Lesson 4
The day before my graduation, I was in my teacher's office. It was my turn, perhaps you readers know the meaning of graduation: At my school, graduation is no commencement.
"Come in, my friend. No more do I call you student. Well done and congratulations!"
"So this is the end?"
"Yes." He said, "Time flies! You are just one day from leaving this school! Enjoy your last day, for you do gain nothing in this school, nor have you prepared for your next stage of life!"
"Teacher,"
"Yes?"
"Is the study program designed not for our future, but for the program itself?"
"Ah! You learned much!"
"The architecture and the bell tower, the people's memorial, grass and sunshine, books and music, they are privileges! Perhaps the program is a dream, or illusion, or whatever one can say, still pleasure is in the program, still enjoyable is the illusion!"
"My son, do you not see how the prisoner finished one liter of ice cream?" He continued, "The program is truly meaningless, meaningless I do mean literally! The program does you no good! You gain nothing! All in school will be lost! But listen to the sound of the bells!"
"Thank you! Thank you!"
We have had a nice evening, though I can remember no more of the conversation between me and my teacher. That was the last evening before graduation. I can recall only the last moments in his office.
"So you will leave this school. Take this one last cup of coffee, and the tiny piece of dark chocolate."
"Teacher, shall we meet again?"
"Not in the near future at least. I have never met students of mine after their graduation so far. But I wish you all the best."
I took the cup in my hands from the table, and finished it as the many cups of coffee we've had. I tasted the chocolate carefully, then I walked to the door.
"Farewell."
I opened the door, stepped into the rainy and windy outdoor, with the bit of dark chocolate in my mouth.