[ WP ] Humanity has cured old age . You were a friend of the last person to die of natural causes .

John Rourke. Big Johnny, as we called him. How do I even begin to recount his memory? To be honest, much of it has faded away as the gears of time grind away at my mind. Now, I am left only with the extremes, if you will; the most striking moments of our all too brief existence together. Perhaps I can regale you with some of our great exploits in the small world that we lived in together. But first, I have a question for you: why have you come to me today? Well, I think I may know the answer. I bet you are looking for the answer to humanity ’ s biggest question today. Yes, yes! That must be it. I can tell by that glimmer in your eyes. I can tell by that faint smirk on your lips! Well, let us begin. 
 
 Big Johnny and I grew up in New York City. At the time, it was the greatest metropolis ever to grace this earth. Surely there were larger cities, and there definitely were more populous cities. But nowhere else could you find such a startling array of people, such a huge depth of diversity! It created such a unique culture. It truly gave the city a soul; and that, my friend, is something we all seek. Johnny and I, well, we had a grand time there. Like I said, many of the details are frayed around the edges, and the memories are fuzzy and blurry. If only I could get glasses for my brain! But one instance stands out in my mind, one that really demonstrates his compassion for those he loved. 
 
 We were on the 4 train, slowly bumping and bouncing its way across the tracks to Lexington Avenue. My girlfriend at the time stood with me in a corner, right in front of the door. Johnny had gotten separated from us, as the train contained too many people for its space. But we could see his head bumping and bouncing in sync with the train. 
 
 Well, not everyone was fixed, like today, if you get me. They took those people away to special places, but they came out just the same, or sometimes, even worse. The governments felt it was inappropriate to deal with those people in a meaningful way. And on that train, as I later found out, stood one of those people. He laid his eyes upon my girl, and from that moment on, his eyes remained transfixed on her. The gaze penetrated her deeply, and she felt quite uneasy. But he was separated by a mass of people, and so we ignored him. We got off the train, and it seemed as if all was well. Johnny still walked a little bit behind us, playing on his iPod. Hmm? Oh, really, it is not important to the story. Just look it up later, it was just a popular gizmo at the time. Sometimes I forget we aren ’ t all the same age. 
 
 However, as we strolled up the stairs, we turned around to look for Johnny, but instead, we only found the creepy man from earlier. He strolled up to us, and rather forcefully said “ You ’ re pretty. I want to go out with you, please. ” 
 
 My girlfriend timidly replied, “ No, I-I ’ m sorry I can ’ t. ” She offered a small smile, then added “ I ’ m dating this one, right here. ” 
 I turned to smile at her, and before I could even open my mouth, I felt a searing pain in my cheekbone and then everything went dark for a second. I tried to scramble to my feet, but my bodily functions deserted me. I flopped around on the floor, like some animal. It was humiliating. I thought the man would kill me, and I had no faculties with which to stop him. But eventually my vision recovered and the room stopped spinning, and I stood up. Then it dawned on me, the reason he had not continued beating me; he went after my girlfriend instead. I felt myself sink into a pit of despair for a scant few moments as I searched for her with my eyes, but instead, I found something else. The odd man lay on the floor, with Johnny on top of him. Just sitting there, using his weight to his advantage. He did not even strike the man! 
 
 After the man had been taken away in handcuffs and the medics said that I would be fine, I asked Johnny, “ Why didn ’ t you hit the bastard! He deserved it, you know! Hit me right in the eye! ” 
 
 Johnny only chuckled. “ Well, the man was sick. You could just see it in his eyes. He needed help, not a beating. Maybe he ’ ll be able to find some. ” 
 
 “ Are you sure he didn ’ t need a beating? I think a good hiding would sort him right out! He ’ s just some worthless scum, some subhuman from – “ 
 
 “ He was still a person. Everyone has their own virtues and their own burdens. Maybe someday you ’ ll realize that. ” 
 
 Eventually, I did. But not for a long time. I did not realize it when he died, some fifty years later. I only saw what he meant maybe another seventy years later; ten years ago to date. You see, I spent much of my life after college, after that day, running in the rat race. Let me tell you, I was damn good at it. I made more money than I knew what to do with. I conquered entire industries! I brought proud men to their knees, begging me for some favor or perhaps even some mercy. But in the end, I didn ’ t find much happiness. I felt hollow, and people left me alone once we all clocked out to go home. 
 
 Johnny did no such thing. He did well for himself, but he did not spend all of his time working. He made enough to keep himself happy, to get him and his small family whatever little pleasures they wanted. He particularly enjoyed hiking with his two sons, or playing a computer game with his wife. And this, I think, is why Johnny did not take the life serum. I sat with him as he faded away, right next to his wife and kids as well. He talked to all of them, one by one, and after he was done, he sent them out of the room for a moment. Then he turned to me, his face pallid and grey, his head sparse, and what he said changed my life. 
 
 By that point, I realized I had wasted my life chasing money and working, but the serum gave me a second chance. I began to seek fulfillment, like Johnny did, rather than some tangible goal. I spent my life enjoying myself in different ways. I started my own family. I published the book I had dreamed of writing since I was a kid. I even released an album that had been building in my heart for years. The book was well received, and the album was fairly popular, but that was never the point. 
 
 Now, we have come to this point. I think I can try to answer your deeper question now. It really isn ’ t so hard to see, once you ’ re ready to retire yourself. People retire because once they have found their own fulfillment, there is not much left to do. 
 
 
 [ Writer's note: Sorry for the drop in quality towards the end. I got a little bored, but then I did n't have time to edit it again ]
