Simon

Day Of
Friday, April 3—8:10 am

A minute passed. The next few hours he knew would alter his life. This fact seared into his soul. It was a gut feeling, an instinct that filled his being. Change within him had already begun. He was now a different man than when he had awakened. He knew this because of the situation he was in and the gaze that was searching his soul.

Their presence had never been shared; their eyes had never met. Though turmoil surrounded them, in this moment the commotion vanished. The pressing crowd, the noisy city, and dust all melted away. Nothing remained but the small patch of ground where they stood.

He became incredibly self-conscious. Not of his clothing or appearance, but of his character. No longer was he sure of himself, who he was, his purpose in life, or the work he held so important. The concerns and duties of the day fled from his mind. All that remained was the uncomfortable gaze. Those eyes made him agitated and desirous to flee. He wished he could fade into the crowd and become an insignificant individual among the throng.

No glance had ever caused him to question so much about himself. Entering his eyes, it expanded to his mind and heart. It filled his being. It uncovered his secrets, revealed his intentions,found his faults, and understood his opinions, desires, hopes, and dreams. Somehow these were unlocked and shared without a word being said. This left him feeling vulnerable and exposed. There was nothing he could hide behind. No lie or deception could mask his inner conscience. Everything about him was an open book.

Strangely, he felt calm. The initial worry of being so completely understood was replaced by wonder. He longed to know how, through a simple look, so much information was revealed about himself. Further, he was shocked to find gratitude bridging the gap between their eyes. It made no sense. More curious still: without a spoken word he was being strengthened; not physically, but emotionally and mentally. It was like his whole being was broken down piece-by-piece and then put back together, stronger than it had been before.

He did not know what the outcome of this situation would be. The day, which had begun hopeful and bright, had turned incredibly bleak. Yet, in the eyes that stared at him, he saw peace and kindness. A faint flame of hope flickered inside. Somehow everything would be okay.

Morning Of Friday, April 3—5:30 am

Simon awoke before the rising of the sun. The darkness of night had not fully lifted, and bright stars remained visible while fainter orbs had faded from view.

Simon sat up on his ground cloth, which doubled for both bed and blanket. Next to him lay his satchel. Out of a front pocket, he took a wrapped bundle. Inside were three small cakes he had received the day before. He set the food down in front of him, carefully unwrapping the cloth. With the food open to the morning air, Simon gave thanks for the coming day, the rest he had received, the meager meal, and the hands that had prepared it.

Each bite was like eating flour, it dried his mouth of all saliva making it difficult to swallow. Thankfully, his water pouch was full and a gulp of the cool liquid between each bite assisted in transporting the morsels to his belly. What the cakes lacked in taste they made up for in nutrients. They gave him the energy needed to complete the last leg of his journey.

Simon anticipated a full and plentiful meal at the inn where he had arranged to stay for the next few nights. The meals of the inn made the food he now ate seem like fodder for pigs. The innkeeper spared no expense on the meals he provided, a good recompense for the cost of his accommodations. For the time being, Simon sat silently in the dull twilight, grateful for the sustenance he had.

Two biscuits consumed, he rewrapped the third and returned it to the front pouch of his satchel. A traveler, after all, must prepare for the unexpected. Who knows when an extra piece of food will come in handy?

The food filled his body with energy, giving strength to his muscles, and fully waking him from his sleep. He tied his sandals to his feet, then stood and shook the dirt and sand from the ground cloth. Folding and tightly rolling it, he carefully stuffed it into the central pouch of his satchel. In doing so, he was wary not to crease the contracts he hoped to have signed by the end of the day. He then slung the straps of both his satchel and water pouch over his shoulder and set out for the day.

Simon descended the narrow decline of the small natural amphitheater where he had stayed the night. At its mouth, he turned and peered into the protective cove. He was struck with gratitude for having discovered it years ago. It provided a safe and protected enclosure in which to spend the night. Over the years he had never found traces of other people using it. For this reason, he considered it perfectly safe, a shelter from storms, and a hiding place from robbers.

Turning, Simon rounded the outside of the hill, walked along the lip of the plateau, descended a steep tributary to the creek bed below, and made his way toward the road. He was mindful to return by a different path than the one used to get to the cove. Though his frequency here was not enough to create a permanent path, Simon did not want to leave obvious tracks leading to his safe haven. Such a tragedy would undoubtedly lead others to find his abode under the stars. If others knew its location, it would compromise his safety in staying there.

He always made sure no one was around when he left the road in the evening. In the morning, he made sure to get an early start so he could reach the road before it was littered with travelers. So far, his precautionary strategies had worked in his favor.

Reaching the road, Simon turned and walked southeast. The air was cool and fresh. The fragrance of the earth, sweet. A clear sky lay overhead with only the morning star visible in the heavens. Birds sang their cheerful songs as they fluttered around the rocks and plants of the landscape.

On such a beautiful morning, Simon felt his life could not be more blessed. He felt confident in his business goals for the day. The contracts he carried would ensure five years of prosperous trade and expansion east. He recognized the success he had accomplished and took pride in the amount of wealth achieved. Prosperity allowed him to create a name for himself. There was not a major port or city in the eastern side of the Empire that did not know his name. His amassed riches were far more than he had imagined in his younger years, and now he was determined to see how much he could collect.

A decade earlier, Simon did not possess confidence in himself. Then, every mistake or challenge made him think all was lost. He worried he would not be able to establish a career or provide for a family. He acted tentatively. He did not trust his instincts. As a result, he had been given fewer responsibilities in his apprenticeship. He possessed the ability to succeed, yet he let insecurities and doubts deter him from progressing. He noticed people his age effectively developing their trades, expanding their families, and succeeding in life but he felt incapable of doing the same. In a desperate effort to improve his situation, largely inspired by the faith of his new bride, Simon convinced his master-tradesman to give him the responsibility of leading a caravan. By grace and persistent pleas, he had been entrusted with the task.

Simon learned for himself he could lead men, overcome unexpected circumstances, and take responsibility. After that experience, he walked with confidence, which allowed him to gain respect and trust from his employer, leaders of industry, politicalofficials, and most importantly, his wife. Knowing others believed in him helped Simon’s belief in himself to grow.

Over the years, he came to welcome challenges. They filled him with energy and a deep sense of determination. Never again would he let insecurities hold him back from accomplishing something great. This meant most months were spent away from home in pursuit of greater success. He often said his efforts were for his family, but deep down he knew it was for his legacy. His vast wealth allowed him to generously provide for the needs and wants of his family, but the business would be his legacy for his children to carry on.

As he walked, he thought about how he had reached his present circumstance in life. A lot of work, sacrifice, and dedication had gotten him here. The memories of his efforts and success brought a smile to his face.

Many asked if he was so rich and accomplished, why then, did he travel alone without the security and amenities of a caravan? Simon did not think of himself as a gold pincher, but such benefits cost a lot of money. Rather than paying for the added safety of numbers, he invested the funds elsewhere. In so doing, he had the capital to expand his trade faster than others.

The one area where Simon paid well was for information. Never did he embark on a journey without financially pleasing his informants. When he arrived in their towns or cities, his favorite meetings were discussing potential opportunities to expand hisrealm of influence. Though his business trips had specific objectives and places to be, he was always available for prospecting.

- - -

He walked at a steady pace. Not fast enough to break a sweat, but brisk enough to be aware of his constant motion. Dust plumed from the impact of his steps on the soft dry road. Already encased in dust, his feet appeared more like dirt than appendages of his body. He was aware of his filthy state, which added to his excitement of getting to the inn where he would be able to wash.

Soon the sun rose above the horizon. Beams of light burst across the landscape. Leaves of plants that dotted the hills and valleys were ignited into vibrant greens. Simon had seen the sun rise on more days than he could remember, but the way the light danced across the landscape this particular morning made him aware of a phenomenon he had never noticed before.

Prior to the sun peeking over the horizon, dirt, stones, and boulders were vivid in color. Their whites, oranges, tans, purples,blacks, and yellows were distinctive in the flat light of dusk, each color clamoring for attention. In contrast, plants, especially leaves and grasses, were a uniform dark green. Now in direct sunlight, dirt, stones, and boulders became more uniform, while the plants and flowers became distinct and vibrant in color. The adage, to look at something in a different light, struck him as a profound piece of sagacity.

“How great the wisdom of our maker,” he mused, “to give each creation its own time to shine.”

The farther he walked, the more his mind began to wander, consider, question, and ponder. He was influenced by the circumscribed points of his surroundings, past experiences, and future hopes and dreams. Thoughts, after all, are easily ignited by the boredom of lengthy walks, and they also flow like a meandering river.

“I’ll arrive and go directly to the inn,” thought Simon. “With luck, before midday, I’ll be cleaned up and meeting with the garrison commander, Brutus. I have earned enough favor with him to motivate his efforts to double the force to round up roadside thieves. This should decrease stolen goods by twenty percent. By midafternoon these contracts should be signed, ushering in a new era of growth and expansion. These will make my business the largest in the east and south regions of the Empire. My goodness, the largest producer and distributor of market goods in the region! Ten years ago, I would never have believed I would be in this position. This is going to open additional doors to the north and then on to the west. Think of all the people I will employ. I will be their master. I can’t wait to meet them and hear their praises and adoration for being the benefactor of their life. If they’re anything like Aelius and his community, prosperity and abundance are assured.”

Simon’s smile broadened even wider at the memory of meeting Aelius and his village, just days before. “I cannot wait to see him again. I believe he is a kindred friend. Together we will fill each other’s purses to bursting!”

He also reflected on the beauty of the land around him. There was something about the rolling hills, the light-colored rocks, theway trees grew on hillsides, desert flowers, chirping birds, and the fresh fragrant air that made him think of carefree childhood days.

Then he reminded himself to refer to the hills as mountains when talking with the locals. Last year he had added a few cities in Greece, including Katerini, to his trade routes. He had seen thelegendary mountain of the Gods, Mount Olympus, and learned for himself what a mountain really was. Such a monstrous mass of earth dwarfed anything in this region. But the inhabitants of the area took pride in their mountains, and Simon knew well the necessity of complimenting things people held dear, if for no other reason than earning their trust.

Thinking of comparisons between different regions, the distances between them, and about his travels to far-off locations, Simon caught himself counting his steps.

“148, 149, 150.”

This jarred his concentration. He did not know when he had started counting steps, but it had been at least a hundred and fiftysteps back.

“I have more important things to think about than the number of steps I take.” Whereupon he began rehearsing his sales pitch forthe first contract he hoped to have signed that day.

As the morning wore on, the road became busy. At each intersection, the traffic doubled. Eventually, the people departing thenearby city were as numerous as those trying to reach it. The air became extremely dusty making breathing a challenge.

Many brought goods from far locations to barter and sell. Some groups took up nearly the entire width of the road with their extravagant caravans, forcing people traveling in the opposite direction onto the shoulder.

Locals from surrounding regions herded their best flocks to the great temple in honor of the feasts and festivities. Some gave up trying to keep their animals together among the throng and instead guided them in the rough terrain paralleling the road.

Boisterous conversations ensued, stemming from the mingling of locals and travelers of distant lands. Some debated political or religious topics, seeking to show their intellect. A few loudly countered opposing opinions. Others simply nodded their heads in agreement, even though they found the opinions of others off the mark, radical, or trivial. The only evidence of their disagreement was in the glazed look in their eyes. There were those who wore the face of annoyance. Some wanted peace and quiet, an impossible desire in such a crowd. The body language of others indicated their discomfort with being among such a quantity of people. The smells, bodies, animals, and dust, coupled with the clattering of hooves, snorts from beasts of burden, creaking of carts, and multiple conversations were too much. These people remained in silence seeking to block out their surroundings.

With such a fluid throng, there were instances where friends passed and hailed each other joyfully. Apparently, their paths had not crossed for quite some time. Others acknowledged each other as if they saw one another on a regular basis. Then there were the cordial conversations of those who never spent the time to generate a relationship behind the depth of personal walls. A few times, Simon even greeted acquaintances from his business endeavors.

Occasionally, officers on horseback trotted past and expected the masses to give them uninhibited passage. On more than one occasion, their impatient commanding tone rang out, telling everyone to move out of the way. This caused many who had been speaking to hush and wait for the soldiers to pass before continuing their conversations. Despiteful annoyance shone on their faces as progression stopped to make way for the Emperor’s troops.

As for Simon, he kept to himself, outpacing the caravans and herding groups. From time to time someone would try to chat with him. Out of politeness, he responded but he only offered the minimum response.

“No, I’ve been here numerous times.”

“Thanks for the advice, however, I already have accommodations.”

“Stephen’s inn offers the best meals you will find anywhere in the city. Plus, he is an exceptionally honest man.”
“I am here for business, though I will spend some time at the temple.”
“I could never move here; it is far too crowded and noisy for my taste.”
“I am very far from home.”

Simon was not concerned with making friends, especially since the probability of seeing these people again was negligible. Plus, they did not offer an advantage to his work. Those who spoke to him were simply easing the boredom of travel through conversation. Some sparked Simon’s interest, but after a few inquiring questions he discovered they posed no leverage for business pursuits. When he recognized this, he gave his regards and continued his brisk pace.