The Traveler

Two pennies, gets him a ladle of soup and a portion of bread. Another penny gets him filling up on boiled water and after paying the old woman wearing a toothless grin, she points to a table supporting the elbow weight of those arriving before him. Finding an empty seat, he picks out from a cup a metal spoon just so he can swirl around the watery substance. Vegetables being the main stock, what else noticed is a sliver of fat. Bringing a spoonful to his lips, the taste is a bit warm to his liking that leaves him tearing off a chunk of bread that gets him noticing a young boy standing across from him. Engaged, the kid waves hello before saying, “They want to know if you are the Traveler.”

Breaking off in looking over the kid’s shoulder, aside him seeing all of the curious eyes, what else he sees is the old woman bending an ear. As for the boy, he tells the kid, “It does not matter who I am.”

A look of confusion settles in and as the boy turns and walks away, the gravelly shrill of the old woman tells of her approach. “Why must you act like you are so much better than all of us. Tell me, Traveler. Tell us all.”