Questions That Peirce the Veil: Seeking Serenity and Self-Discovery

As a working night, the time was just past the threshold, a late 11 PM when a car pulled up, and a stranger approached me, asking if I knew of any vape shops that were open. Curiosity lingered—what led them to ask this? And, was their quest fulfilled?

Inside me, a legion of questions swirled like spells being brewed in cauldrons. Time and thoughtfulness, words, grammar, and an interrogative phrasing were mixed together. An interrogative question finally took shape. Yet, I didn't ponder trivial details, such as favourite colours or preferred foods. Those are mere surface-level distractions, easily discarded like clothes covering the heart beneath.

The Eternal Quest for Serenity and Self-Discovery

I felt compelled to seek more profound answers:

What corner did you find your serenity? What aisle did you stumble upon your true self? What do you hide under your bed? When did you discover what flows through your veins beyond blood? What is your Holy Grail? What fashion do you wear your insecurities? How many sheep do you count in bed on the daily? Have you figured out the secret of love? The solution to the puzzle of insomnia? The wild adventure of existence?

Morbid Curiosity and Existential Struggles

More profoundly, I asked myself:

Under which sky did you learn the art of forgiving? Does Death terrify and haunt you as it does me? Do you bleed the same colour as I do? Do your hearts pine for the same things as I imagine others do? Does the length of your bucket list match mine? Do the sizes of your dreams scare you?

Resilience and Personal Growth

Other questions assailed me:

Which night did you cease pleading for second chances? Which book did you find the guide to living life? When did you slam shut the doors of the past and walk freely into the halls of the future? Which memories do you pin closest to your chest?

Life's Navigational Challenges

And finally, more existential ponderings:

Do you know how to live alone or married happily for a lifetime? Do you bleed words like blood? How do you quieten the bluebird in your heart? Can you live without those dreaded 'what-ifs'? Do you dream of a greener grass on hillsides? Can you face death like a hero, going home?

I apologize for interrupting, kind stranger, but you seem to possess some wisdom and knowledge. It feels as though the Earth spins solely for you, with all life on it bowing down. I know that we don't often seek such profound answers from strangers anymore. Nevertheless, I assure you I have the manners.

And so, I say, 'I like your hair.'