CHAPTER 4

Gerard opened up so fully, so deeply that it caught Cindy off guard. She would never have thought someone she just met would open up this way and go this deep.

He had told her about his ideals, about living a moneyless life and how he’d sometimes had to sleep in his tent because of his beliefs. That was what floored her the honesty in it, the truthfulness, being so straightforward and not disguising any part of his experience, admitting what he’d been going through, especially the part about having to be without a roof over his head sometimes. Cindy was trying to digest everything.

When you take the decision to step away from the system and live moneyless, you have to be ready to walk the talk and accept all the things that might come with that. Life won’t be so kind and easy on you and you need to face reality and accept it. No one will come to you and say here are a hundred bucks, you have to be realistic.

Cindy thought to herself It was not just the openness and the story itself, it was also his congruency how deeply he believed in everything he was doing and saying, his determination to continue on his path despite the difficulties and how he stood so strong no matter what. His beliefs and his way of life had so grown into each other, into him, and from that he had the strength to say, ‘so come what may.’ All of this stunned her then and it continues to stun her to this day.

Gerard was generally a very open and expressive person. He had nothing to hide. His at peace within and he really love straightforwardness and honesty, so just say it as it is. He had been traveling for two years as a backpacker with the purpose of opening his eyes, mind and heart to the world and his not quite the type to filter his self anyway. If someone asks him what is your truth? He will tell them everything in minutes without worrying about how he’s coming across, he don’t quite give a damn, to be honest.

And if he ever make a mistake, he have no qualms about acknowledging it and saying he is sorry. If he mess up, he will embrace the consequences. Fair!

For him, living like this makes life easier but it sometimes is not quite so for others as he bring complications to them not everyone is comfortable with the truth. But this is how he live and how he is.

He had poured everything out there now. And she was downloading it bit by bit, processing everything little by little. 

If you play tennis, you know a part of the game is trying to figure out the technique of the person you’re playing with. If you know how he play and you play the same way, you will not lose the ball. So he had thrown the ball at her and she had managed to match his vibration and had given it right back to him Bam!

At this point the rest of the group had caught up with them so they turned to say hello to them. they continued walking down the main road doing the usual superficial zig zag conversations with people that you’re just getting to know. 

She said to him But we always ended up next to each other.

Just like two magnets, he replied.

And they were always no further than a few meters away from each other at any given point.

He always had her in the corner of his eye, keeping an eye on her.

Cindy also have an eye, as well as an ear too!  

And every time they broke away, they would return and their conversation would continue to flow like it had never stopped

It was in the very deep connection that they had, they were in complete sync with each other.

Some time later, their photo walk came to an end. They were now to head to a bar to check out the photo exhibit there and have a drink. Group dispersed. Some went to catch a ride with Evelyn and others had marched on to get there on foot. 

Suddenly, there was no one else around. It was just the both of them.

They continued walking.

They reached a place where there was a fountain on one side and lavender bushes on the other.

He had just said to her, “I like this click.

She replied it was a statement, not a question.

He Definitely not. He was not asking her opinion. he just felt it within, this is it, he’s done. It was a moment of brilliant clarity.

There was this magnetic click, this instantaneous connection. No matter how much She tried to deny it, it was there! The feeling of recognition She was experiencing was uncanny. Was it all in her head? She was way more reserved than Gerard. so it took her a while there as She allowed herself this acknowledgement.

He sensed she needed some sort of confirmation so he just stated it there and then went back to himself.

It all came together for her when he said it, she wasn’t imagining it! It was there and it was big and it was something She had never felt before… She was loving it! 

She can’t remember exactly what She said to him then…

He do! She had her hands in her jacket pocket and she looked at him and she whispered, “Yeah, She like it too…” but in a very reserved, German kind of way. But behind those few little words was a mountain of emotion and he definitely sensed all that.

When she loosens up, she’s good, but at first she’s always reserved. Unlike him, it was very clear to him This is it and he’s so done!

They continued on to the bar. Everyone was already there, they were one of the last ones to arrive.