The Time
By Alexis Lugo-Fernández[1]
It’s 3:00 pm. The rivals started their chess match at the
park. The games were challenging and both players enjoyed these contests to the
point of becoming exclusive rivals. The games
and rivalry didn’t occur by chance; they were appointed.
One rival, a retired mathematics professor,
had been coming to this park to play chess for over 30 years. A respected chess
player, he was known as the Professor.
Before retirement he would come in late afternoon to early evening, depending
on his schedule to play for some relaxation.
Usually, he would play a game or two before going home. After retirement, he arrived at the park at midafternoon
after doing research in the nearby university as an emeritus professor. Lately, he had been working on a difficult
problem with his last graduate student.
His rival was a newcomer to the park’s
chess group. As most players had not
arrived early the day they started playing, he was playing by himself and she
approached the Professor and asked if she could join. The rivalry began. She was a middle-aged woman, good-looking and
well dressed. They seldom talked about
personal matters; in fact, they did not even exchange names … until today.
Today, he arrived at 2:45 pm and proceeded
to set the board. At exactly at 2:48 she
showed up. The game started at 3:00. This afternoon she surprised the Professor
with her opening move, a totally unexpected and awkward move. The Professor could not refrain himself and
said, “Funny, this is the first time I’ve seen opening with such a move.”
She responded by saying there is always a first
time for everything.
He nodded. “Yes, no doubt there is always a
first time for everything.”
Then added, “By the way, everybody around
here calls me Professor.”
“Yes, I know,” she replied.
“But how do you know?” he asked, somewhat
intrigued.
“It is my job to know such things and many
others about everyone,” she responded calmly.
He could not believed what he just heard.
“What do you mean by your job being to know
everyone? Are you a detective?”
“Exactly as you heard; that is my job. And no, I’m not a detective, neither have I
asked about you to your chess player friends.”
She continued, “For example, today you are
more relaxed than usual and it’s because you and your student completed the
proof and started the manuscript for submission.”
The professor was really truly puzzled by now.
He asked, “How could you know that? We haven’t told anyone!”
“As I just said, it’s my job!” she replied.
“And by the way, as we just agreed there is a first time for everything, today
is your time.”
Now his confusion grew, “My time for what?”
“Your time for…, did you believe you are
immortal?”
“Oh … that time! No, I know I am mortal. I must admit, after
my 80th birthday I’ve been thinking and meditating about that
moment. As you surely know, at birth we are presented with two gifts: life and
death.”
“Yes, I was present when these gifts were bestowed
to you, and you opened the gift of life.”
“Well, life seems to be for enjoyment,
exploration and achieving, because the future remains mostly unknown.”
Then he added, “Death is final, feared, unknown
and not comprehended, but it relieves us from pain, sorrow, life’s problems and
anxieties, and makes room for those left behind. As you surely know, I have had a very
fruitful, productive and satisfying life …”
“Indeed you have, Professor! But I’m here
to help you open the second gift. Are you prepared for what’s ahead?”
Unexpectedly she exclaimed, “Check mate!”
He looked bewildered and thought to himself,
“Could she be so cold?”
Then she asked, “Should we leave?”
He looked at his watch and said, “Yes, now seems
as good as any other time.”
Both got up and walk together. After they had walked a few paces, he turned slightly,
and looking back saw a big crowd and paramedics arriving …
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