A loud honking woke him up that cold January morning. He jumped out of bed, anxiously glancing at the clock, terrified of being late for work. It took him a moment to remember what day it was and realise that he no longer worked Mondays. It was compulsory time off, a consequence of the modern economic landscape.
He didn’t want to sleep any more; he had grown tired of sitting around lately. He got up and swiftly prepared a large mug of strong coffee, a routine he had followed for the last 15 years since he first started working at the advertising agency, where he is still employed today at the age of 39. As he looked around, he found nothing of interest. He picked up his cell phone, scrolled through his contacts, and realised that all the numbers belonged to clients or business partners. He longed to hear a friendly « good morning » but didn’t know who to call.
He sat at his desk in the office, staring at his computer. He considered posting a « Good Morning » message on his Facebook account but felt even lonelier at the thought. Rising from his chair, he went to his library and gazed at the shelves filled with books. Each one focused on topics related to his profession—advertising, marketing, and success, with titles that seemed to echo the same themes. After a quick change of clothes, he grabbed his keys and hurried out of the house.
It was raining. On his way to the car, he remembered that he had parked it illegally and then noticed a pink piece of paper on the windshield. Almost frantically, he crumpled it up and tossed it to the side of the road. He got into the car, fastened his seatbelt, turned on a music station, lit a cigarette, and drove off. He didn’t know where he was going; he just wanted to escape the sight of buildings, sullen people rushing to catch the light, honking cars, and endless advertisements. Getting away from the city wasn’t easy. The streets were blocked, but he was determined. After about an hour, he finally reached the highway, and it took him another thirty minutes to arrive at the tollgate at the city’s edge.
The rain had stopped. He felt the freedom of speed within the limits allowed. As he drove, he reflected on his life up to that point. His work dominated his existence; relatives, friends, and loved ones were not just in the background—they were completely absent. Lost in thought, he didn’t even realise he had driven for two hours. Glancing at the navigator, he saw his location and turned it off with a decisive gesture. He exited the highway at the first off-ramp he encountered. He had no particular destination in mind and didn’t care; he just wanted to escape the city.
The weather was starting to improve. Sunlight began to break through the clouds. However, the road was in poor condition. He thought to himself,
“What have I gotten myself into?”
As if that wasn’t enough, a flock of sheep blocked his path. Frustrated, he opened the window and lit another cigarette while he waited. Soon, the shepherd approached, looked at him, and smiled as he called out,
« Good morning, mate!»
« Good morning! » He exclaimed cheerfully. He had travelled many miles to hear a friendly greeting. By the time the herd passed, the sun had broken free from the clouds, so he put on his sunglasses. After driving a few more miles, he found himself in the square of a small village. Stepping out of the car, his eyes widened at the simple beauty of nature surrounding him. He stretched, raising his arms high as if trying to reach the branches of the majestic plane tree that dominated the landscape.
He walked into the small, quaint café and was pleasantly surprised to find the owner whistling a cheerful tune. He ordered a double Greek coffee and quickly left to enjoy the sunshine. Making his way to a small square, he chose a bench bathed in warm winter sunlight. He set his coffee down beside him and sat there, doing nothing. Out of habit, he reached for a cigarette but stopped himself; he didn’t want to spoil the fresh smells of nature. He reflected on how he had often misjudged the joys and values of life. Lost in his thoughts, he remained there until a voice broke the silence.
“Oh, what have I done!” He turned to see an old woman struggling to pick up the tangerines she had dropped. Quickly, he got up, walked over to her, and helped gather the fruit and return it to her apron.
« Thank you, son, » she said as she sat down on the bench beside him. He watched her face, trying to discern through her wrinkles what kind of life she had lived. What emotions had she experienced? What needs may she have? What difficulties had she faced? Suddenly, she smiled at him and said,
« It’s been a nice day, after all. » From her sincere smile, he realised that whatever she had felt, experienced, and needed in her life was far more substantial than his feelings and needs.
« Yes, » he agreed. « It’s been a wonderful day—so beautiful that I didn’t expect it when I woke up this morning. » The old lady seemed to understand his implication. She looked at him sideways and smiled meaningfully. Then, she took a tangerine from her apron, cleaned it, and offered him half. « It’s from my friend Marigot’s orchard, » she said. « Fertilizer-free and organic, as you city folks call it. »
He felt immense joy from the simple gesture of the old lady. All he could manage to say was, « Thank you. » As she savoured her half of the tangerine, she gazed into the sun. Through its light, he noticed the kindness in her eyes. A kindness that can only be cultivated from a meaningful life—one that is free of excess and vice, a life that respects each day and is filled with dreams for the next morning.
At that moment, an old man slowly approached them.
« Good morning, lad, » he said to him and then turned to the old lady.
« Shall we move, my girl? » He asked her.
« Let’s go, my darling, » she replied.
As she stood up, she took two tangerines from her apron and offered them to him.
« For your lady, » she said.
« But I don’t have a lady… » he replied with a smile.
« Listen, my child, » the old lady said, « when shared with someone, life takes half the effort for everything, and for every joy, the pleasure is doubled. »
She patted him on the shoulder in a friendly manner and walked away, holding her man’s hand.
He stood alone, watching the old couple walk away.
After a while, he found himself lost in thought and realised that the choice was his: he could either let his life continue at its current pace or seek out new values. He pondered whether he wanted a life filled with stress, work-related intrigues, and fear or if he longed for something more meaningful.
He got up from the bench, feeling light. He picked up the untouched coffee he had been resting on the bench and threw it in the bin. He got into the car and started his drive home. He knew he would remember this ride for a long time and hoped he would never forget it.
