Salzer's Last Waltz or the Magic Mayim, Part 2

One day, Salzer Mayim came across an ancient text. The pages in the text were tattered and torn, yellowing and cracked. The words were in an ancient language, but with Salzer's immense knowledge of history, he could decipher the temporally foreign scribbling. In this book, Salzer rediscovered the history of Yotser Adeen's village. More importantly, the book taught him the relatively simple steps to creating the liquid. Being the curious man that he was, Salzer quickly set out to find the necessary ingredients.

When Salzer Mayim took the first sip of his creation, his eyes widened and his lips stretched across his face. It was delicious. And it was magical. The magic that had been dormant for ages now flourished again in the small, book-littered home of Salzer Mayim.

He went at once to his wife who was sick. Her condition was worsening and without the money for the proper tincture, her health was failing her. When Salzer arrived, she could barely open her eyes. She stretched a bony hand towards Salzer as a greeting for she was too weak to utter a simple hello. Into her hand, Salzer put a glass and into the glass he poured his creation. "Drink," he told her and helped her bring the glass to her lips. She shook her head. Salzer knew she had been preparing for death. The world was no longer a place in which she wished to live. "Drink," Salzer repeated, but again she shook her head.

"Please, Eesha," Salzer said.

Salzer's wife slowly closed her eyes. A salty tear leaked from the edge of her lashes, but she could not deny her pleading husband. She slowly lifted the cup to her dried lips and tilted the glass so that the tiniest drop of liquid dripped into her small mouth. The magic took effect. Her lips moistened, color returned to her recently pallid cheek, and the salty tear that had edged itself from her eye evaporated instantly. "You found it," she said to Salzer with a renewed voice. He nodded and smiled.

Soon Salzer started to distribute his ancient creation to all of his friends. He delivered it to Toov across the street and Emet next door. He delivered it to Chaver upstairs and Yashar below. He delivered it to Moreh, Talmeed, and Keheelah. Finally, he delivered it to his favorites: Meesh and Bachah. Everyone close to Salzer celebrated his creation and rejoiced in the resurrected magic. Their community flourished and it was all because of Salzer Mayim.

Years and years passed and the community thrived. As children were born and health flourished, the population of the small community grew to that of a village. And after more years the village became a town. And eventually the town became a city. By this time everyone had forgotten about the tinctures of the past and only drank Salzer Mayim's creation. The magical power of the drink declined in inverse proportion to the growing population just as it had in the past.

Salzer Mayim grew sick. He lay in bed as his wife tended to him during the day. She brought him books, but he soon grew too tired to read. And when he grew too tired to read, she read to him, but he soon grew too tired to listen. And when he could not listen anymore, she sat by his side enjoying the sparse conversation Salzer was able to carry. And in his final days, when Salzer was on the cusp of losing his ability to speak, he reached out to Eesha when she entered the room in the morning. She smiled and placed in his hand a small glass. In the small glass she poured some of Salzer's creation, but that morning the magic of the drink had dissipated entirely.

"I'm sorry," she said to him. He smiled back to her.

"No one is meant to live forever, Eesha," he said quietly. Eesha looked down.

"But we could have," Eesha said. "We could have if we never told anyone of our secret."

Salzer smiled again. "Without Chaver? And without Yashar? And without Meesh and Bachah? What life would that be?"

Eesha nodded silently. "Are we forever to be cursed? To come so close to perfection only to watch it vanish before our eyes like a beautiful dream forgotten during the day."

"Do you forget that you were once fated to never dream another night? We have lived to see our community flourish and thrive in a world of chaos. I will pass grateful to have seen this."

"All thanks to you," Eesha said. Salzer brushed her cheek and smiled affectionately.

"One day people will see there is no magic in the world." Salzer took a sip from of his drink. "It is such a simple pleasure," he said looking at the glass. "One just needs to appreciate it-that is the magic." Eesha looked down to Salzer and put her hand to his cheek. It was cold. "Let me rest now, Eesha," Salzer said and closed his eyes. She took the glass from his hand and watched as Salzer slipped peacefully into sleep.

The next day, Salzer had passed. He left the world with a smile. Chaver, Meesh, and Bachah were there that night to comfort Eesha. They sat around sipping Salzer's creation smiling, recounting stories about the simple man. His name was never to be forgotten and still brings smiles to the lips of many.