An Intriguing Soul
Riding the
T home from my dinner date with the love of my life. I am seated in the first car right next to one of the doors, engrossed in "A Bend in the River" by V.S. Naipaul.
I hear the electronic voice proclaim the approach of
Kendall/MIT. I quickly find a good place to stop, stuff my bookmark into my book, re-case my glasses and pull my shawl around my shoulders.
Sitting diagonally from me is a young woman. She has chin length blonde hair, not dyed. She is wearing a black dress that has
ruffles around the neck line with a knee-length red
leather coat over it.
Something about the way she is sitting is
fascinating to me. Straight up. She looks straight ahead, not at anyone yet not simply
staring into space either. A peaceful expression on her face.
The train pulls into the station. I pull my things closer and wait for that last second when the train seems to buck as it stops. I rise and proceed out the door of the train. She follows.
We exit the station through adjacent turn-styles and walk up opposite sides of the stairs to the street level.
My mind begins to
imagine. Fast forward to She and I being friends, sitting in my living room, recalling the evening we first met. How we got off the train and walked almost next to each other to our respective apartments
We cross the
intersection and begin up third street, me slightly behind her. Walking. Does she live near me? Have we lived around the corner from each other for long?
She reaches the lights before I and continues up third street. I veer left towards fifth street and my apartment. My
heart sighs a little at the lost possibility of friendship with this intriguing soul from the train.