Alien Landscape

why do you always smile like that?

there were so many young people around. those who laugh as if they never knew sadness. those who talk loudly for all the world to hear. they will always be there; a constant reminder that the world does not grow old with you and it lives on after your death. oblivious. uncaring.

i spent yesterday with a little girl of barely eight years old, with a face so clean and bright i could barely look at it. oh the vicious cycle. again and again. and again.

we were drawing and colouring when she asked me innocently, why do you always smile like that?
like what? i said, my eyes averted.
like that time when i tried to lie to Mama, she quipped and proceeded to give me a comical, rigid smile with wide eyes.

i laughed and hesitated. children. even with a fake smile, they still look so genuine. should i tell her? i decided not to.

because i'm sad i guess, i told her simply.
why, was her immediate response.
we all are, i said to her with what i hoped was a real smile.
who? she responded predictably while fiddling with a blue colour pencil. i could tell she was getting bored.
want me to draw you a dragon? i asked her.
yes! yes! she exclaimed.

so i drew her a dragon. it had blue and red scales and long eyelashes. it smiled at a world it doesn't belong to.
Posted by NHJ 10/30/2006 05:58:00 pm

Monday, October 30, 2006