ometimes I Feel Invisible

ome time ago Baron Von Lodge was the head of a small country near Switzerland known as Lilliland.

Professor Hamblin was the Baron’s chief advisor and as a former professor at Cambridge University in England, the Baron could not as for a better advisor. The Professor had a friend named Allan Sloan who visited him almost every morning for coffee. Mr. Sloan was also a former college professor and they shared a lot of things in common.

The Professor as of late began to notice that Professor Sloan began to skip the morning coffee visits. From meeting almost every day to just twice a week made Professor Hamblin think that there was something wrong that Professor Sloan was not sharing with him.

The next time they met Professor Hamblin asked Professor Sloan if there was a problem that they could talk about. Was it a concern over personal health? Professor Sloan said that there was a problem but it did not deal with his personal health.

“Well then, what is it?” Professor Hamblin asked.

Professor Sloan answered in a very slow and low tone, “It’s about the fact that I am getting old and I don’t like the way I feel I am being treated in public.

“When I am out and about in public, I feel that people are looking through me as if I don’t really exist. I feel like a non-person person. It’s as though people are not seeing me at times. The time when people do talk to me is usually because they want to sell me something or want me to donate to some unknown charity. As soon as I say, ‘I’m not interested in purchasing the item,’ they turn and leave rather abruptly.”

Professor Hamblin said that he understood Professor Sloan’s concern and point of view. Professor Hamblin added that there was not much that one could do. “Choose your friends wisely and enjoy being by yourself. Most people become so involved in their own lives that they seem to feel that if it doesn’t involve them, it doesn’t really exist. Since we both have money, we must be more cautious as to our activities and deal only with established concerns.

“You are one of my best friends,” Professor Hamblin said, “and let’s sit together on this. Please continue coming for morning coffee because your friendship is one of the high points of my day.”

Professor Sloan said, “Thank you for those wonderful words and I will see you tomorrow for our morning coffee as usual.”