Reflections2017

(C) Sun Wukong 2018 Dedication This short story is dedicated to Roselyn C, my new friend. In transit heading south on the main road going toward the large university in the late afternoon in early October, the One Ear Man noticed a College-age Student entering the bus. She took a seat near the One Ear Man. Within a stop or two, she retrieved from her backpack a poster-size picture of a puppy and looked longingly at it. Time passed. She continued to stare at the picture. "Your dog?" asked the One Ear Man. The College-age Student simply nodded. She looked so sad. "I lost my Shih Tzu two days ago. I put posters up everywhere I could think of. No luck with finding my dog!” She continues to look at the photo. As time passes, she appears to look even sadder. "Your situation reminds me of a story," said the One Ear Man. Allow me to tell it to you. Without waiting for a response, he continues. It takes place once upon a time, in a far off land that is made up of many

One Ear Man has no right ear. It was lost to cancer over a year ago. If anyone asks, he is still recovering and is in adjustment mode. He is getting used to his new reality. In all aspects, the One Ear Man appears physically normal. If you see him on the street, you would not give him a second glance. He looks like Everyman. The doctor who performed the surgery did an excellent job in the opinion of those who offer one. Also, the One Ear Man always looks like he needs a haircut. So where his right ear used to be is sufficiently concealed. On this particular humid summer morning, he finds himself on the 55 heading downtown. The bus is quite empty since it is past the busy time when people are getting themselves to work.  One of the things that the One Ear Man is discovering is that with very limited left ear hearing, he can virtually ‘tune out’ the world and be comforted only by his thoughts. All too often this is a good thing. For he has always prided himself by being a ‘deep thinker

  The clock keeps ticking.