The dream of a present

Born in a school, he was a natural intellectual. His birthday was coming soon on monday at noon. One older brother he had, a second newborn. It was destined for him to grow older than his father.

Albert Lingua was the coldest, most calculated and reserved brother out of the three. He did not like participating in social events, although his family had encouraged him to do so. On the other hand, he was one of the most active in educating himself and resolving rational problems. His upcoming birthday celebration was uncalled for by Albert but his father insisted on doing it.

James Lingua was the oldest brother and, next to Albert, had enjoyment in challenging and learning about the world. His personality was open, understanding, humorous and extravagant. Maybe, out of all of his family, James was the most cunning and adaptive.

Diego Lingua, the youngest brother, was the most precious and innocent out of everybody, as he was only an year old.

And then there was the father, Aleksandar Lingua. He took care of the brothers from the start and taught them everything. With his caring nature and tender but social and hard-working personality Aleksandar paved the way for his children. It's also obvious, where James got his humour from, when you have a conversation with his father, as you will be hit by at least a couple of bluffs and joking mannerisms.

Aleksandar's oldest son has not only inherited the funny side of his elder but also many other qualities, such as the social and talkative aspect of his character, in turn moulding James into an almost exact copy of his father. James, as the first son, was provided with anything he wanted, consequently creating a joyful upbringing, and furthermore he was let explore many cultures and people, which shaped his adaptive mind.

After the birth of Albert the mood in the family shifted. The child had an enormous potential of high mental development right from the jump, showing skills in logical thinking at such an early age that it could even be described as genius. This fact really fitted him, as he was by luck born in a school. Because of that he later started going to it until tenth grade, when after that, Albert changed schools and went to a more prestigious high school. He brought in a sharp, pragnostic and clinical atmosphere at home, which was at a contrast with his brothers and father. This wasn't really frowned upon by anybody though, because it diversified the dynamic of perspectives in the household, which was appreciated by Aleksandar and James also.

Differently from James, Albert was hardly ever participating in social gatherings and rarely went out with friends. It was not that he was disable to communicate properly. Albert was actually a very polite young man, who had got the knack of smooth talking, exactly as taught by his father. It was the fact that he was too preocuppied mostly by academics and further personal education, conducted by Albert's curiosity and tenacity.

There it was the day was coming, coming at noon, at twelve o'clock midday, at the time when the sun is at its highest stage.

Aleksandar took Diego with him early in the morning to go out and prepare the birthday. He went to a couple of shops but firstly to buy a piñata. The brown skinned woman with dark hair and eyes greeted him when he entered the store. Aleksandar pointed out he wants to buy a piñata and the one over there at the shelf was good looking. He explained there was a due party to which she replied, if he wants it maroon and if she should add a couple of merry, colourful baloons. It seemed a reasonable price, so all was bought.

"Your son is good," exclaimed the hispanic woman while packing the decoration in a bag.

Aleksandar looked at his son in the small stroller behind him, seeing the baby sleeping cosily in the cotton covers with his pride-filled eyes and mellow face.

Leaving the store the father saw a sign, hanged in front of the door, which read "Bienvenidos".

Walking in a nimble pace, Aleksandar noticed other people were going out and about to do different things. Some were talking and sitting on benches in the near park, telling stories of a past spark. Especially was there a remarkable story coming from the saloon, which entailed the renovation of Big Ben and something of a blue moon. English speakers were a fresh sound to the ear of the old hound. In his childhood he always dreamed of having a house in London and living among the britons. Turns out, James has also inherited this trait of his of having goals and aspirations towards the English world. James will definately see the renovation of Big Ben with his own eyes and once he comes back, he shall narrate all there was to be told about the old clock.

Further down the street there were many store windows, showing all kinds of clothes, shoes and hats. Aleksandar stopped the stroller next to him and examined thoroughly the pieces of clothing in front of him. There were leather jackets, beanies, running shoes, basketball shoes, jeans, shorts. But which one would he like?

"What would you like my son?" Aleksandar was using all his mental power to try and think of something which will brighten Albert's busy day.

Never had Albert asked for anything in particular. His focus wasn't pinned at the materialistic. It was always wandering somewhere in the unseen and ungraspable. Though it wouldn't hurt to get a present. To let your heart enjoy a toy or a game and let your mind unload from the high voltage, powering the mind day and night.

"Don't buy me anything," Albert's voice exclaimed to the question regarding a present for his bithday.

"Why should you be so rock-hard?" - the question was pondered upon infinite times by his father.

One day, a big class celebration was planned, Aleksandar remembered, and everyone was going to go. Albert was the only one who had no intention of participating but gave nobody a reason why, though he didn't even mention the occasion all too much. As Aleksandar got a wind of what was happening, he entered his son's room a couple of hours early before the event and inquired, what the reason of Albert's decision not to be a part of it should be. In the evening light entering from the room's window was Albert sitting at his desk writing something.

"Why aren't you going to the party? Haven't you heard about it?" asked Aleksandar.

Albert turned his head to his father not answering the question right away but rather taking a quick glance through the window in front of him. People were walking down below.

"Not interested." sounded the answer.

"But this is the last party of your school year and this year is your final one. Don't you want to celebrate?" questioned the father firmly.

"What exactly? Graduating into work? People find any reason to celebrate small matters. Every step is a party for them. Wait and see when they step out, then they will find out, what they are actually toasting to. Shadows of their own bodies they are. Once light shines, there will be none. Then their frail bodies will have to take the hit and it will overpower. In the end darkness will loom over them. Debauchery, dependence and misery will follow," expressed Albert looking thoughtfully outside.

"Don't talk like that! They are your peers..." Aleksandar shot a glance through the room.

Albert met the glance with the same intensity of the eyes.

"Let me continue, what I have started," the son turned his head towards his desk full of papers.

Aleksandar could do nothing. His face wrinkled expressing melancholic distancing from the world for a moment. The light had meanwhile become so dim that only the silhouette of the back of the chair could be seen with a pair of moving hands on the sides. The bookshelves on the walls seemed to curve in, shielding the chair, making it look, as if it was one body at work here.

Standing in front of the shop on the street, still wondering, what present to buy, Aleksandar suddenly thought of James, who could have an idea for what could be a suitable one for his little brother but unfortunately he had already journeyed abroad again. His father never exactly knew, what the eldest son undertook out there. Though there was no doubt he could look after himself. A strong and cunning lad he was and Aleksandar was conscious of James' financial security and stability. One thing is for certain: a lot of stories will be told by James, when he comes back home. But for now the old father had to take care of everything himself.

Memories, o so sweet. Vivid indeed. The old man could not focus on the present. He just continued thinking, how he could see himself through the eyes of the adventurous James, who discovers the English world. Maples, shamrocks, thistles, daffodils, buffalos and kangaroos...

The clinical Albert Aleksandar always saw through the the books and letters, numbers and matters. A complex structure he is building. It has a distorted beginning: paths to and fro. Only Albert knew how to navigate them and nobody else. Although there is a point which, if reached, there is a clear way straight-forward to be seen, a very different one from the basis paths. It leads to something not known to the father. But it didn't matter, what thereat was waiting, because you had to firstly battle through the bottom stages.

On the outside the structure looked towering over ones body and had the appeal of being young but having the potential to outgrow and outlive the oldest of all...

The little sweet Diego Aleksandar always saw through his own eyes. This small, frail creature was still too young to be able to tell a story or build a structure on its own. That's the reason why his father takes him almost everywhere. He needed to be protected and taken care of until it has the physical and mental power to take the world head on. But for now Diego filled the heart of Aleksandar with love and a silky sensation...

As he thought of that Aleksandar focused his eyeballs on Diego. At that very moment the baby woke up from its sleep and glanced upwards. The old father believed the eyes were gazing at him but that was not the case. They were vastly opened, staring something skywards with a glaring passion. The father turned around and there it was: a blue moon.

It seems it has already gotten noon. How was it so soon? There was not a present for the boy, who had to age beyond his brother, beyond his father...

Talking trees, sleeping humans, dust of dreams, an owl on the moon, gazing into you.

"Good noon, Diego!" it uttured.

Aleksandar turned his head to the stroller but there was not a soul smaller, smaller than himself. The baby was sleeping on the blue moon next to the creature of the noon.

There were sounds of wind but not very defined. A rustle from a cosmic past, a cosmic future.

"A man of many gifts, a father of many kids," hooted the owl, staring with wide white holes at the present Aleksandar.

"What do you mean and how do i understand you..." asked Aleksandar, surprised by his own hooting.

"A new language on your tongue in a pool among, among your others. Unspeakable beyond, needed for our bond," answered the creature.

"Often do you come, late in the night and leave at noon. Though you forget, why you came, and that you asked a question or two about your sons," continued the owl with a transcendent aura.

"What do you mean? I cannot comprehend. Where are my sons?" shouted Aleksandar, not being able to see the sleeping Diego on the blue moon anymore.

"The answer is you Aleksandar Lingua. If I even should call you that..." it spoke for the first time.

The father looked around. He was left alone. An empty city all to himself. The trees had stopped whispering, the wind had stopped swishing. Where was everybody? The world was hollow all of a sudden. There were no stories, no structures, no laughter. There was just he himself, Aleksandar. Unspeakable confusion overcame his mind, even a sorrow of some kind. He was alone.

A familiar figure he saw in the reflection of the store's window. Eyes filled with liquid, tears down his cheeks. He could now see a clear image of himself. For the first time in his life....

There was standing a figure resembling Aleksandar but not himself. It was his son Albert.

Oh, the fear and astoundment in his face, when he understood. He was not one, he was many. A dream of a present. A present self...

He will visit again very soon. As for now, it is noon! Hoot, hoot...