09/04/2025

 

To Mila, 

I am in Peetsurg, but I may be staying at a different hotel after all this. And do not worry. I am safe and well. I actually believe I may be safer here in this other hotel than at the Grand Park with all the others. I believe my eyes may be opening to other things now. 

The other gentlemen and I still arrived in Bzalnia together. We may all still search for Mr. Enrique. Maybe. I do not know how they all feel about the search at the moment. We all came so that we could possibly learn how Mr. Enrique creates his success, or at least ask him for his connections and networks. But I can see now, maybe this search for our missing boss may not feel worthwhile for everybody anymore.  

They are at heads with each other, as usual, about the usual affair. Profits. And I once again do not feel that I align with everybody’s concerns. This conquest for riches may really not be for me. 

I think you were right all along, Mila. All this chasing and squabbling for bigger figures is not fulfilling. I know I didn’t listen to you whenever you told me. But I need to come to the realization on my own. And this trip to Peetsurg may have been what I needed. 

I was feeling regret earlier, when I was with the other gentlemen. Everything seemed so grey and disappointing. Just like the others, I was considering making a sudden return back home. That looks to be their current plans. I’m sure they’ll make their trip back tomorrow morning. But now, I don’t know if I’ll join them. I think I want to stay just a bit longer, since I’m here. 

I am in a different country. If anything, this is a new world. And there are things for me to see. The people, the places, the culture, and even the mindsets of some of the people here. I know I’ll regret it if I don’t take some time to explore. Because with the other gentlemen, we did anything but explore. 

As soon as we got to Peetsurg, the others were already judging. The buildings, the cars, the people. It’s like nothing was good enough for these gentlemen. And I admit, I was feeling the same way. We were all thinking, ‘how were we ever going to find Mr. Enrique amongst all this rubbish’. But I’m starting to believe that maybe I only felt that way because of the other gentlemen. 

On our trip to find our hotel, we were all starting to get hungry. Along the way we had to make our way all around the Peetsurg Market. The place was enormous. It seemed that this place even had several different districts. And as we made our way past one particular area, I swear, you could smell all the herbs, spices, and meats, all smoking into the air. We all smelt the aromas. We stopped to have a whiff. So I made the suggestion that we go in and enjoy some food. But I just don’t understand what they were all thinking. Some said it would be a waste of money. Others said that we could find a better place up town. Do you know where we ending up eating? At some upscale restaurant near the hotel that served the same old food that we always eat at home. 

Our search for Mr. Enrique was not very creative. We did split into four small teams, but all we did was go around all the big business hubs to look for any clues of our boss. I brought my team with me to try ask some hotels. I thought maybe Mr. Enrique wasn’t doing anything business related and was having a holiday instead. My team understood how I was thinking, but they only wanted to check the most classiest of hotels. I told them it would be better if we tried a wider variety of places, but they said that Mr. Enrique wouldn’t be caught anywhere any cheaper. I didn’t know if I could still believe that. 

This country, or at least this city, had such a vast variety of cultures mixed into one. It’s not so much that there was rich and poor, but it was more a blend of simple or extravagant, and old and new was instead traditional or contemporary. I started to feel that if Mr. Enrique came here, it would have been not to experience the rich life. 

We were getting nowhere with our search. Because we were all of the higher society back home, we thought finding the boss would be easy. But we had gotten nowhere these past two days. I wanted to start taking a different approach to our search, but the way everyone started reacting made it clear that our search may have ended. 

There began to be talks about costs and time wasted. Then talks about whose fault was what, or why hadn’t someone prepared this or that. “Talks” may not have been the right word. “Complaints”, rather. 

That’s all the trip had been. Complaints. That, and judgement and comparison. I was getting tired of it all. We were on a trip at a different country, and I could never get the chance to feel relaxed. This wasn’t even work. And I feel that thought was also frustrating the others. 

When they made a complaint about how I made them waste time and money by searching hotels, I couldn’t stand the air amongst the other gentlemen. I needed to breathe. So, I went downstairs and walked out on the street of the hotel. 

There was a park across the street. I found some tables and benches to sit upon. The sky looked overcast, but I didn’t care at that point. What was the worst a little rain could do? 

“You look unhappy” someone called beside me. I didn’t realize but a dusty old man was sitting next to me. He was dressed in old rags, had long, untidy hair and beard, and no shoes by the look of his dirty feet. I was surprised they let someone like that roam in this side of town. I didn’t answer him, but then he asked me “What happened?”, and I couldn’t help but explain. 

I told him about our search for the boss, how the others were always complaining, and that the whole trip felt miserable. The man smiled at me and just said, 

“Any man will be unhappy if they don’t enjoy what’s in front of them.” 

There was truth in what this dusty old man said. He didn’t seem to have much, but there was something peaceful and whole about him. 

He then offered me some of his tea. I thought it would have been alcohol or something worse and refused. He just shrugged his shoulders, smiled, and enjoyed a sip. It was almost as if he was saying that it was up to me if I wanted to miss out. Then I thought about what he said about “enjoying what’s in front of me”. So, I grabbed his drink and got myself ready for a wild ride. It was just tea. I had another sip to check if there were any hints of anything. But nothing. Just tea. 

“Refreshing?” he asked and smiled. It was probably just a nice gesture. When I realized that, I thanked him and made back to the hotel. 

The weather seemed clear. The sun was still out. I swore it was nightfall. But when I looked about, none of the streetlights were even on. It was strange. 

Back in the hotel, all the lights were on. The place seemed like it was already set for nighttime. All the lights almost felt like it was too much, sort of unnecessary, I thought. 

The other gentlemen still had that same air about them. They were still deliberating how it was no longer worth staying another day here in Peetsurg, and what was the cheapest way for them to make their way back home. It just felt dull all around them. Even if they had all the lights on. When I looked out the window, the skies were grey and cloudy. I checked if the glass was darkened, but it was hard to tell. I swore that I remembered that it was bright and sunny outside. It felt too miserable being indoors with all of them, so I decided to just go outside. I asked if any of them wanted to join me outside. When they all refused, I just shrugged my shoulders and smiled. 

I didn’t know where I was going but it didn’t matter. Just being outside and breathing the air felt so refreshing. The sky was bright and clear as well, so I didn’t regret it. I tried to look for the dusty old man, but he wasn’t at the park anymore. It didn’t matter. I had a chance to see the city. 

Peetsurg was an odd but pleasant city. It felt like everybody around was warm and welcoming. I began to realize certain things, Mila. The company you are around can really affect the way everything seems. When I was with the other gentlemen, the whole city seemed dull and closed. It felt like no one was happy that a bunch of foreigners were walking around. But maybe because I felt different inside, the whole city seemed different. People would smile and say hello. When there was a sight or a performance to see, people would make room, almost as if to be sure you didn’t miss out. When I went to get food, people would ask where I’m from and what I was up to. This felt like a different place to where I had first arrived. 

I met another group of foreigners from Naldo who were having a tour. They asked me to join them, and so I thought ‘why not’. 

After seeing some sights, the group and I stopped to give our farewells. When they asked me where I was going, I told them that I’d just go back to the hotel. I asked them where they were staying, and they said at an old hotel at the other end of town. One of the group said it was a “very very old hotel”, but the way they said it didn’t seem like they were complaining. Another said that the place was a “very very magical place”. Something about the way they talked about their hotel made me “very very” curious. I was already open to so much, I thought I had might as well see the place. 

They were not wrong about the place. The building looked like an olden day heritage building. Different to all the modern places all around it. Out the front was this fancily decorated mailbox. There was real au and jewels on this mailbox. It was a wonder no one had stolen any of it. 

One of the workers was standing outside. He smiled to me and held the door open. It’s hard to explain but I felt safe in this old hotel. The whole place had dull colours, like greys and browns, but it felt more warm and colourful than any other place I had seen. I don’t know if that makes sense. But all I know is that it made me feel safe. Protected. 

And so now I am here at that old hotel. My room has all these things for writing letters, as well, so you can tell what I mean when I say it’s olden day. 

It’s hard to explain, Mila, but I feel like I was meant to come to this place. Here, at this hotel. 

I have not found Mr. Enrique, and I don’t think it matters if I do. I’m getting more out of these experiences than just looking for someone to help make me rich. 

I will stay here in Peetsurg for a few more days, and will come back home when we originally planned. 

I feel like I’m going to find something here. I don’t know why, but I just do. And don’t worry. I am safe here. So, I’ll see you again when I come back in a week. 

I love you so, Mila 

Thomas 

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