He looks up from his wine and sees Death staring at him across the room.
He cries out, ‘But this cannot be my time!'He flees Damsacus.
He rides his horse fast across the desert to Samarra.
When he arrives, he’s thirsty.
Standing before him at the well is Death.
Upon seeing Death for the second time, the mancries out, ‘This cannot be! For I escaped you in Damascus!’
Death lays his hand upon the shoulder of the man and says, ‘I, also, was surprised to see you in Damascus, for my appointment with you was always to be here, in Samarra.'