I was seated right beside her the last time we met. I was plastered with a silly grin and I spoke in the shrill high register of the stroke guy from the Simpsons.
Three months later, last night, I gripped the handle of my grocery cart and paused in my step when I saw her standing across the aisle. She was wearing a tight dark gray shirt and those loose pants with the ethnic print, the ones that you find on the side stalls of beaches.
Oh boy.
A tug at my collar. A nervous gulp. I moved in closer.
"Hello there!"
"Hey! Long time no see!"
She placed her hand on my right arm. I slowly bent forward and gave her a peck on the cheek. We exchanged pleasantries and little snippets of the three months that had gone by since we last met. Gone was the shrill voice and the silly look on my face. I looked straight at her the whole time and I spoke to her in a low voice that sounded tired even to myself. I was amazed by my apparent nonchalance and coolness.
We said our goodbyes. I gave a little wave to her daughter and moved on towards the next aisle. I had no idea where I was going. My field of vision was encircled by white. I was mumbling a replay of the conversation that we just had.
"That was nice."
Three months later, last night, I gripped the handle of my grocery cart and paused in my step when I saw her standing across the aisle. She was wearing a tight dark gray shirt and those loose pants with the ethnic print, the ones that you find on the side stalls of beaches.
Oh boy.
A tug at my collar. A nervous gulp. I moved in closer.
"Hello there!"
"Hey! Long time no see!"
She placed her hand on my right arm. I slowly bent forward and gave her a peck on the cheek. We exchanged pleasantries and little snippets of the three months that had gone by since we last met. Gone was the shrill voice and the silly look on my face. I looked straight at her the whole time and I spoke to her in a low voice that sounded tired even to myself. I was amazed by my apparent nonchalance and coolness.
We said our goodbyes. I gave a little wave to her daughter and moved on towards the next aisle. I had no idea where I was going. My field of vision was encircled by white. I was mumbling a replay of the conversation that we just had.
"That was nice."
