Fountain of Desires

Kiri and Letuk are out on their first date. It was love at first sight for Letuk. He was the more smitten of the two though Kiri, in her sweet ways, declared she was the more smitten of the duo. Letuk has been scouring the city for the most romantic venue to take his girlfriend to for the best romantic date.

^Source

Finally, he found one a big restaurant which gives the air of being small, and comfortable due to the way space was planned. Each table is for two unless you specifically requested for one with more sitting capability. Then each table is separated by some distance giving the people eating out a high degree of privacy. The music was low, and the songs were ones that Kiri's mother refers to as baby making music. The setting is perfect for couples out for a romantic dinner.
They met the doorman at the entrance, a rotund man with a perpetual smile on his face.

"Hello, Sir. Hello Ma'am. Welcome to Reserve Place."

Kiri giggled. That was the first time she had been called Madam by a much older person.

"Thank you, Sir." She replied.

"Please, where can I find the lounge?" Letuk asked the doorman.

"Just climb the stairs, Sir and follow the left turn, there is a sign there, Sir. You can't miss it, Sir."

"Thanks a lot," Letuk replied.

"You are most welcome, Sir. Have a wonderful evening, Sir." The doorman replied.

As they started walking toward the lounge, Letuk said to Kiri, "Wow, here is a classy place, notice how courteous, and the number of sirs we just got from the doorman."

"You forgot to tip him, Sir," Kiri said in perfect imitation of the doorman's way of speaking before bursting into laughter.

"Oh dear! I forgot I was supposed to tip. I guess I got carried away by all the Sirs." Letuk said, slightly embarrassed by his obvious goof.

"While going out, Sir. Remember to tip him, Sir." Kiri said laughing the more. It was one of the things that strongly attracted him to her. She was a vivacious person with a strong sense of humor. She always tells him if she was not a nurse, she would have made a good comedienne.

Within a minute they were in the lounge and was directed by the waitress to a table. Letuk said he would like a chair facing the door. He is a people person. He likes observing people, and due to that he always prefers to sit in a position where that would be possible. What better spot than a place, with a good view of an entrance in a public area?

They got their seat and settled in.



^Source


A waiter came with the menu and handed it to Letuk who gave it to Kiri to make a choice of drink they would have. Letuk always trusts the judgment of Kiri on everything. He always refers to her as a street-smart person, since he grew up in a very wealthy family, and was insulated from the daily exertions of earning a living. Kiri on the hand struggled all through her life to become a nurse. Achieving a lifelong dream of making a career out of caring.

Before agreeing to go out with Letuk, she rejected his advances several times as he had no idea what it was he wanted from her. She thought he was like most wealthy spoilt children who most of the time only cared for themselves. But over time she had found out he was different, he often tells her it was not his plan to be born rich. An explanation that never ceases to draw a smile from her.

Letuk has eyes only for her as he kept his gaze on her face.

"You do realize that you are staring?" Kiri teased him. He smiled and looked briefly away and replied, "What normal red-blooded man won't stare?"

^Source

There was a sort of commotion at the entrance, and both lovers turned to look at the source. The security all moved towards the entrance to find out the cause of the disturbance.

A slim bald man, a little above five feet walked on waving to the people clamoring to meet him. He was a man who it appeared must be used to that type of welcome.

Kiri had a familiar glint in her eyes, and Letuk had an idea that she may know something about the man.

He was right. She knew something about him.

Kiri started, "This was as told by my mother."

The man in the white gown was named Masa. He was a man who rarely chats with people. About fifteen years ago, he was living in a rural community of farmers, and he goes about his normal business in the community, helping people in their farm, and hunting of rabbits in the surrounding farmlands after work.

His parents died when he was about five and close relatives who were his only surviving kin were maltreating him. After enduring it for four years, he ran away from home and started living a nomadic lifestyle. Being an orphan, he learned how to take care of himself at an early age.

People refer to him as The Man of Peace. A name which he earned by his treatment of people to ensure they get their ultimate satisfaction, and his strict principle of leaving anything to your favor if it would guarantee peace. This results in him getting cheated on severally by unscrupulous characters. For instance, he sells firewood, oftentimes he asks the buyer the price they are willing to pay for it. Whatever you agree is fair, he sells to you. Some abuse this his good nature to suggest a ridiculous amount of money as being a fair price for the firewood. He often sells at that rate. Just that he would not be selling to you next time!

He continued like that until one day he disappeared. The whole community searched everywhere for him. After about six months, he was taken to have died in one of his excursions in the deeper part of the woods. There were many speculations as to what had happened to him. Popular was that he fell into a ditch, broke his neck and died. Then the wild animals devoured his flesh. They were numerous "sighting" of bones claimed to be his remains. Others were that he was kidnapped and held hostage. The more imaginative among the people said he was devoured by ghosts of wild animals he had killed during his lifetime of hunting wild animals.

One quiet afternoon he walked back to the village in rags carrying water in a gourd. He was emaciated, was in bad need of a shave and he was unwashed. He kept muttering, "I have found it. I have found the fountain of wealth."

He was taken to be delirious and was sent to the local hospital for medication. In the course of the treatment, the doctor found nothing wrong but he never once released the hold on the gourd containing the special liquid. He received only treatment for minor dehydration and malnutrition.

He was discharged after one week. He stayed at home for the next two weeks. He emerged later a changed man. Something could be found to have changed in him. He was suddenly a rich man, giving out huge sums of money to the community's poor. He no longer goes to the farm to fetch firewood for sale to make a living. He still lives frugally but was rich. No doubt about that as he is constantly giving out money.

Many were perplexed as to his source of sudden wealth. Some that asked, he told he drank from the fountain of wealth. That he met a well in his sojourn in the bush. That the water in it grants you your heart's desires. He only requested for riches to help the poor, and the power of healing to heal the sick. Of course, many did not believe it, but they could see he was richer than a lot of rich people they had ever known.

The Man of Peace was now a healer of sorts. The news spread like wildfire and people were trooping to his small house built with mud. The wealth never changed him much. It only changed his status in the community. Deep down he was the man that used to sell firewood to the community. Many wanted to know where the well was, he pointed them in the direction. There was a wild scrambling to be the first to discover it. Many even returned from the city in search of this well. There were some deaths as some got lost in the deep forest during the search for the well, but the fountain was never discovered until this day.

There was even more than one burglary attempt at his house. The burglars always come out empty as there was no sign of money or the water to be seen in the house.

Letuk had been listening to the story with rapt attention and never once interrupted until now, "This sounds like a fairy tale, do you believe any of it?" He asked.

Kiri threw up her hands in a carefree manner, "I really cannot tell, I just recalled it as I was told. But one thing that is sure was that he is rich and seems to have some healing powers." A waiter passing close by said, "You are right Ma'am, he's here to heal the manager's daughter who had been taken to almost about every hospital money can get and still could not be healed."

As if on cue that was some happy shouts upstairs and the Man of Peace could be seen walking away.

It is safe to say another healing had just been carried out.

"Letuk, it looks like Man of Peace just delivered another healing." She said.

Letuk nodded in agreement.

"He may have some powers but not as much as you. Your loving power got me totally bewitched." He said amidst laughter as he reached out to give her a playful jab.

In that moment the Man of Peace with his mysterious powers and wealth were secondary issues. What only matters now are just the two of them lost in that enchanting island known as love.

The End

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Authored by: @greenrun