A bartender, stranger and Auld Lang Syne

I thought of a story once of a bartender, stranger and an old song by Robert Burns, who maybe had some help with his lyrics.

The bartender was a beautiful lass with long black hair; the stranger, an old man of the world who saw and did many things, but with each new year he conjured up memories of a time gone by as life itself passed before his very eyes.

And the song Auld Lang Syne was written by a Scottish lad by the name of Robert Burns, with maybe a little help from others. Burns was a poor man for most of his life and died at the age of 37, but oh the wisdom that flowed from his pen about old friends.

The origin of Auld Lang Syne

It was New Year's Eve on this very night and the stranger decided to stop for a brew and lift a glass to the old year out and the New Year in.

So, he paused at the first tavern he passed and took a seat in the corner as the crowd seemed to be impatiently awaiting the new year.

Merriment abounded on the faces of people at this tavern, but the stranger knew deep down there were some tracks of tears hidden behind some of those smiling faces.

“It is such a secret place, the land of tears” (The Little Prince fable by Saint-Exupéry), the stranger pondered.

It was only a few minutes to wait until discarding the past and welcoming the new would arrive; folks were anticipating the strike of 12 at midnight.

The bartender asked the stranger, "what would you like sir"?

"A cold brew would be fine."

The bartender scurried off and, in a few moments, returned with a libation. A tiny first sip was to be had and the stranger then thought about the old year whose cascading tiny particles of sand were falling to the lower chamber of that last hourglass.

Memories cluttered his head. A year with so many memories; some smiles of happiness; some tears of sadness; a short journey to a magic village; and back to a sorrowful place.

What would the new year bring? He sat silently in the corner and contemplated a future.

The bartender came back and asked if he wanted another round.

"No thank you kind lady, one is fine; soon you will need a welcoming rest and warm soak for your moaning feet," he said.

The bartender replied, "you may be right, but I had a nice vacation back in the summer."

"Let me guess," said the stranger, "you went to a beach."

"You are a most intuitive friend, but you know the strangest thing about that trip?"

"I give up," said the stranger!

"When I got on my return flight, I had the greatest desire to get back home as quickly as possible," offered the hostess; she seemed a bit homesick thought the stranger.

“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly” (Little Prince) the stranger surmised.

She then scurried off once again to accommodate her many customers.

Some say there is no place like home.

And now the clock was nearing that magical moment of midnight as the old year would retire and sleep forever more.

Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one ...

The group of bar patrons gave out a loud, rancorous cheer as the clock’s second hand took its first stroll in 2024; the stranger lifted his glass.

And soon, all these joyous people seemed to put away the bad moments of 2023 and looked forward to the coming year of 2024 with laughter, glee and hope that the future would treat them kindly.

The stranger was quiet in the corner for he knew the past was gone and a future had arrived where no soothsayer could offer a prediction on what each one of these patrons would confront in the coming tomorrows.

The patrons in unison began singing that popular New Years tune ...

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And days o’ lang syne!

Another verse would rekindle some memories:

We two have run about the hills,

And pulled the daisies fine;

But we’ve wander’d many a weary foot,

Since auld lang syne

These years are picking up speed; even this current moment won’t last for long:

We two have paddled in the brook,

From mornin’ sun till dinnertime:

But seas between us broad have roar’d,

Since auld lang syne.

Soon the song would end and the patrons would leave.

The stranger left too but he chose to embrace this "present" on his way out.

For today is truly a gift.

Pete Waters is a Sharpsburg resident who writes for The Herald-Mail.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: A bartender, stranger and Auld Lang Syne