Who am i?

Who am I?
(Short story)
By: Bernard Bagorio

Last night I had a very peculiar dream. In that dream, I walked to this dark alley where the only source of light was an old flickering light post. Standing beneath the post was a man. Terrified by his presence, I started walking slowly away from him. I had already walked quite far when the man called my name. He seemed to know me. And as I look straight to him, it seemed that I also knew who he was. I just could not remember when and where I met him. I only felt that somehow I had already been acquainted with him. Though I feared him and my heart was pounding still my feet brought me close to him. There was really something in him. And as we were close with each other, I was deeply surprised when the man suddenly just held me with his arms – embracing me. It was very weird but I felt that the man was very delighted to see me. I wondered who he really was so I asked him, “Mister, do I know you?” He let go of his arms and with tears he said “I just see myself in you. How I was when I was of your age. How my life was. How time ran so fast for me.” I could not understand a word of what he said but I felt sympathy for him like as he was a part of my family, like he was related to me. He continued telling me his stories and I was oddly interested to listen. Very bizarre but his life story was very much alike with the life I am having. He told me how his life started to be miserable-how his mistakes turned his life around and how his grief ate his whole being, “l was selfish. I only cared for myself. I enjoyed the pleasures of this world for a time and suffered for the rest of my lifetime”. He also told me of how he cast aside his love ones- how he let go of them and how regretted it. He cried and then wiped his tears away, “I was of your age when it all started. Learn from me boy. Learn from my awful life.” He Cried again, turned his back, and walk slowly away from me. I was much affected by his story, so I yelled, “mister, who are you? What is your name?”He halted, turned his face to me and quietly said, “My name is Bernard.” He looked straight to my eyes and then disappeared.

It was indeed very odd. ‘Was it a premonition, to alarm me of my future life?’ or was it a reminder for me to deal my life seriously? ‘Truly, you will never know who you really are, unless you yourself tell it to you’…