“ NUMBER 28 ”

WRITTEN BY : " V áhi Ð  Ñorouz Âli ßeik "

Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up , but a comedy in long-shot .  

" Could you please show me number '28' ? " , asked the stranger having a piece of paper in his hand.

He had gone there to meet one of his old friends because they had not met for a long time. His friend

had given him that paper , asking him not to look at it except the time to remember him.

There were only two words written : " NUMBER 28 " .

It was really wonderful that no one would pay any attention to him. The people passed by him , some

looking at their watches and others looking at him in a strange way.

" Do you know where number 28 is ? " , the stranger asked a man who looked handsome , but the man

did not care just showing his watch to say that he is late ! The stranger was confused in that crowd

and the people were strange creatures to him. He was so tired that he couldn't keep on walking

anymore so he decided to sit somewhere for a short time and then tried to find the address again.

There was a stool in front of a shop. He went to it and sat on that. No sooner had he sat on that

stool than the shopkeeper came to him and ordered him not to sit there and leave there as soon as

possible and said nothing when the stranger asked about the reason.

He really wanted to die since there was no one to answer him or even to pay a little attention to him.

He reached a park as he was walking hopelessly and aimlessly and decided to rest there for a while.

People were sitting there on the benches and none of them would talk. They seldom looked at

each other without uttering any word ! He found an empty place beside a man and sat there.

As soon as he sat , the man turned to him and gazed at him.The stranger became really happy for

the first time in his life that there was some one in this world to pay attention to him.

He started talking to the man about himself and why he had gone there and complaining about the

situation there and others' behavior. The man was just quiet and listening to him. Suddenly the man

stood and left the stranger. The stranger was really shocked and shouted :

" Hey you ! excuse me sir ! did I disappoint you ? could you tell me that ? please , please stop !

I'm talking to you ! " .

But the man did not care and left. The stranger was so angry that he decided to go to the man

to know the answers to his questions.

" Stop ! " , said an old man putting his left hand on his left shoulder. The stranger stopped and

turned to him.

" He is deaf-and-dumb and also blind " , told him the old man.

The stranger burst into tears realizing that he could never stop it. When he was soothed he found

himself beside the old man on a bench in that park.

" Who are you ? Where are you coming from ? " , asked the old man. " I don't know " , answered

the stranger.

" I'm searching for number 28 ". " Do you know where it is ? " , he continued hopefully.

" Don't waste your time " , said the old man.

" Why ? why? , please tell me why no one pays any attention to me ? " , said the stranger and

continued :

" Why do you think I'm wasting my time ? please , please answer me , why ? why ? "

The old man became angry and decided to leave the stranger alone. The stranger took his hand and

repeated his question : " Why ? Why ? . . . " .

" There is no answer to this question of yours " , said the old man and continued :" I told you , you

are just wasting your time ! "

As the old man moved a bit away,he turned to the stranger and shouted: " Have you ever looked in

the mirror ? Have you paid attention to that great difference between you and the others ? That's

why no one can accept you. You don't look like them , do you understand ? "

The stranger never saw the sunrise tomorrow.