THE ORANGE GIRL
By JOSTEIN GAARDER
Does Sophie’s World ring a bell? Well it sure will if you took up Philosophy during your freshmen or sophomore year. The said book, in all philosophy subjects is always mentioned or even considered as one of the references. If you have Sophie’s inquisitive mind who loved the mind twisting riddles and brain bugging mysteries of the philosopher surely love another bestseller of Mr. Jostein Gaarder, “The Orange Girl”.
The Norwegian author originally entitled the novel “Appelsinpiken” and hit the bookshelves in 2003. Right now, it is translated in over 40 languages and still selling worldwide.
The story began one winter day, Goerg Roed arrived from school and her grandparents and mom and stepdad were sitting in the living room waiting for him. He thought of things he might have done wrong but there was none. His grandmother said that she found an envelope on the red push chair Georg used to walk on when he was still a kid. Jorgen, Georg’s stepfather, being modest, he have to be there even it doesn’t concerns him. The envelope was addressed to Georg and it was from his father. The thought really bogged him for his father died eleven years ago and now he received a big envelope from him. He doubted that it was just a practical joke to make him know his father. He went straight to his room and locked himself in and began to read.
It all started one day, Jan Olav a medical student waiting for the tram to arrive. Lost in his own thoughts, he suddenly noticed a young girl carrying a big bagful of luscious orange. He stared at her for so long that the girl noticed him staring and gave a coy smile. As he was intermittently gazing at her, the tram gave a jolt and swayed so the first thing that came to his mind was the orange girl might trip for she was small for the big bag she’s carrying. Jan Olav made his way to the orange girl and in a split second, his one arm around the girl’s waist and the other was holding the bag; the oranges fell all over the floor and on people’s laps. Few people chuckled for they thought he made the oranges fly over everywhere. As he was about to give the oranges back to the girl he felt so embarrassed and that the girl got angry. The tram halted and the orange girl disappeared into the crowd. Jan Olav felt so ashamed and decided that he should see the orange girl again to make amends. It became a habit for Jan Olav that when he’s in the tram he scans the crowd for the orange girl and he began to take strolls around the area just to get a glimpse of the orange girl. Days, weeks and months passed by and orange girl did not appear. Then one day, as he was meeting with his friend in medical school in a café, he caught sight of the orange girl sitting alone and flicking through a book with colorful illustrations. Maybe she did not notice him observing her but she raised her head and looked straightly at Jan Olav’s eyes and smiled. Without hesitation he rose from his seat and sat with the orange girl. They did not talk, they just looked into each other’s eyes and it seemed like they understand each other. Jan Olav put his hand on the table and the orange girl held his hand. Surprisingly, Jan Olav felt a sudden rush of adrenaline and gasped; “You’re a squirrel!” She just smiled, looked deep into Jan Olav’s excited eyes and left with tears in her eyes.
Being so mystified and captivated by the orange girl, Jan Olav thought, how come she always carries a bagful of oranges with her whenever she appears. His search for the orange girl became like a routine and it made him even more interested. Then, as one of his strolls, Jan Olav passed through the marketplace; there he saw the orange girl in the same anorak (coat) she always been filling her bag with succulent oranges. She scrutinizes each sphere of the oranges she picks and puts it in her bag. After filling her bag, she left and Jan Olav followed her to say hi but to his dismay the orange girl hopped into a white Toyota and from the looks of it, the orange girl was with someone – her lover perhaps. Many things ran into Jan Olav’s mind but the thoughts did not stop from looking for the orange girl again. As Christmas time approached, being alone in the cold country, Jan Olav paid a visit to the cathedral to hear mass. He thought of the orange girl but did not pay attention to it, but as he looked across the aisle just as the choir sang a Christmas carol, there she is, the orange girl. She was not wearing her usual anorak and she’s not carrying a bag of oranges with her. After the mass, they caught up with each other and greeted each other a merry Christmas. For the first time, they made a real conversation. Jan Olav asked if she was going to Greenland with someone and what’s with the oranges. She gave a ‘aha!’ smile and remembered the man who bumped her in the train. He wanted to make up for all the oranges but she refused and finds it sweet anyway. They walked side by side until they reached where the orange girl is supposed to hail a cab. Then they faced each other; ‘When can we see each other again?’ Jan Olav asked longingly as he had waited for this for a long time and doesn’t want it to end. ‘How long can you wait?’ the orange girl asked with a doubtful tone. Jan Olav searched for answer in his head and replied ‘I can wait until my heart bleeds with sorrow’. The orange girl looked at him and with a hopeful voice, ‘It would be good if you could wait a little longer’. He asked for how long and she informed him that he has to wait for six months and if he succeeds they can be together everyday for the next six months.
After that meeting, he did not make any attempt on finding the orange girl, he has to succeed. But one day, he received a lovely postcard depicting an orange courtyard and he turned it; ‘I’ve been thinking of you. Can you wait a little longer?’ His heart suddenly wanted to explode with so much euphoria. He leave from school for a few days borrowed money from his parents and flew to where his orange girl might be. He visited the orange courtyard that was in the postcard and strolled down the plaza and settled to a café. As he was scanning the people, different faces, he has longed to be with her again and there she is her smile that could melt the entire world standing with a bearded man. As a pang of dismay ran over his body, the man noticed him and clutched the orange girl’s arm. Then she saw him, and that bright so delicate, lovely face made her way to where he is. After some catching up, the orange girl tried to remind Jan Olav who she really is. She said, that they live in the same street, they went to the same school when they were young and that they were together everyday back then. Jan Olav, in a matter of seconds, he looked shock and a gash of memories came running to his brain. He remembered, the girl who he used to play with in his youth -- Veronika. She left with her family when they were just seven or eight and never seen each other again after. Then all his shame and awkwardness escaped from his system and they exchanged stories from where they stopped seeing each other. Veronika is a painter and the oranges she used to carry was ‘models’ she used to practice on since orange was the national fruit where she’s studying. Then from there, they lived together in an apartment and finished her course in a span of six months. They went back to their hometown and been together since then. They loved gardening and nature seems to connect with them. They got married, Jan Olav became a doctor and then Georg came into their lives. But just as their wonderful gift from above came, Jan Olav diagnosed himself and asked a colleague who agreed with his diagnosis that he has a progressive disease. Leaving Georg and the orange girl was a complete catastrophe in his family life and he loved them so much but nature calls and he can’t back off.
The letter Georg Roed, the child who received the large envelope was the same Georg Jan Olav and the orange girl had as a sign of their love. Jan Olav wrote the letter about the orange girl to Georg to tell him just one important thing and try to understand; “Don’t tell me that nature isn’t a miracle. Don’t tell me the world isn’t a fairytale. Anyone who hasn’t realized that may never understand until the fairytale is just about to end. Then there is one final chance to tear off the blinkers, a last chance to rub your eyes in amazement, a final opportunity to abandon yourself to the wonder you are bidding farewell to and leaving”.
By this, I leave it to the readers to decide if this hell-of-a-book is not a must-read. Arrivedercci!
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