Aleatory Tales

  The place was Mesopotamia and the year was approximately 3,500 B.C. I say approximately because, at that time, the Julian calendar as we know it did not yet exist. This would only be created by Julius Caesar in 45 BC, of course, at that time without the mention of “before Christ” which was only created much later, by Constantine in 325 AD. But that part of the story or my inability to more precise calculations they are not important to the events that led to the greatest invention in human history. A fertile land supplied by Tigris and Euphrates rivers, that place has attracted diverse peoples for centuries. And fertility was not just about planting, but also about ideas, since it was in that same region that the first known form of writing was created. Returning to the invention of the wheel, everything has to do with a humble farmer in a small city-state. Every day he worked hard on his wheat field with the help of his wife and children. It was difficult, but rewarding work. On...

He woke up a little lost. Where was him? Still in bed, he looked around and noticed countless posters of his favorite band. Yes, he was in his own bedroom. What a hangover! He had a headache, still a little dizzy and his mouth was not only dry, but he also tasted something like shoe soles. He shouldn’t have exaggerated so much. Imagine if he had anything important to do today. Wait, he had something important to do today. It was the day of the concert of his favorite band. The pop that managed to combine simplicity and sophistication. Musicians who were extremely talented and at the same time, able to charm crowds. An epic, sublime phenomenon. He had bought the tickets almost a year ago, he was looking forward to that day. So anxious that he couldn’t sleep at all and had to go to the bar to drink with friends to forget the subject a little. He has forgotten way too much. What time was it? His mobile was out of battery. Great, after all, he was going to have to charge his cell phone bef...

It was a lively transatlantic cruise. At the height of summer, it was full of tourists having fun in the Caribbean seas. The day was perfect as it always was in that place, especially at that time of the year. Nothing could go wrong. The captain was excited about his first trip working in a tourist ship. All those years of coast guard work were behind him. He no longer needed to patrol, pursue pirates or take risks. It would be enough to ensure people’s safety and fun. Oh, how she loved that sun and those waters. And now, especially, he loved the lightness of his new obligations. He saw children running around, families enjoying the day, couples in love and drunk singles partying. A week had passed and the most serious incident was that there was a lack of lobster in the restaurant. Okay, they were in the easiest place in the world to resolve this issue. In a short time, a fishing boat from the region was contacted and quickly supplied the giant ocean. Everything seemed to be going wel...

Was that really what he wanted for his life? He began to think about his entire trajectory. He grew up, studied, attended college, started working and was about to get married… A summary of life that would describe millions of people. Practically, a certificate of mediocrity. He reflected that he had never done anything great like climbing Everest, for instance. Although, according to a famous photo that showed a gigantic queue of climbers at the highest point on the planet, even this adventure was not so exclusive anymore. What could be the plans to really make his mark on the world? Perhaps, even leaving the world and giving wings to his childhood dream of being an astronaut. Being closer to the stars would be an experience like no other. In fact, theoretically we are all stardust, aren’t we? Perhaps, he had too many expectations. Just the opportunity to be able to look at the stars from time to time was satisfaction enough. Especially when he was camping, one of his favorite hobbies...