ramblings of an old man

he awoke with the same twinge in the small of his back. he had forgotten when it started bothering him. he was old. he had stopped caring that it was bothering him. he crawled out of bed, dreading the coming day. not because he was hurting or not wanting to work or that he was tired--well, he was tired. but it was his mind and heart that needed rest. his body would trudge along as it had for so many years. it was his soul that was yearning for a rest. he got dressed in his usual style. he left his small home. he did his daily tasks. he gave back to the village what he could. not that it was much anymore. he was old. he was once important. he was once listened to and respected. he remembered the times when he could rally the village to whatever cause was deemed worthy that day. he ran his old hands over his bald head. would he even recognize that man if saw a picture of him? probably not. time had run its course. he was old. more than old--outdated. he watched the council of elders as they moved down the street readying themselves for their daily discourse. he frowned. even when he was of use to people of the village, his voice was not heard in the council. they had no use for a man of his character. he frowned harder. outdated. unwanted. but not unneeded. yet. he was still good for sweeping and cleaning and telling stories around the hearth. he dusted his pants off. the frown deepened til even his heavily creased forehead was furrowed so deep it looked like his head was splitting. he resented the fact that the world had changed. no, he resented that fact that he hadn't changed. he looked to the horizon. the mountains were still shrouded in a light haze at this early morning hour. he looked up and down the street. some would miss him if he left. others would not even notice. he felt sorry for one of those camps. he couldn't decide which, though. he sighed a heavy sigh. it was the sigh that he always used when he thought of the old days. he picked up his small pack, filled with two days of water and a loaf of bread. he had always wondered what the sunrise looked like from the mountains.