10 pm, Sunday night. It has been a long ride home. Four hours to be exact and I’m feeling pretty anxious. I’m the last person to get off the train because I was the last person to get on. The buses don’t run on Sunday nights so I line up at the cab stand. There are about 50 people ahead of me and at this rate, it’ll take me at least another hour before I get home.
I look up at the stars looking down on me. The couple behind me does the same and quickly loses interest --they don’t see what I see. Reflections. Our sun in only one of many stars and the moonlight is only a reflection of our sun. When I look up at night, my face is the moon and the stars are my sun. I am the reflection of a thousand little stars, light years away. No --they don’t see what I see. How many of them reflect?
I step out of line and make my way to the front. The people I pass believe me to be a cheat and a liar. But I am neither.
Are any of you heading to campus?
At first they look at me in surprise.
We can all save time and money if we carpool.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
“I’m in.”
“Me too.”
Great, that make four of us.
“Let’s grab that next cab coming this way.”
We all poise ourselves in anticipation, as if ready to pounce on our prey. We are the first to react and no one questions our authority. Not even the girl one spot ahead of us.
Oh my god, I’m sorry. We just totally cutted in front of you.
She’s shy and meek. “Oh, that’s okay. I’ll catch the next one.”
By this time everyone else had already loaded their things and taken their seats. The die was cast.
Once again, I’m terribly sorry. We didn’t notice.
“Hey that’s alright, no one does.”
She didn’t say that last part but I felt it. As we drove off, my heart sunk to my stomach. Stupid stupid stupid … I am sooo sorry. I wish I could give you a thousand sorry’s … and I know that would never be enough.
I look up at the stars looking down on me. The couple behind me does the same and quickly loses interest --they don’t see what I see. Reflections. Our sun in only one of many stars and the moonlight is only a reflection of our sun. When I look up at night, my face is the moon and the stars are my sun. I am the reflection of a thousand little stars, light years away. No --they don’t see what I see. How many of them reflect?
I step out of line and make my way to the front. The people I pass believe me to be a cheat and a liar. But I am neither.
Are any of you heading to campus?
At first they look at me in surprise.
We can all save time and money if we carpool.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
“I’m in.”
“Me too.”
Great, that make four of us.
“Let’s grab that next cab coming this way.”
We all poise ourselves in anticipation, as if ready to pounce on our prey. We are the first to react and no one questions our authority. Not even the girl one spot ahead of us.
Oh my god, I’m sorry. We just totally cutted in front of you.
She’s shy and meek. “Oh, that’s okay. I’ll catch the next one.”
By this time everyone else had already loaded their things and taken their seats. The die was cast.
Once again, I’m terribly sorry. We didn’t notice.
“Hey that’s alright, no one does.”
She didn’t say that last part but I felt it. As we drove off, my heart sunk to my stomach. Stupid stupid stupid … I am sooo sorry. I wish I could give you a thousand sorry’s … and I know that would never be enough.
6 comments:
Awwww that is a very sweet post.
At least you felt it. How many people, it seems, would do the same and say 'Sucker!' as they drove away? At least you felt it. Next time, let the person behind you go first, just because you can.
wow man you're lucky i wasn't standing in front of that lady or else we'd be both mentioned in today's newspaper
7aki, glad you liked it. Needed to do this, couldn't get it off my mind.
lceel, thanks. I really mean it.
hareega, I haven't had to delete a comment yet but I was seriously tempted to. I'm sure you meant well, just try and go easy on the "macho" stuff. Please.
awwwwww :)
Just make it a point to make it up to her or someone in a similar situation, to balance the karma.
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