The wizened old man, sat at a table alone

He sat so still, could'a been carved in stone

The distant horizon was the shimmering sea

A walking stick leant against his knee

Dull pebbles, his eyes, could they even see?

The steam as it rose from his cup of tea

He sat, unmoving for quite a while

Did not even seem to notice a little child's smile

She walked in with her mother in tow

A cheery, bouncing, li'l rainbow

She waved and smiled at the old man

He was unmoved, so to him she ran

She stood beside him and stared at his face

Curious, unblinking, innocent and bold

Now the attention of everyone at the place

Finger pointing at him, proclaimed, "YOU ARE OLD!"

Her mother rushed to her, turning scarlet in shame

"NO!! JULIE!" Now, all knew her name!

"I am SO sorry, Sir!", she scooped Julie up

As the old man's attention returned to his cup

He blinked slowly and turned to the child

Who was now struggling, like an animal wild

"I will tell you how old, If you sit down"

The mother's mouth changed to smile from a frown

The waitress rushed to help and seated the two

Took the mum's order and Julie's too

Everyone around, by this stage

Was curious to know the old man's age!

A pindrop silence, fell over the place

As the old man spoke with a touching grace

"Yesterday I turned Ninety nine" we heard him say

"Today I am Ninety Nine and a day"

Li'l  Julie was impressed, or so it seemed

A radiant wide smile, on her face she beamed

She held up her fingers, and began to count

As interest in the scene started to mount

A round of clapping and cheers broke out

"Happy Birthday, Sir!" I heard many shout

"Did you have a good one, SIr?"  Julie's mum said

As the waitress set down a basket of bread

A change came over the old man's face

A  chill seemed to settle over the place

"Did friends and family wish you? Did you have fun?"

He shook his head, smiled sadly, " There were none!"

A heavy hush fell, everyone scared to speak

"WHY NOBODY COME?"  said the little pipsqueak!

"Because Julie, they have all gone ahead!"

The man did not say "They are all dead!"

"Oh!!" said Julie sounding matter-of-fact

Innocence making up for a lack of tact

The old man smiled and joked with cheer

He even ordered a glass of beer

A cake came with a candle, I heard the waitress say

"Sir, None for Ninety nine, and One for the Day!"

Julie, with her mum, left after their meal

Left smiles behind but hearts she did steal

Then the young waitress, in a sight quite rare

At the old man's table, she pulled up a chair

She sat down, touched his arm, and the silence grew

"Sir, Tell me what happened, to everyone you knew?"

The old man scanned, her face for a while

His voice cracked a little, but his face cracked a smile

Somewhere in the past, his eyes seemed to see, 

Beyond the horizon, out in the sea

"Everyone I loved, with whom I grew,

Everyone who loved me, everyone I knew,

Every brother and sister, every cousin, you see,

Has long passed on, way before me

Every lover I had and every single friend

Every child and grandchild, I have outlived in the end

Every angel in my life, that God sent my way,

Has now returned to God, or so they say

Last week, I said Goodbye, to my last friend - a baker

He too has by now, surely met his maker.

I can see them all, in my mind's eye

Beyond that horizon, where the sea meets the sky 

This world feels odd, I feel out of place

With no hope of ever, seeing a familiar face 

Now, seeing Julie, was surely a treat, 

But I doubt that, ever again we shall meet 

And every new day, as I take every breath 

I wait for my turn, not afraid of death

Now, you are young, probably can't relate,

But your kindness, I do appreciate"

He pulled out a wallet from his hip

And handed the waitress a generous tip!

The waitress gently, put the money aside

She sat up straight, a picture of pride

She took both of his hands in hers

And when she spoke, her tone was terse

She spoke softly, "Sir, I can relate.

It is, by the hands of fate

Everyone that I loved or who ever loved me 

Is now gone, from this world you see."

The old man looked stunned, he started to shake 

Any sense of her claims, he could not quite make

"But you are so young!! How can it be?

I cannot quite understand, can you please tell me?"

“Sir! I am originally, from a country very far,

I came here as a refugee, a survivor of war.

Everyone I ever knew, perished before me,

They too are beyond, the horizon you see."

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