonder =p
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