COMPANY

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       Gilbert, a 30-year-old man, was in the room alone. He was flipping through the pages of a photobook and was so engrossed as he did these simultaneously. “Could this Lord of the Moon be real?” he muttered to himself when he got to the tenth page of the Lord-of-the-Moon-Photo-Book. All of a sudden, he spotted a picture on page twelve. 

      “I’m going to visit the Lord of the Moon someday for power. I want to be the most powerful in this kingdom,” he thought. His eyebrows were raised up as if they were parts of his vocal organs.

      “You haven’t eaten the food I placed on the table?” Sarah said as she sauntered to the sitting room.

      “Yes, Sarah. I am going through this historical book. I will munch the food when I am done,” Gilbert said, and flipped to the next page.

   “What do you want to get from this photo book? It contains records of the past…,” Sarah said and sat down on one of the sofas. The sofa was very close to where Gilbert was sitting. Gilbert was muted for about six seconds. He finally spoke with gestures, “look at this picture; it’s the Lord of the Moon. My father told me the Lord of the Moon is magnanimous. My father also said he wanted to visit the Lord of the Moon, but he didn’t want to go alone and no one was willing to follow him. I am sorry dad wasn’t able to visit the Lord of the Moon before he died. As for me, I will go there alone,” Gilbert said. He folded pages 13, 14, 15 and 16 of the historical photo book and he closed the photo book.

 “You mean you are still bent on going to the Lord of the Moon? What if you can’t return to the earth?” Sarah said after a deep thought.

      “No worries! I will definitely return! Discussion closed. Return the book to the shelf while I eat my food,” Gilbert said, and stood up. He handed over the photo book to Sarah. She glanced at the front cover of the photobook as she collected it from Gilbert and her heart caught the inscriptions written on it, “Picture Excerpts from the Half Moon” and “The Life of the Lord of the Moon.”

 “You amaze me, you know,” she said, and walked away with the historical book.

      AT ALFRED’S HOUSE

   “I think the king needs a leading warrior. Greece wants to bring war very soon,” Alfred finally started the conversation.

  Gilbert glimpsed at Alfred’s mouth as he talked. “Well, I don’t think anyone has what it takes to take the lead. I wouldn’t mind becoming the lead warrior,” Gilbert said.

     “You are too humorous for my liking. You cannot kill a rat and everyone knows, but here you are saying what you can’t do,” Alfred said as he glared at Gilbert.

     “You claim to be a warrior; yet, you and your colleagues haven’t been able to bring Greece into extinction,” Gilbert said jocularly.

   “Friend, everyone is trying and you know. I can’t remember the last time you told me that you possess mysterious powers to apprehend our enemies,” Alfred said.

   “There you go again! Please…, bring another gist,” Gilbert said.

“I have no other gist, but you can pop up some,” Alfred said.

 “Okay. Magdalene is getting married next week,” Gilbert said.

“Magdalene? Which of the Magdalenes, if I may ask?” Alfred said.

  “Don’t be a coward! You haven’t forgotten your crush,” Gilbert said.

      “Magdalene, my crush?” Alfred said. He was taken aback by his own words. He stood up from the sofa and glared at the cup on the table.

  “Are you upset? Come on, chill! Magdalene is getting married to your friend, Willy, and you should be happy for the dude,” Gilbert said. He stood up from the sofa and touched Alfred on the back.

      “So, Willy thinks he can go away with my woman? I have been trailing on Magdalene for years, you know,” Alfred said grimly.

      “You are not fast enough, man. I told you on several occasions to propose to Magdalene, but you bluntly refused. Now, here you are swimming in the pool of your tears. I think you should allow Willy to go with Magdalene,” Gilbert said.

      “You are piercing and pestering me with your words, Gilbert. You just wait and see what I can do,” Alfred said, and shook off Gilbert’s hand from his back.

      “Alright, discussion closed. Are you coming over to the party in the night?” Gilbert said.

      “I won’t; I am perturbed about the future,” Alfred said, and sat down.

      “Gilbert sat beside Alfred on the sofa and held his hand. “You don’t have to be disturbed, man. Be at rest. Against your wish, I will come over to your house in the evening to pick you up for the party,” Gilbert said.

      “There is no need, I haven’t compromised,” Alfred said, and glared at Gilbert’s face.

      “You are going, whether you like it or not. It’s Louise’s birthday party and you must not miss it for some petty reasons,” Gilbert said. He stood up and walked towards the direction of the cup placed on the table. “Take this water and chill,” he said, and stretched out the cupful of water to Alfred, but Alfred rejected the water with two simultaneous nods. Alfred placed the cup back on the table, he walked in Alfred’s direction and sat close to him.

      “You are too obstinate for my liking. What’s the venue for the event?” Alfred said.

      “It’s being held at the Golden inn, some kilometers from here, “Gilbert said.

      “Golden inn?! He told me a different venue,” Alfred said, confused.

      “Yeah, he did the same to me. Louise resolved to use the Golden inn some days back. However, he asked me to tell you, but I forgot. I am sorry for that though,” Gilbert said.

      “Alright…, welcome! “Alfred said.

      “Thank you. Are you going?” Gilbert said.

      “Yes, I will. Do as you have said hitherto,” Alfred said.

      “Okay, pal,” Gilbert said and fixed his gaze on the pictures hanging on the walls.

      “ What’s wrong? You are looking elsewhere,” Alfred said.

      “Just looking at those pictures; they are stunning!” Gilbert said.

      “You should be conversant with them by now. Anyways, thank you for the compliment,” Alfred said.

      “Welcome. Your granny looks very beautiful,” Gilbert said.

      “You are right, man. She was beautiful in her lifetime,” Alfred said proudly.

      “I regret I didn’t see her physically before her demise,” Gilbert said.

      “I am sorry for that, man,” Alfred said.

      “Don’t be sorry about that, Alfred,” Gilbert said, and the duo laughed.

      “What’s behind the laughter?” “And why the clutter?” Helena said as she sauntered into the sitting room.

      “Is that a means of showing regard?” Alfred said.

      “Pardon me. Good afternoon, jolly friends,” Helena said and sat down.

      “Afternoon, Madam Helena,” Alfred and Gilbert said.

      “So, what’s behind the laughter?” Helena said.

      “Well, Gilbert said granny is beautiful,” Alfred said.

      “Whose granny, if I may ask?” Helena said.

      “Who else? It’s mine, of course!” Alfred said.

      “My granny is more beautiful, you know,” Helena said.

      “You argue a lot. Your mum only painted the picture of your granny; you haven’t seen her before. Yet, you are saying she is beautiful. She might be the ugliest, nobody knows,” Alfred said, and Helena glared at him.

      “Stop that, man. Helena’s granny must be beautiful, undoubtedly. Helena is a clear picture of her,” Gilbert chipped in.

      “Thank you, Mr. Gilbert. Alfred is just being jealous here,” Helena said, and glimpsed at one of the pictures hanging on the walls; it was the picture of Alfred’s granny. The obsolete woman, who must probably be in her 30s then, was adorned with bracelets. It was a portrait of the old woman, so, Helena didn’t know whether the old woman was putting on something like a pair of shoes, socks and other clothing. Besides, it wasn’t a colored picture which shows the old woman living for decades before the advent of the new-generation-technology. “This is an old-fashioned woman!” she thought.

      “Jealous? You are not serious!” Alfred said.

      “We are mature minds here, so there is no need for altercations, pals,” Gilbert said.

      “Alfred is too loose-mouthed for my liking, and that’s very bad,” Helena said.

      “Don’t be daft, woman, no one is loose-mouthed here. Besides, I am not a soothsayer,” Alfred said.

      “Soothsayer is an understatement,” Helena said, and Gilbert laughed.

      “Helena, do you know you are chucklesome?” Alfred said.

      “Helena shunned Alfred and finally spoke, “Mum told me granny is dead…” Sadness was written on Helena’s face after her last statement.

      “Dead?!” Gilbert and Alfred said, appalled.

      “Yeah. In the course of my journey to the United Kingdom months ago, mum told me granny was killed at the war front. Everyone knows granny is a superwoman,” Helena said.

      “She must have taken the front stand in the war. Sorry for the poor woman,” Alfred said.

      “It’s a sorry from me too,” Gilbert said.

      “Thank you. She died a sexagenarian,” Helena said.

      “She is accomplished after all!” Gilbert and Alfred chorused and gave up a smile.

      “Yeah, she is. Have you eaten anything?” Helena said.

      “No, we haven’t,” Alfred said.

      “Okay. Let me get you two something to eat,” Helena said and stood up from the sofa she was sitting on.

      “Alright…, how about Magdalene?” Alfred said.

      “Magdalene is fine. She is very prepared for her betrothing to Willy. She extends her regards,” Helena said.

      “That’s as expected,” Gilbert said.

      “Okay,” Alfred said with a fake smile.

      “Now, I am off to the kitchen,” Helena said and sauntered away from the sitting room.

      “Alfred, hope you are fine?” Gilbert said.

      “Yes, I am fine,” Alfred said.

      “No, you are not. Sadness is boldly written on your face,” Gilbert said.

      “Anything you say. The last time I checked, you were not a psychotherapist,” Alfred said teasingly.

      “Don’t insult me in disguise, Alfred. Well, you have Helena, a very submissive and compatible wife, so you don’t need a side chick. Think!” Gilbert said.

      “I love Magdalene very much and you are aware. I haven’t changed my mind,” Alfred said.

      “Well, I wish you a pragmatic dream,” Gilbert said.

      “I don’t want to be garrulous, so save me the talks,” Alfred said.

      “Alright, I subscribe,” Gilbert said.