Love

My friend's grandpa who lives in La Colonne, a popular neighborhood in Annaba wakes up every night, and starts singing Oum Kalthoum's songs very loud, my imagination could't but make a story from it

Love
They say he is eighty, I think he is older, maybe 85 years old, he is so old, I can tell, his voice has wrinkles when it goes up then down , because singing can reveal things more than talking about someone's age.
He sings old oriental songs, which is a little bit strange for an Algerian , I've never tought that some old people listen to Oum Kalthoum, the Egyptian icon of music, it became really annoying listening to his old voice at midnight, it didn't bother the neighbors on summer evenings , but when it is winter, of course it did, everyone on the building goes early to bed because everyone has to wake up early for school or for work, but the old man doesn't work, so he keeps waking up in the middle of the night, he turns on his TV, puts on some Egyptian channel that airs Oum Kalthoum in black and white waving her famous handkerchief and singing about love, the old's man voice is shivering, thickening going up and down, this puts him into a real trance.

Some night, I've woken up to prepare for my exam, I've waited for the old man to start singing , but he didn't , it irritated me, I thought: "he must sing" but he didn't.
Why? What did happen to him? Did he die? No, because the morning I've seen him, he is very alive, and strangely early.
While answering the questions of the exam, I was still thinking about the old man, why didn't he sing? I thought only death would made him silent because he had never stopped since more than 10 years, the neighbors had been complaining since more than 10 years, they had been patients more than 10 years , They had been afraid that he would stop singing more than 10 years because if he stops it means he's dead and no one wanted him dead, so what did happen to him? he didn't miss a night since the death of his wife.
I felt dizzy during my exam I couldn't focus , so I've decided to put an end to my agony the moment I reach our building I will jumb on his apartment's door and ask for an explanation, it's my right to know, I've been bearing his old voice for more than ten years.
When I knocked, a woman opened the door, an old beautiful woman,she wore a thick make up with heavy khol, and even a stunning red lipstick , this is what reassured me, she can't be in this festive dress attending some catastrophe or some family drama, so I've asked:
_elhaj hna? Which it can be translated to : is the old man here?
Before answering he appeared old but very fresh, and told me in a bored monotone automatic voice:
_ okay, don't say anything , I know why you're here, you are the neighbor number twelve, coming to ask why I didn't wake up last night at the middle of the night singing Oum Kalthoum's songs..
I said strangely:
_yes, why?
_my answer is this woman; he puts his hand on the lady's shoulder; and continued:
_she is the love of my love, she is why I've existed eighty three years old, because I was waiting for her, every night I was singing for her, after my wife's death, my agony to meet my love became so palpable and horrifying, I thought what if I die like it happened to my wife , without marring my love, I've sung for her, more than 10 years, and after the death of her husband , she finally accepted to marry me, last night you didn't hear my voice because how I can sing for love, or wait for love, when I have all love between my arms.

Soraya.

Reviews

[emmajoy]

'.. why? ~ _my answer is this woman; he puts his hand on the lady's shoulder; and continued: .. .. ..'

This is such a delightful story. You talk about your world and its customs as you go along, which is exctiing to me - thank you for sharing, first off. And in doing that you tell such a different tale, with happenings and descriptions which truly add flavouring and migical moments. The ending was/is such a wonderful disclosure.. touching, emotional. Thank you so much.

[Soraya]

Thank you so much, I'm happy than I can share my country's stories and find people reading them and making those rich appreciating reviews as yours

[emmajoy]

It really was a pleasure and lesson at the same time, thank YOU.

[Akash gaikwad]

Really interesting way to put your views about love in the story! The language was simple and on point for a reader to understand according to me. I enjoyed and that is the best part of it.

[Soraya]

Thank you so muchh

[aarpee1234]

Hi. This is a good story. A small advice. Please increase the font size just by a point more.

[Soraya]

Thank you for your advice and I will apply it.

[Samuel]

What a heart melting story this is! Love is ageless and this story reflects this thought very beautifully. The narrative is engaging. The end was superb. Thanks for this short story.

[Soraya]

Thank you for your wonderful review

[¿]

You really use your inspiration in a wise way Soraya...the moment I saw your story came like feeling an allure to it....
All the incidents are may made up in a mind but for few moments while reading felt like real and nothing imaginary! So much can be spelled in the genre called Love!
It's my actual good midnight read...thanks for sharing☺!

[Soraya]

Thank you so much Tahsin, always a pleasure to read your reviews

[¿]

You're heartedly welcomed always😊!!