The sun had gone down behind the horizon once more and Robert found refuge under a large evergreen tree for the night

The sun had gone down behind the horizon once more and Robert found refuge under a large evergreen tree for the night.  When morning came, he continued on his journey as he had done every morning for the past decade. 

Sometime in early morning, Robert heard the voices of men calling out to each other and the sounds of construction.  A hammer beat down on metal, an axe chopped at wood, a river rushed nearby, and there were several other indiscernible sounds emanating from the forest around him.  He followed the sounds as they got louder and stepped from the cover of the trees into a clearing. 

A river passed through the clearing and there were six men bustling around building a bridge across the waters.  The bridge was near completion; it seemed safe enough to cross and the men were doing so to bring supplies across the expanse of moving water. 

All the men looked hard at work except for one who seemed to be taking a break.  Robert stepped towards the man, who didn't seem to notice the cloaked figure's presence.  "Good day, sir," announced Robert.

The man looked up in shock, finally realizing that he wasn't alone.  "Well now, you startled me," he said as he placed a hand on his chest to make sure his heart was still inside; that it hadn't bounced out of him.

"Sorry," said Robert, apologetically.

"You know, it's not customary in these parts to go around scaring people.  It's quite rude in fact," said the man, pointing a finger in Robert's face.

"I did say I was sorry," Robert pointed out.

"Is that right?  Can you prove it?"

"Well, no," said Robert, finding this whole conversation quite frustrating, "but if you like, I could apologize again."

"I think you'd better, or you'll have a lot of trouble in your hands, Mister."

"I'm sorry," said Robert again.

"That's better," the man calmed down and pulled a sandwich out of his bag on the ground beside him.

Robert watched as the man took a few bites and swallowed.  "What can I do for you?" the man asked finally.

"Nothing really, I was just passing by and wondered if I might make use of your bridge to cross the river.  What river is this, anyway?" asked Robert.

"This river?" asked the man, pointing to the river behind him as though Robert may have been referring to some other river in the clearing, "That's the Essenkani River."

Robert had heard of it, but he had never knowingly seen it before.  He was sure he had crossed it countless times, but never realized it.  To him, it had always been a river, nothing more.  "I see," said Robert, finding that the man had totally avoided the whole subject of him using the bridge to cross the river.

"It's a mighty fine river, if you ask me.  I'd say that anyone falling in it would most likely get dragged all the way down to wherever it ends," continued the man, "I don't think anyone actually knows where it ends.  Someday I plan on finding out.  I call it 'My Lifelong Quest.'"

"That's all very interesting, but the thing I'd really like to know is whether I can cross your bridge," said Robert, unable to contain his irritation with the man.

"Oh, the bridge?  Sure you can, that's what it's there for," said the man as he took another bite from his sandwich.

"Thank you," said Robert, trying to mask his contempt.

Robert crossed the bridge quickly.  He was keen on getting away from the strange man and the other workers who would probably prove to be equally as annoying.  He had a quest of his own and was anxious to reach the end.  He felt he still had a long way to go.