Glimpse of brighter skies

She addresses me just when believing I have my act together. There is peace in my mind (hawfinches and red admirals are flying around), I have hidden my fears in the cabinet with classic board games (monopoly, trivial pursuit, scrabble, cluedo), I have just bought a sturdy bottle of brandy together with some exquisite cheeses (Roquefort, goat cheese, camembert) and crackers.

She is dressed in a thick wool sweater and wide chestnut-colored pants. The wrinkles around her mouth indicate that she must be over seventy years old. Nevertheless, her eyes are lucid and vivid. As if she will go to her grandchild's birthday party any time soon.

The striking thing about her, however, is that there is an alpaca next to her. Light beige, indifferent, absent. As a lazy soldier on guard.

"Can you help me, sir?" she asks me. Out of pure courtesy, I stop and start listening. “Could I ask you something, sir? Can you take this alpaca to the other side for me?” And by making her request, she turns away from me and points to the horizon, the mountains.

I look greedily at my shopping bag. To the bottle of liquor, to the refreshments. Then I look at the woman. To her big questioning eyes. And then I read what has been scribbled in her clear, open eyes. The desperation, the worry, the fright, the anxiety.

And before I realize what I am doing, I take the rope from the thin hands of the owner. This must be a calling, I understand. Sometimes there are things in your life that you just cannot refuse. And this obligation is coming my way right now.

At first the alpaca has no trouble following me. Step by step, we make our way through the busy city and after that we find a narrow path that leads to the mountains. The sun is shining, there is hardly any wind. I am whistling softly Strawberry fields forever. I estimate that if we continue like this, we should have crossed the ridge by early evening. And there maybe still time enough for a carefree night? For brandy, French cheeses, and Anne Karenina?

But I have not been able whistling the second verse of Strawberry Fields Forever, when the sky starts to cloud over. The wind is blowing harder and harder, rain is falling, the temperature drops significantly. I shiver and it feels I am freezing to death. And in the meantime, no shelter is be seen. So, I have to keep going.

When it also starts to thunder, I decide that enough is enough. I lets go of the rope and I start running to a barn in the distance. The llama-like animal is galloping after me. Like I am her playmate.

The farm is abandoned. The roof of the house has collapsed, the walls of the stables are crooked. But luckily the hay barn is still reasonably standing. We decide to take shelter her. But I am anything but happy with the situation. Why is this happening to me? What is the point of this trip so far? How obtuse and useless life can be, when you believe you must follow your calling, I muse. What was I thinking when the lady made her silly request? Why didn’t I flee to my fireplace, my books and newspaper?

When the wind has died down finally and it has stopped raining, I know it for sure. I am going back to town. But the alpaca has different opinions. She refuses to go back and stubbornly shuffles towards the ridge. And to my surprise, I follow the animal. Meaning that later we brave the dense night and clammy fog to take the road steadily but surely through the mountains.

At the first light of day, I fall to the ground, exhausted. But we have achieved our goal, I ponder. We have defied the mountains.

“Armand! Armand!” The voice belongs to a child. Next to him is the mother. Extremely happy. The alpaca breaks away from my side and runs to the boy. The woman offers a hand and pulls me over.

“A thousand thanks for bringing Armand! Joseph has been waiting for her for weeks. He is sick, Joseph. Deathly ill. But this will help him. This will strengthen him to get better again,” she sighs.

I watch how the child is hugging the alpaca. And how blissfully the mother looks at her kid. Behind them I observe large fields of strawberries. And I am wondering. Is this the real life?