Case Study of star fading

The fortune teller’s prophesy was “Hurry, his star is fading.”

I use the title “Case Study of star fading” as the Literary Quote prompt recalls to my mind this anecdote.

This is storytelling, and I mean tell, as there is not much showing; I lack the skills to write that way.

A friend’s friend, nicknamed Aa here, lost his dad when the elderly man walked out of home one day, and never returned by nightfall. Needless to recount, the family searched high and low for the patriarch. After the mandatory waiting period of 24 hours, they filed a missing person police report at their local station. On their own initiatives, they drove from hospital to hospital in the town, searching in the registrar of patients, as well as the unconscious and unidentified ones.

As the missing man disappeared on foot, they did not conceive him travelling far away into another geographical territory. The searches continued for many days within their hometown.

After a few weeks, they decided to seek a fortune teller, to divine the fate of the old man. This seer was well known and respected for his skill. He asked for the usual data like the man’s birthdate, and time of birth. He consulted his charts of astrology to map the path of his star. Finally, he told his patrons this:

“I see an intense light, like a bright piece broken –too sharp, too bright ……. Hurry, his star is fading.”

They asked him so many questions. Where should they look?

The fortune teller could not say definitives. He offered this advice, “His time is running out. He must be found soon. “

They were crestfallen. They had hoped that the clairvoyant might be able to discern the location of their patriarch. Instead, they received the warning that he could be succumbing to the elements.

The searches continued daily, until hope, optimism, energy, time and resources ran low. They stopped.

One year passed. Then, yet another and another.

One day, the family chanced upon a family friend, who happened to see the patriarch – alive. The family now knows the truth. They finally understood the seer’s prophesy.

The hidden meaning was in a slightly deviated interpretation of “His time is running out.” His time to reunite with his main family was running out, when they sought help to locate him. He walked out, discarding his main family. He went to live with his second family. He liked this arrangement better, and made up his mind to stay with his second family.

On the other hand, a critic might say, “That was a vague hint, for people to interpret the way their bias lies.”

As far as I know, the patriarch’s son, Aa, gave the impression he was a filial son. I’m unaware of his family dynamics. The extensive efforts towards the searches told me the family had deep bonds and relationships with the patriarch. Apparently, perceived appearances can be unidirectional.

This is my fourth encounter of men who deserted their first families, in favor of their second families. I may write about the others later on.

Related

“You’re like a sharp bright piece broken from a star. Too sharp, too bright, sometimes, for your own good.”― Nicola Griffith, Hild This is a Literary Quote writing prompt from https://violetslentz.home.blog/2026/05/28/curb-appeal/ (Thank you Violet.)

This is not a personal encounter but I mention it because it offers some reasons/ excuses why people leave relationships – https://artmater.com/men-who-left-their-women-because-of-ai-chatbots/

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