Short Stories : At the Crossroads (Standing on a Crossroad)

At the Crossroads (Standing on a Crossroad)

My car rolled very slowly through this landscape, which gently rose to the edges. Trees lined the roadside and still gave me clear views of fields and meadows behind the edges of the road. People worked there, harvested the fields, mowed a meadow, maybe just stood in the sun. I waved to them and when they noticed me they greeted them.

I could have driven like this forever because of the lightness of the day. All the windows of the car were down. It just wasn't a convertible. The scents of summer penetrated from this landscape. The smell of its dryness, the smell of straw after the grain harvest, the smell of fresh hay. All of this reminded me of my childhood, when I could still roam through fields and meadows.

Eric Clapton played Robert Johnson's bluessongs on the car radio. Didn't the music fit to slide through this landscape and the summer day? I would have liked to go to the back seat of the car to listen to the music, the melancholy and the power of the blues. to surrender to the sensuality of the summer day.

The road led straight ahead for many kilometers. I was not an obstacle for anyone. There were no vehicles behind me and in front of me. Nobody needed my attention. There seemed to be only one street in this landscape. The car just rolled over on her, I had no real goal. Did you have to have a goal? I had the desire to put this mood into words and to preserve it for me.

The hills on either side of the road leveled off. The fields had given way to meadows. I no longer saw the people who had just waved to me. So the landscape lost some of its charm. My car was approaching an intersection from which, as I perceived, four streets went in perfect symmetry. I slowed down. There was no sign anywhere. I stopped just before the intersection and switched on the navigation system. It signaled to me that it could not connect to a satellite. There were mountainous places where that happened, but in this open landscape? Modern technology failed here. I scratched my head.

I switched off the car's engine, the blues collapsed. I activated the hazard lights and got out. Basically it was easy, I turned the car and drove back to my starting point. My feeling told me that it was too simple. After a few steps I was in the middle of the crossroads. No vehicles, no people, no matter which way I looked. The summer sun was high in the sky and radiated warmth. High Noon maybe, I didn't have a watch with me. The scent of dryness and the insect sounds of a summer were still there, enveloping me like a coat for a moment.

A sound came to my ear. It had to come from a motorcycle. Hopefully the machine was driven by a local who could show me the way. A chopper bike slowly rolled up to the intersection on the opposite street. The driver of the Easy Rider machine was wearing an open helmet. He stopped the machine on the side of the road, dismounted and hung the helmet on the handlebars.

"Well, lost the direction?" It sounded to me. The motorcyclist gestured that I should come to him. A bush spread out on the corner of the street where the motorcycle was parked. Here was a stone that resembled a bench in its shape.

"Take a seat. I'll get us some refreshment. ”I sat down and saw the man take two cans from the side pocket of his machine. I took a closer look at his shape. His movements showed calm and serenity and I got the impression that he gave me the opportunity to look at him. It was built strong, you could see that he was doing sports. Still, he wasn't a terrifying giant. His clothes consisted of dark blue jeans and a white shirt, over which he wore a vest with colorful flowers.

He handed me a can and placed himself on the stone next to me.

"Some are already stranded at this crossroads," he opened the conversation.

"The sky is full of satellites, only apparently not here," I replied. "My navigation system fails completely."

“I'm Benjamin, by the way, like Franklin. And you? ”He held out his hand to me.

"I am Luke, like an evangelist." I shook my hand. His handshake was firm, but also sensitive.

"Lukas, you countered well." Benjamin laughed a liberating laugh. "Who knows, maybe your navigation system took you straight here."

"I don't think so, because I just drove through the landscape and wanted to use the technology to find support for the way back." I also now opened the beverage can. Benjamin had already taken a long swig from his.

"And?"

“The drink is very refreshing. There doesn't seem to be any alcohol in it. What's this?"

"It's my own recipe for manna." Benjamin smiled slyly. "Heavenly origin and devilishly good."

We were silent for a few moments. The landscape around me looked the same in all directions.

“Your inner navigation system led you to this place. The sky above you was full of violins and not full of satellites. Or should I rather say that he hung with you full of blues? "

"It's true, I heard blues while driving," I said with a certain astonishment. “Benjamin, you came to the crossroads after me. How can you…".

"Yes and no," Benjamin replied quickly. I've overtaken you twice. You didn't notice it because you were immersed in your music and mood. "

"Honest?"

Benjamin nodded in confirmation.

"Today I think it's a shame that I've never learned an instrument."

"Why is that?"

“My mother would have loved to have played the accordion back then. That was too conservative for me. "

"You could have played a wonderful blues with it," Benjamin asked.

"I know that today too. I missed the time for this, or another instrument. ”I sighed a little. "Somehow, other priorities came to the fore."

"Lukas, you countered well." Benjamin laughed a liberating laugh. "Who knows, maybe your navigation system took you straight here."

"I don't think so, because I just drove through the landscape and wanted to use the technology to find support for the way back." I also now opened the beverage can. Benjamin had already taken a long swig from his.

"And?"

“The drink is very refreshing. There doesn't seem to be any alcohol in it. What's this?"

"It's my own recipe for manna." Benjamin smiled slyly. "Heavenly origin and devilishly good."

We were silent for a few moments. The landscape around me looked the same in all directions.

“Your inner navigation system led you to this place. The sky above you was full of violins and not full of satellites. Or should I rather say that he hung with you full of blues? "

"It's true, I heard blues while driving," I said with a certain astonishment. “Benjamin, you came to the crossroads after me. How can you…".

"Yes and no," Benjamin replied quickly. I've overtaken you twice. You didn't notice it because you were immersed in your music and mood. "

"Honest?"

Benjamin nodded in confirmation.

"Today I think it's a shame that I've never learned an instrument."

"Why is that?"

“My mother would have loved to have played the accordion back then. That was too conservative for me."

"You could have played a wonderful blues with it," Benjamin asked.

"I know that today too. I missed the time for this, or another instrument. ”I sighed a little. "Somehow, other priorities came to the fore."

"All paths are open to you. Where can I read something from you? ”He went to his motorcycle and got two cans from a side pocket and a tablet from the second side pocket. I told him the address of the forum and how he would get my publications. He read for almost a quarter of an hour very concentrated. I resisted the temptation to find out what it had chosen. Benjamin switched off the tablet and brought it back to his machine. He hurried to me and pointed to the stone.

"Let's sit down again." When Benjamin read my words, I got up and walked around after a few minutes. Did I look nervous? He opened a second can for everyone and smiled at me.

"Your work." I clinked glasses with him. “Not all of them are masterpieces, but they are very expandable. I could help you to become better known. Here and there a little more courage, maybe a new style."

"Benjamin, who are you? An editor or the devil? I feel like Robert Johnson, who is said to have sold his soul to the devil at an intersection so he could become 'The Best Blues Man On Earth'. ”

"Lukas, after all the blues took you to this crossroads. You don't want to deny that, do you? "

"No I do not want to."

If you plan to go beyond your thrill when your energy is high enough, then maybe you could become 'The Best Poet On Earth'. A portion of luck and an even larger portion of help are required. Of course, it all costs something."

In the meantime I had got up again and was walking up and down in front of Benjamin. It didn't seem to make him nervous. Did I see a flash in his eyes? Was that a result of the canned drink? My conversation partner called it a kind of manna. Was I too gullible?

"Did Goethe sell his soul to be able to write 'Faust'?" It broke out of me.

Benjamin hadn't expected this question and was struggling a little. "Maybe. Talent alone is usually not enough. Great literature doesn't fall from the sky. "

Pun or reality? I started to feel uncomfortable in my skin. What opportunities did I have? Keep talking to Benjamin or just go to the car to drive away? What did i want?

"Lukas, if you want to go this way, it will require energy, a lot of energy. This is a pact that you have to make with yourself. Regardless of whether it is writing or some other kind of passion. If you have made this pact, then I can turn opportunities into realities. You continue on the path and the path turns you around. "

"It eats my soul." I hadn't wanted to put it so sharply.

"The passion and the chosen path will not leave your self unchanged."

We were both silent. Everyone seemed to be waiting anxiously for the other. Benjamin broke the silence.

"Don't worry about the drink. It only refreshes because there is no abnormal stimulus. A possible temptation slumbers only in you. Your decision."

Of course she was. I got up and Benjamin kept his place.

"Benjamin ..." Did I mean to say, my friend? ; … If you are the devil, then I am God who lives in each of us. ”I did not get any further with my words.

"Then God saved a soul from the devil." Benjamin laughed heartily. "So you don't want to accept my help?"

I shook my head.

"Then stay who you are. That won't be an easy path either. By the way, if you turn your car right away to go back, it still remains a way forward for you. ”

Benjamin got up and shook my hand goodbye. "Give me the empty cans. We want to keep the environment clean. ”I watched him go leisurely to his machine. Benjamin got on the chopper bike and fastened his helmet.

"Take care. I will turn left here. By the way, God is a player and he loves good literature. If you need me, you will definitely find the next intersection. ”His laugh was louder than the motor noise of the bike.

I went to the car, got in, and turned on the ignition. 'Born To Be Wild' penetrated me from the speakers. I paused for a moment. The song wasn't in the file I activated in the audio system, was it? The navigation system continued to fail. It seemed sensible to me to turn the car around to go back the way I had come. After a short time, the 'Cross Road Blues' filled the car and my thoughts ...

Cross Road Blues

 

I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees

I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees

Asked the Lord above "Have mercy, now save poor Bob, if you please"

 

Yeoo, standin' at the crossroad, tried to flag a ride

Ooo eeee, I tried to flag a ride

Didn't nobody seem to know me, babe, everybody pass me by

 

Standin' at the crossroad, baby, risin' sun goin' down

Standin' at the crossroad, baby, eee, eee, risin' sun goin' down

I believe to my soul, now, poor Bob is sinkin' down

 

You can run, you can run, tell my friend Willie Brown

You can run, you can run, tell my friend Willie Brown

That I got the crossroad blues this mornin', Lord, babe, I'm sinkin' down

 

And I went to the crossroad, mama, I looked east and west

I went to the crossroad, baby, I looked east and west

Lord, I didn't have no sweet woman, ooh well, babe, in my distress

 

(Robert Johnson)