Day 2 - Scene 3 - Part 2

Enar remembered the place from yesterday. Three roads met here. The one they were on made a short detour not to have to go too deep into the ravine and then met up with the other two. One of the roads went north down towards Ballyroed and the other turned a sharp right and disappeared over a crest to the east, where the inn and the field were.

The bench was still there but today no one sat there. As they turned right and walked by Enar could see that it had been well used in the past. Sturdy and made from big, rough logs its surface was smooth and well rounded where decades of bums had rested in the past.

“Last night when someone sat here looking at us as we went past.”

“That would be Holden,” answered Rolf. “We call this the Liar's Rest. The old folks come down here to tell stories and see who passes by.”

“Is there a lot of traffic then?”

“No,” Rolf smiled, “not at all. It's just one of those things you know.”

Enar knew. He'd seen the same thing back home. Old folks seemed to like gathering in places where people passed by; in parks, by the train station, outside pubs. In his daydreams he had often pictured himself an old fart sitting on a favorite bench outside a favorite pub watching life pass by.

Sometimes he was alone and sometimes with a friend or a loved one, but always outside a pub. He wasn't sure why. A park or a train stop would do just as well as long as the bench was comfortable and the weather was nice. Heck, even a bench under roof would do on a rainy day.

There was something special about the idea of the bench outside the pub though. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. It was, as Rolf had said, just one of those things.

“Yep,” Enar eventually agreed, “I'm sure I'll find myself on a bench just like that myself when the time comes.” Then, trying for a knowing grin. “I'm sure you will as well.”

Rolf just chuckled and then walked in silence for a bit before speaking. “I'll be there all right, but it's not yet my time. Loianna won't move out for many years to come. We're almost there by the way. You can see the inn once we're round that bend and the field is just across the road from it.”

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Continued in Day 2 - Scene 3 - Part 3.

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