BLINDNESS

The old blind man lived in the mountains in an old Swiss cottage. He lived alone and despite his blindness he used to lead a very normal life. The only relative he had was his beautiful niece, who came to visit him twice a week.
The old blind man used to play the piano. He was commonly heard during the spring afternoons and the music that came from his delicate performance on the piano was often mixed with the spontaneous songs of nature: the birds on the trees, the falling of a leaf, water flowing in the river. He considered himself a happy man.
One day, somebody knocked on the door. He answered it and heard a young man’s voice asking for some food. As it was raining, the old man invited the young man to come in and take a seat while he prepared a hot meal.
The young man sat down and they started to talk.
_ My name is Malcolm, said the lad.
Curiously, they didn’t talk about the past events of their lives. The blind man didn’t ask where the young man had come from or what he did alone in those mountains, hungry and wet. After a while, the lad noticed that he was talking to a blind man though until then the old man seemed to be able to see better than anybody he has know before. Even so, he was glad that the old man wasn’t able to see the handcuffs he had around his wrists.
Suddenly, a noise of a car.
_ It’s my darling niece, the old man said without altering any of his calm gestures. _ I think I’d better be going, muttered the young man making his way to the back door.
The old blind man smiled. “Please, wait. She won’t do any harm”, he said opening the front door.
Malcolm was mystified. He couldn’t understand why the blind man had said that. Anyway, he decided to stay, after having hidden the handcuffs under the sleeves of his leather coat.
The old man introduced his niece to him. Malcolm didn’t get up and kept his hands under the table. She sat down calmly and in a very charming way but couldn’t help looking at the man’s chained hands. They stared at each other but didn’t say a word. The old man came back from the kitchen bringing her a hot cup of coffee.
_ Are you scared of his handcuffs, sweetie? Don’t worry. He is a nice man. I don’t believe that this gentleman is guilty of any crime.
They were both astounded to hear the old blind man. How did he know about the handcuffs? And why did he believe that that man wasn’t a criminal?
_ Uncle, said the girl anxiously, this man must be a refugee. I don’t know of any honest and pacific person going around with handcuffs like bracelets just for fun. We shall call the police right now!
The old man grinned and started to talk in a low and firm voice.
_ There is nothing wrong with this man. He has been accused of committing a crime he isn’t responsible for. He is afraid and it’s quite natural in the state he is in. I heard the news on the radio this morning. The police are looking for a man called Barry Kane who is accused of having sabotaged a factory in Los Angeles. Is that all right, Mr. Kane?
The young man said nothing. He was wearing such an expression of surprise upon his face that no word would be effective.
_ Well, Mr. Kane, I knew from the start that your name wasn’t Malcolm. But this is not of very much importance. On the other hand, names can be a very tough burden. Sometimes we become their property. Don’t you think that if we paid less attention to people’s names we would be able to know exactly who exactly who they are inside? I am an old man with old habits, Mr. Kane. Everything is sharp to the senses at my age, especially if you are not able to see properly. Your voice is innocent, Mr. Kane, and so are you. My world has an apparent aspect of darkness. But there is something beyond this endless darkness. Life is stronger than any kind of blindness. Everything is alive and talks around us through a life and a voice that are not human but can be felt if we open our hearts. This secret language helps us to clarify our own mystery, so why not love the rumor of the waters, the sound of the wind, and the warmth on a summer morning? Haven’t you ever heard the piano? Certainly, yes. However, sometimes it’s necessary to understand and feel what the sound conveys to you. If you only knew how to hear in a deeper way, you wouldn’t have to disguise your behavior. As you may know “beauty lies in the eye of the beholder” and so does truth.