"Will you open this envelope?"
The woman, wearing the same clothes as the little girl but in different sizes, politely inquires about the envelope to him. She slid the letter with both of her hands toward the bartender. Her deep black eyes reveal a sadness that has accumulated over time, along with a sense of guilt.
The bartender does not answer but picks up the letter from the table. Before he opens, he takes a deep breath and looks over at her familiar, lovely face again. Unexpectedly, it was a collection of slide films from their holiday journey. He spread them all out on the counter to admire one by one.
He felt a subtle joy in his heart. The moment they spent together, even though it was just a day, I felt like they had known each other for their whole lives. Somehow, the bartender spotted one of the slides being left in the back of the envelope. He picks the last one out and notices the written note at the back. The image on the slide caused him to fall to the ground, his back leaning against the cupboard. It is an image of the same woman looking out the window with an orchard tug on her ear. A reflection in the window is him holding a portable film camera and snapping the shutter to the vision before his eye. The note said something like this.
THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS BEING TRUTHFUL TO ME. GO OUT AND LIVE A LIFE FOR YOURSELVES LIKE YOU TOLD ME THAT DAY. I WILL ALWAYS BE THERE AT THE OTHER END OF THE COUNTER. GOOD LUCK.
His mind went blank as he cried with no pain.
A burden that had been inside his heart has finally lifted.
He finally understands why she hardly opened up about herself with anyone.
Why did she admire small things on the road and smile brightly every time she was with him?
For the first time in years or decades, He can truly forgive her for all the mistakes in the past.
A smile appears at the corner of his mouth. A relief he hadn't felt in a while. He gets up to collect all the slide films and put them back in the envelopes. The person in front of him turned out to be the little girl again. She put a dime in front of him.
"I think it's time you should close down this chapter. You owe me for holding a therapy session tonight, but I am going to let you off the hook for now."
She speaks with a childlike tone and gives the bartender a grim smile. He let out a face of joy without hesitation, keeping his professional bartender manner before inquiring about the girl on some things.
"Would you mind waiting for me to close down the place?"
"Sure, no problem."
She sits patiently while watching him clean up everything. Remove the alcohol from the cartridge, then pack it tightly in the box. Taking down a picture frame from the wall and putting aside all the table and chairs to the other side of the bar. He packs a backpack with his equipment and a roll of images. He put a dime and an envelope in his jacket. A permanently closed sign is placed in front. All the lights go out, and both of them walk out through the front. He put the key into the trash, and so did others' leftover expired beverages in the bar. They stand by the bus stop, waiting for the next bus to arrive.
"Where should we go next?" The bartender asks the little girls.
"I don't know. We can visit my cousin in another town, but I think it's best to go wherever the bus stops."
"Why don't you go see them directly?" Bartender, question the little girl.
"Sometimes it's best to slow things down and enjoy the view. That would have been exciting. It's better than being stuck in one place for eternity for sure, ha ha ha."
They laugh out loud as the bus slowly approaches. They get on the bus and vanish into the dark as the sun slowly rises from another side of town. The girl gets a bit tired and leans over to the bartender's side for sleep. The bartender looks out the window and begins to think in his head.
"I can't imagine a life without that offering. Does anyone else get a second chance from her like me?"