"Memories, who want to buy some memories?!"
Walking on the dumpy road, I heard someone yell. A vendor? I thought but he was shouting something unbelievable so... A crazy, perhaps? What a poor guy.
I took a good look at the man who claimed he was selling memories. His scholarly red robe fluttered whenever he made a slight movement. Paired with a scholarly hat and a baton in his right hand, certainly he nailed the image of a scholar. Though only on the outside...the inside...well, you already know.
"Memories and knowledge of a scholar, who want to buy some?"
Apparently, he was a scholar. But that wasn't the fact that took my attention but the thing that he was selling.
"Memories and knowledge, he says..." I muttered under my breath.
Well, normally people wouldn't believe what he was saying so please do understand why was I shaking my head.
Just then, our eyes met and a large grin suddenly crept on his face.
"Geh!"
I didn't like where it was going. Might as well, fled from the scene and...
He made a beeline next to me while caressing his baton like a creep. For some reason, he reminded me of a certain person who did every scheme for money. Who might that person be?
"Do you want to buy some memories, Miss? I promise to give you a discount?" He said as he approached me and then flashed his white pearls. For a second, I almost got blind because of his smile. Though, I could sense a bit of malice in it.
Now, this act really reminded me of someone.
I waved my hand to reject his offer and walked passed by him. "No, thanks," I answered.
As persistent as a vendor usually was, he followed me and tried to convince me over my shoulder. I felt like a demon whispering to my ears and to be frank, it felt unpleasant.
Silently, I reminded myself not to be like him.
Should I kick him away? I thought but given how many people were walking on the same road as us, that option would give me trouble.
"Then I'll give you a huge discount, Miss," he insisted.
"No thanks."
"Oh. Then, I'll give you my boots as well."
"Uuhhh, don't need it. Thanks."
"This cool hat?"
"..." Frankly, it looked like you just found it elsewhere, I thought but I kept that one to myself.
"Oh, my bad." He let out a light laugh. Just when I thought he understand that I had no intention to purchase any, he added, " Would you rather like this robe? You should have told me, Miss."
I sighed, hand holding my head.
How troublesome...
He kept pestering me until we arrived at the town's gate where he finally left me in peace and go after the lady we passed by. The lady seemed surprised at first, but contrary to me, she listened to what the vendor was saying.
Oh well, it had nothing to do with me so I left the two of them alone.
*
The next morning was the same as yesterday. I heard some yelling and sure enough, it was the same vendor but with a blue robe and blue scholarly hat. Apparently, he had no attention to changing his baton.
That reminds me, he didn't offer his baton to me yesterday... Oh well, I suppose he took a good liking to his baton.
"Oh, Miss. Do you want to buy some memories? I just replenished it this morning so I'm sure you'll get something interesting in scholar's memories. Though I'm not sure what would that be..." he asked amiably and smiled at me. Unlike yesterday, his smile had no hint of any evil in it.
I sighed. "I already told you yesterday, did I?"
"Oh, you did?" he asked, baffled, tilting his head as he gently patted his shoulder with his baton.
"Anyway, sorry I had to go," I excused.
"Oh, sorry to bother you, Miss. Have a great day."
With such farewell, he went back to advertising his product, which was coincidentally his memories.
Privately, I wondered what did happen to him but ended up shrugging my shoulder. I left in silence.
*
When I finished my job and was about to leave the town, someone stopped me.
"Oh, Miss! I beg your pardon, I am a vendor and I am selling my memories. Would you like to make a purchase?"
Oh, the memory vendor, huh... It's been a while since I had last seen him, I mused.
He still had his scholarly outfit, though now it different color. He wore a yellow robe paired with a yellow scholarly hat. Of course, he still had his baton.
Hmmm...
Now that I had taken a good look at him, you wouldn't notice that he was that persistent vendor who pest me when I first arrived in this town.
Since I already finished my job, I decided to waste to talk to him. I'm not as cruel as anyone thinks, you know.
"You said you are selling memories, right? I wonder how you do that?" Not that I would sell mine, of course.
"How do..." He seemed to mull it over, then ultimately tilted his head. " I don't know?"
Why were you sounded so uncertain?
"It was not like I'll remember any after I sell my memories, so..." He paused as though he remembered something. "Oh wait," he said then popped out the end of his baton as though a lid of a bottle and took a piece of paper from inside.
So it was not a baton but some sort of storage, huh, I mused, slightly impressed. For a moment, I thought I wanted one but then again something that wasn't really necessary would just add weight to my luggage so I digress.
Eventually, he frowned and looked back at me. "Sorry, Miss. Unfortunately, I'm not allowed to tell anybody about the procedure." H bowed lightly which kinda made me feel superior for a second. I wondered why.
I gave him a dismissive hand.
"No, it's fine. I don't intend to purchase some of your memories, anyway."
"Oh, that's cruel..."
"No, it's not. Anyway, one last question."
"What is it, Miss?"
Fortunately, he was kind to answer my questions without wanting something to exchange.
Knowing how curious of a person I was, I pushed my luck and asked him, "Why are you selling your memories?"
"..."
He halted as though something struck him. His eyes darted around before he tilted his head as though he had no idea what was the answer. When he tried to pat his baton on his shoulder, another paper slipped out from it.
It was a picture of a girl, smiling as she held a flower in her hands. Judging from its quality, someone had drawn it.
The vendor picked it up and squinted his eyes at the picture.
"Is she your little sister?"
"...I...don't know, Miss."
"Then..."
As I realized something, I turned around and attempted to walk away. I could feel my shoulder starting to get stiff.
"Sorry, I had to go."
I left the vendor staring at the picture with a baffled expression. He kept staring at it as though he was discerning who that girl was.
That was the memory I rather not remember anymore.