The Road Not Taken

It was an early Sunday morning, the wind whistled through the half-bared trees, the sky was crowded with clouds and the sun hasn't showed a sign it's about to rise yet.
'I love autumn', thought Robert as he took a deep breath of fresh air. He looked around him, admiring the view of the forest as the falling leaves reflected in his eyes.

After a long hike, Robert was sure the end of the road is near. He took a sip from his bottle of water, which just ran out. He walked a little further and found himself in front of a fork – two roads diverged in a yellow wood. By the time he got there the sun managed to peek through the lower trees and the birds broke into song.
"Great, what am I going to do now?" he thought out loud.
"You should walk here," said a small voice from the right road.
"Is anyone out there?" asked Robert and walked a few steps ahead.
"I'm down here!" replied the voice, surprised that the man couldn't see him.
Robert was confused. There was no one out there. He looked around, trying to find a place big enough for a person to hide.
"I'm the road, silly!" said the voice and laughed. It seemed like the forest around the road laughed with it– the trees were shaking back and forth, the grass was jumping up and down, the small stones were rolling all over the road and even the birds' tweet started to sound like a laughter. Then he looked at the left road and saw it was quite, nothing was happening there.
Robert was even more confused now. He looked as far as he could, to where the road bent in the undergrowth, but couldn't see anyone. Perhaps the road was really talking to him?
"You're the road?" he asked in a suspicious voice.
"Why, yes I am!"
"Excuse me for being rude, but roads don't talk."
"I've been trying to tell him that all along," Interfered the left road, "but he just won't listen!"
Robert took a few steps back. What is going on? Has the world gone mad?
"Am I dreaming?"
"Why are you asking me?" said the left road in a grumpy voice, "I haven't slept in ages. It's impossible to sleep next to this Chatty Cathy over here."
"I am not a Chatty Cathy and it's not my fault you can't sleep. Stop blaming me for your problems!"
"Don't shout in front of the man, can't you see how scared you've made him?"
Robert felt like he was going to faint. He could not believe what he was seeing.
"Are you okay?" asked the right road. "What's your name?"
"I'm Robert," he replied, trying to stay on his feet.
"I'll call you Bob. You can call us Righty and Lefty, that's what most people do."
Robert stood still. He tried closing his eyes for a few seconds and when he opened them he hoped to be back home, or at least at a wood with non-talking roads.
'Maybe I'm just dehydrated," he thought. 'Hallucinations happen when you're dehydrated, right?' He took out his bottle of water and remembered he had already drunk it all. He shook the bottle, hoping to see a few drops inside, but the bottle was completely empty.
"Hey, Bob!" called Righty, "Are you thirsty? If you go on my path, you could stop by the beautiful, refreshing river!"
"Would you stop that? Let the man get it together before you go on and on about your nonsense," said Lefty in the same grumpy voice as before.
"People happen to love my nonsense," replied Righty and couldn’t help but sounding a little arrogant.
Robert stood there in shock, staring at the arguing roads.
"Bob, come here!" said Righty and woke Robert up from his stare. He hesitated, but decided to go closer and see what the road has to say. He stepped on the beginning of the road when he heard Righty calling: "Ouch, that's my face!"
"I- I'm sorry," stuttered Robert and jumped back, "I didn't know you have a face."
"He doesn't," said Lefty. "Quit messing with the poor man, Righty."
Robert turned around and started walking as the roads were arguing among themselves.
"Bob, where are you going?" called Righty when he noticed Robert was leaving.
"I'm going back. I can't take this anymore."
"What was the point walking all the way here if you are just going to give up when you have to make a decision?" said Lefty, which surprisingly sounded inspiring. "At the end, you only regret things you didn't do."
"But how do I know which one to choose?"
"I offer a gorgeous view with lovely animals, calming nature sounds, clear paths and trimmed grass," explained Righty. Robert grinned; he finally started to get the answers he needed.
"Our paths look much alike, except I keep my path the way Mother Nature gave it to me. I can add a full tour guide if you wish."
"Most people like my road better."
"Most people choose your road. There is a difference between liking and choosing. Sometimes people make bad decisions."
Robert started to think. Righty seemed more energetic and interesting to look at and Lefty just seemed grumpy. But maybe he is just tired of this constant competition with Righty.
Robert decided to take the left road. Although Righty looked better, Lefty didn't care what people have to say or which road they chose and Robert admired him for that.

Until this day, Robert still looks back at the time he had to choose between the two roads and can't stop himself from wondering if he made the right decision. He knows he will never come back to that fork in the wood again and sighs when he thinks about what could have happened if he took the other road.
Lefty was right. You only regret things you didn't do.