“How long ’til we’re there?” I asked my grandma. 

“We should be there by noon.” She answered, clearly a little tired, too. 

We’ve been on the road for two days. This is a part of my grandmother’s ‘annual ritual.’ Usually she travels alone, but the time isn’t making her younger, and the journey takes about three days. One way or the other, having a companion is always better! I, for once, never enjoyed being alone. Besides, I am the only family member who didn’t meet grandma’s best friend, uncle Kalvin. Yes, meeting her friend is the aforementioned annual ritual. I wonder why he chose to live so far from everyone, on the outskirts of civilisation. 

“Why don’t you ask him yourself when we are there?” My grandma laughed. I clearly said that last part out loud, didn’t I?

It took a few fair zigzags in the forest after we got off the road, but we finally arrived. 

“Minna! I was waiting for you! And young Selene is with you! Please, do come in. My home is your home, but only for you!” A lively man met us at the fence gates. If I didn’t know uncle Kalvin and my grandma were of the same age, I’d say he was at least 20 years younger. 

Without waiting for a response he disappeared behind the entrance. Grandmother entered too, urging me not to be too shy. I was carefully eyeing my surroundings on the way in. A lush garden had the house in an embrace of sorts. Some plants were completely unfamiliar to me. 

“So, you like my garden, Selene.” Caught unawares, I jumped a little at the sound of uncle Kalvin’s voice. 

“Yes, I do love trees, flowers and such. What are these?” I pointed my finger at a bunch of glowing turquoise spheres in one of the dark corners of the garden, seemingly intentionally shielded from the daylight. 

“Oh, these are my latest experiments. And my pride and joy, too.” I couldn’t help my jaw dropping. I knew he was one of them, a biologist. But I had never met one before, nor had I seen anything they were capable of creating. Seeing my reaction, he smiled widely. “Minna is waiting for us inside. The dinner is getting colder by the second!”

Most of the dinner they were chatting and exchanging news. Looking at my grandma, I could clearly feel that she was younger in the moment, and that made me happy. 

Leaving them to their conversation, I went outside for a stroll in the garden. Now that I had more time to explore it, I carefully observed those unfamiliar plants from a closer distance. Every new flower or mushroom I examined could happen to be uncle Kalvin’s work, and the thought of it kept blowing my mind. 

“They simply won’t let you be, will they?” The voice behind my back made me jump again. Uncle Kalvin was smiling, amused by my reaction. 

“I’ve never seen anything like this. Is it okay that I walk in your gardens?”

“Of course. You and Minna are my honoured guests. You won’t see any of these in the city, as a matter of fact.” This time, his smile seemed a little bitter. He grew quiet for a moment, contemplating, and I decided to ask the question that had been on my mind for quite some time. 

“Uncle Kalvin, don’t you feel lonely living so far from the city?” 

For a moment, he was silent. Then he smiled, and said: “Lonely? I felt more lonely when I was there.”

The answer didn’t make much sense to me. How one could possibly feel alone with so many people around?

Seeing my puzzled face, he added: “Besides, this way of life gives you a lot more freedom. And your freedom, as we know, ends where the freedom of the others starts. Being so far from everyone, I don’t restrain others’ freedom by having my own.” With that he went to make tea for the three of us, leaving me to my own thoughts. 

Freedom. What kind of freedom is it if you have no one to share it with? He was clearly happy with his life though. I don’t have to understand, and yet, the thought won’t leave me, even after all these years. I infinitely hope that I will never have to try this kind of freedom for myself. For I fear it.