"Thank you for agreeing to this interview, Mr. Spruce" Bon bon says.
"Just call me Timber," The old man says before downing a pint of warm milk.
"Warm milk in a bar, eh?" Bon bon takes out her notebook.
"Me wife doesn't like me drinking," Timber gestures towards the bartender.
"Oh," Bon bon freezes for a second: "I'm sorry for your loss."
"Don't be," Timber replies as the bartender fills his cup: "She's alive I tell you."
"Oh," Bon bon frowns: "But I thought..."
"She died on that stormy night with the other half of the town?" Timber finish his cup in one go: "No, I tell you."
"I see," Bon bon says: "Well, that is...certainly new."
"For you, of course," Timber continues: "Well, aren't you here for that? Then let me tell you. It's a long story. Look at my hair, see that they are green? The towns' folk thought it to be an omen. At a young age, people spat at the ground when they saw me. As I grew, they started to throw rocks at me. So I began to wear a hat, but it didn't help. When I reached adulthood, they kicked me out of the town.My pa and ma can't do nothin' about it. So I was out all alone, catching fishes for a living."
"And how long ago was that?" Bon bon asks.
"50 odd years ago," Timber sighed, clutching onto his old jacket: "And just a few years ago a strange young lady showed at our town, claiming to be my granddaughter."
"Did you believe her?" Bon bon asks.
"Ay," Timber sighed: "She has her grandmother's eyes."
"That was great news!" Bon bon replies, noticing a twinkle of light at the corner of Timber's eye.
"Sure was," Timber sighed again after wiping his eyes: "Anyway, back to the story: one night, I was out fishing and was caught in a storm. Thought I was gonna die. Then I saw a hand, reaching out to me from the water. Without a second thought, I pulled that person aboard. As soon as she get onto the boat, the storm stopped."
"That was interesting," Bon bon asks: "And was she your wife?"
"Later, yes," Timber takes off his hat: "She was...is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Was staring for quit sometime before noticing she had no cloth on. Wasn't trying to be a freak but it was too dark out. Sure thought she was gonna kill me, but she didn't. She...giggled. So I gave her my coat, sailed back home and spent the night on the floor with her on the bed."
"Oh my," Bon bon interjects herself: "Was she from around the town?"
"She's no human," Timber looks into his cup: "No human can be that beautiful."
"So you believed her to be a siren?" Bon bon raised an eyebrow, doubting the old man's sanity.
"Nay," Timber says: "much more than that. The second morning, I woke up to her staring at the rising sun. Was nervous, so I asked: 'Twilight, wasn't that beautiful?'. She then looked at me, eyes full of joy, and with one finger pointed at herself, said: 'Twilight?'. I was referring to the scene, of course, but has been calling her Twilight since."
"I see," Bon bon says: "Isn't that the name of you painting? It was quit famous and is now housed in a museum."
"Ay," Timber smirks: "I wrote to me ma the next day, figured it would be better for her to live in town than with an outcast like me. But she wouldn't let go of my arm, and give me this...look, and I can't say no. Later, ma told me it was the same look I give them when I was kicked out. So I built her a bed, a closet, and everything. Ma gave her some lady clothing, and I taught her to read, write and talk. It wasn't long before we got married."
"That was quit romantic!' Bon bon beamed: "So that's where you got your inspirations!"
"Nay," Timber says as the bar tender pours him another pint of milk: "That painting was nothin' compared to Twilight. Eventually she learned my story, and thought it would be a good idea to convince the town to let us back. I said no, but her grip was too strong. So with a pregnant belly, she somehow gathered everyone and said everyone would be getting a boat fully of fish today. If they let us back, then they will get a lot more and wind will always be in their favor. If not, they will not catch a shell in three weeks. We were laughed out of the town of course. Three weeks later, the sheriff knocked on the door, apologized and invited us back. Turned out nobody caught a thing for three weeks after getting a boat full of fish that day."
"I've read that story," Bon bon raised her hand: "That was true?"
"Ay," Timber sighed: "We got back to the town, got a new place and a son. Things were good for awhile, but then half of the town got onto a ship and kidnapped my son. Turned out they hated me even more, but now they have Twilight to fear. They wanted to build another town. With our son as hostage, they thought Twilight will have to listen to everything they say. Didn't work to so well, I say. I jumped onto the boat to stop them, but was caught in a storm. When the sky cleared, I found nothing but planks. No bodies, just shipwreck. When I go back home, Twilight was gone too. Ever since then, everyone always has a boat full of fish in the morning and the wind in their favor." Timber stopped, finishing the whole cup in one go.
"I...am so sorry," Bon bon wipes her eyes.
"Nay," Timber put his hat on and pushed the cup aside: "The other half of the town felt bad for me and somehow start to see green hair as a good omen. And I still have my granddaughter, eh? Well, it's time to go . Twilight is waiting for me."
The second morning, an empty boat float was discovered near a remote town. On it, an old hat once belonged to an outcast. It was said he finally reunited with his love.
