A Man Changes With Time
‘And now I want to paint you, sir,’ Flash told the old, old man. ‘Naturally I saved the last picture for the most important person: the Village Elder.’ He relished the idea of capturing those deeply wrinkled cheeks, those milky blue eyes, the white stubble of that loose-skinned jaw. The Village Elder looked like some biblical prophet or legendary king.
But to his surprise, the old, old man rocked his heavy head to and fro between his bony shoulders. ‘No. I have no wish for such a painting.’
Flash felt almost offended. ‘Why?’
The Elder waved a large, slow, maimed hand in front of his face, disturbing the flies. ‘A man changes with time,’ he said. ‘He grows up. He grows wiser. He grows older. Sometimes old age is a big price to buy wisdom. Once I was a young man─ like those foolish warriors you paint. Once I was strong and fit. And handsome─ hard to believe, I know! The young women then, they breathe deeper when I pass by. Glad to slip a hand into mine …‘ He studied the lopped, crooked hands that lay spread in his lap. ‘When I die, the people will look back. Then the years of my old age will be no more seen than the years of my youth, the years of my manhood. My short temper, my lame leg, my no-teeth smile: soon all these will be forgotten, and I will be a man of all ages and no age. I will be all the good parts. I will be my name and my deeds and not this face-in-ruins. But, Mr Flash, if you paint my picture with your camera, I will be for ever an old man. If you picture me, I am for ever old.’
Extract from the book Smile!
By Geraldine McCaughrean
All Rights Reserved.
Oxford University Press 2004
Call Number: J English MAC
Extract submitted by Ian Yap
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If you could choose 3 things you would want people to remember about you, what would they be?
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June 7th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
This piece is very poignant. I definitely think I want to be featured now when I look the best – can’t imagine what I will be like when I am old. Maybe when i eat more salt I will think differently but now Enjoy lah!
June 10th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
You ego maniac you! i would like to be remembered for my laughter, my wonderful sense of humour and my nurturing nature * )
June 10th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Ha ha Crabby – you are so ego too lah! I want to be remembered fo rbeing beautiful, wonderful and kind : )
June 10th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
For me it would be my voice, my laughter and my madness
June 10th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
I want people to scream – I can’t do without you!
June 20th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
I would like to be remembered as someone who is joyful, creative and an inspiration to others.
June 21st, 2008 at 10:59 pm
“His stint here has come to an end, but other assignments await him elsewhere.”
July 29th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
I would like to be remembered as a joyful person not a old and grumpy man/woman. If people recognises me as a joyful and likeable person when I die, I’d have no regrets. But if I’m painted when im old, people will not recognise me as a joyful person, then I’d rather not have my picture painted.
October 15th, 2008 at 11:15 am
Beautiful excerpt, true most of us fear age and its effects.I would like to be remembered by my family for all that I did for them, my friends for the happiness I brought to them, to my colleagues for the work I took on for them (lol..this is true), and for whoever bumped into me in life for the moments we had together.
October 15th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
I want people to remember mistakes that I have made, so that they do not repeat them and suffer. I want people to remember advices that I have offered, especially when they are in crisis. I want people to remember my SMILE… =)
August 21st, 2011 at 7:16 pm
I would like to choose breakfast, lunch and dinner. So everyone will have to remember about me every day when they are having their meals.