He furrowed his aged eyebrows and coughed roughly, feeling slightly edgy in the midst of a warm summer afternoon. But he gradually gathered himself together and entered the classroom to which he was greeted by an array of curious eyes from a group of kindergarteners.

“Mrs. Sandra, who is that old man?” One of the children pointed a small finger toward the man who was standing a few inches within the classroom.

“Oh, he’s my father in law.”

“Oooooh.” The children raised their voices in unision. “Why is he here, Mrs. Sandra?” The same boy perked up again, his curiosity never failing.

“Hello children.” The old man lightly chuckled, his deep voice resonating in the classroom. The boy forgot about his question and shifted his attention to the tall man standing before him and his classroom friends.

“Today I will tell you a splendid story, one that you will leave with you a sense of wonder and sadness.”

Mrs Sandra sat in a nearby armed rolling chair and crossed her arms. She smiled in anticipation for she, regardless of age, was always a fan of stories.

“Ah, but sad stories are..so sad.” One girl in the front row spoke up, her voice tingling with a troubled feeling. She looked like she wanted to start crying.

“Oh yes, it is quite sad. But when you look at everything as a whole,  you will discover many elements that still make this story happy.” The old man smiled softly.

“Tell the story! Tell the story!” The same boy jumped up and down in excitement, and the old man grinned.

“Alright, alright..” He sighed gently and looked at the children again individually. His voice died down to a slow, raspy rhythm.