He had solved all of life's mysteries while penned up in a little room. He did not need the outside to sit and experiment. No, that he could do in his thoughts. You see life's mysteries are not solved in some laboratory with the help of Bunsen burners and flasks filled with elixirs no they are found by thought. He sat there in a dim glow smiling at the discoveries he thought he had made. He could explain life, or so he thought. You see, he had gotten so caught up with the details he had forgotten about the big picture. He knew that everything could not be sought and found in a laboratory, but for all his knowledge for all that he thought he knew he in fact knew much less. You see in searching for life's answers he had forgotten to ask questions, it is by asking questions that one lives. It is no wonder that once he stepped out into the darkness of cold winter night and felt a small snowflake on his shoulder that he was suddenly surprised.
He looked up as another, then another, then another a flurry of snow fell steadily from the heavens. He could explain this, but could he explain his amazement at it? After a five year long hiatus from life he had ventured out into what he thought was a place known, but suddenly felt foreign, so foreign he was taken aback. He stepped a wary step, then another, then another and made his way quiveringly to the sidewalk. He turned. He continued to walk waveringly down the sidewalk. His shoulders wet with melting snow and his hands jammed into his pockets. His lip shivered ever so slightly, hardly noticeable to the average observer. His hair was in disarray his eyes, despite the darkness were strained perhaps because of the wind that howled unsparingly.
He reached the city with some effort and entered the diner steadily and sat himself at a booth in one corner. He did not want to be seen but he wanted to observe. He wanted to apply his knowledge, these were common people his ideas should easily applied to them.
"Sir?" A voice broke his thought it was angelic. He did not need to turn his head to know that it was a woman. However, it was not till he saw her face that he realized that she was beyond explanation. The softness of her skin could be seen. Her smile melted away the chill that had pervaded his being. His eyebrow wrinkled with confusion. She did not belong here. His whole being was thrown off.
"Can I get you something?"
"Some...Coffee? Please." He looked at her dazed. She still seemed an illusion.
"Tough day, huh? I'll get you that coffee right away." She smile at him graciously.
"Th-Thank you." He shook his head and stared as she walked away. She walked to the counter. There a woman walked up to her and whispered in her ear. She looked over at him and laughed a gentle laugh. She walked over and brought him his coffee and disappeared to the back. Her friend walked up to him.
"She likes you, I think, you should ask her out. the lord knows she hasn't been on a date in ages." She winked and walked away. He too had not been on a date in ages...ever for that matter. He had been too caught up. This is how he lived his life. He learned all he could and ignored all he couldn't. Women he could not learn, he could not understand. Life, that was easy. Work hard, try hard, get lucky at the right time and you'll be fine. Don't sell yourself short. A million things popped to mind when he thought of life, but none when he thought of women. They confused him so he avoided. He sipped his coffee. He looked up and saw her looking at him. He looked away pulling out his phone making it look like he was busy. of course he was not, but she didn't need to know that. He glanced occasionally. On one such glance he was startled to find her walking towards him.
"I dunno what she said, but...nevermind..can I get you anything else?" He nodded shyly. He finished the last bits of coffee and left a heft tip as he walked out the door she smiled. He walked away more confused than ever. Such is life. Curious, as if it were part of life, but clearly not. Perhaps he would pass another five years of solitude working up the courage to ask her out. He turned around
went back in and looked at her, stared at her actually. He sought a response from her bright blue eyes, but none was to be found. She looked away shyly. Should he go for it? We'll never know...