A guy, with a sad heart, is waiting for a bus at the bus station in the beautiful city of Rieti. Sad, because he is new in town. No friends, no family and no one to care about him.
This man is a little different from others. He has a tremendous amount of love for other people. Plus, he has the ability to change people’s minds. No matter how sad you are, he will understand your feelings within no time and will not let you go until he changes your mood. He is sweet and a kind-hearted person. This habit of his makes everyone fall in love with him.
But here is the problem… when you get so much love and attention from others you are almost like a 10-months-old baby whose smile makes everyone fall in love with you. But what if all of a sudden you have to move to another city and the new people don’t know who you are and thus you don’t get that love and attention which you are used to with. That’s what’s happening to this man. He is feeling exactly like a person who has lost his life savings. He moved from a place where he was a hero to a place where he is a nobody.
So, here is this stranger sitting at the bus stop with nobody around. It’s raining, it’s a little cold and it’s already evening. The darkness further increases the insecurity of this lonely man. Finally, he sees a bus coming his way. Seeing it, a ray of hope shines in his eyes. As soon as the bus stops, he approaches it in hurry and asks the driver if it goes to Santa Rufina. But the driver excuses himself and says, “It’s not the right bus.”
The stranger runs back disappointedly to his seat to hide from the rain. He gets wet and thus adds the fourth problem to his loneliness, darkness and sadness.
He thought of every possible way to somehow reach Santa Rufina. But with a dead phone, he doesn’t have the option to contact someone or to use the map. For a while, his mind struggles to find a way, as he is simply not okay with his situation. But as soon as he gives up, he takes a long breath and decides to let it be. The moment he accept the situation he feels calm and relaxed!
With his sensitive heart and calm mind, he somehow begins to enjoy the nature. The sound of raindrops and beautiful dark night, all alone. He straightens his back, holds his chest with both arms, closes his eyes, and gives full authority to his ears to listen to and feel the surrounding.
No complaints, no regret, no wish and nothing to worry about anymore. Just pure helplessness. Perhaps this is what we call the beauty of sadness. The feelings when you don’t want anything and nobody wants anything from you because you can’t do anything… not for yourself and not for others.
This is how the lonely man detaches himself from the whole universe. Right now, he only hears raindrops… tip, tip, tip. And it feels so good.
For a while, he enjoys being alone and then a question gives him company.
“Hey stranger, what are you up to?”
The stranger responds with just a smile.
“You seem in trouble?”
Stranger: Not really, but a little. And who are you?
“I’m Rieti, your host. And you are my lovely guest.”
Stranger: Oh really, thank you Rieti! Tell me… what are you going to offer me?
Rieti: Architecture that is thousands of years old, beautiful floating river, a valley surrounded by lush green mountains, natural water lakes, singing birds . . .
Stranger: Oh amazing! Tell me about the people.
Rieti: My people are hospitable, kind, happy, charming and love nature.
Stranger: Oh nice. What do they want? Tell me about young girls first.
Rieti: Young girls want attention from young boys.
Stranger: Tell me about boys.
Rieti: Boys want to know what girls really want.
Stranger: Tell me about the wants of men.
Rieti: Men mostly want me.
Stanger: Tell me about women.
Rieti: Women want to be loved.
Stranger: Tell me about the wants of elder men.
Rieti: Elder men want to be known.
Stranger: And elder women?
Rieti: Elder women want to be loved again.
Stranger: And what do they want when they get older?
Rieti: They want company and want to be listened to.
Stranger: Do they get what they want?
Rieti: Not always.
Stranger: Do you know how they can get what they want?
Rieti: No, maybe you can tell me, stranger!
Stranger: The answer is easy. Their wants will get fulfilled when they do
those things that they are supposed to do.
Rieti: And what are they supposed to do?
Stranger: They know this already because they are smart.
Rieti: How do you know if they are smart. You are a stranger!
Stranger: Because smart people don’t have patience. They mostly do what they want.
“I’m asking you for the last time. Do you want to go to Santa Rufina or not?” a loud voice hijack the silent conversation.
The stranger opens his eyes and sees a beautiful young girl shouting at him to come on the bus.
It takes a moment for the stranger to understand what the girl is saying. Perhaps she has already asked him several times.
The stranger gets onto the bus, and there he finds the same bus driver whom he had asked about Santa Rufina about an hour ago. The bus driver taps his chest with his hand and ensures him that he will drive him home after he finishes his own route.
The stranger safely reaches home; there he is welcomed with dinner by other friends. In a few weeks, he makes new friends and starts to love the town. Very soon, he forgets about all his sorrows and begins to enjoy his life. One day, he is running around in Rieti to catch the bus to Santa Rufina. But he misses the bus. He sits at the bus stop to catch the next bus that’s coming after half an hour. It is raining, and about to get dark. This reminds him of his first day in the city. He was sitting at the same place, with the same view of rain, but with different feelings.
He closes his eyes with the hope to talk to Rieti once again. But it doesn’t work. He tries over and over again but nothing happens.
He opens his eyes with a smile on his face and says, “Rieti ! I wanted to tell you that you and your people are absolutely mind blowing. Thanks for all your hospitality.”
