excerpt

A Story by DavidGreatly

This is just a slice of a new project I'm currently working on. Constructive comments welcome.

Mind and body feel at ease as I approach yet another bus stop. As one balances the other, the soul, stokes its fire. The rain curates an event upon the roof of the bus, and allows the chance to understand its native tongue. Exiting the bus, I stomp quickly through puddles to a small dry space and shield myself from the storm. It is at this moment, a message delivered from the rain takes the form of a tired man. We share the small plot of dry space and exchange small talk. The rain by now has learned the art of speech and roars in celebration, containing our bodies under our small dry space, preventing any travel for the time being. The tired man translates its words

"could you spare two dollars?"

I open my wallet and give five dollars to him.

"I must be honest, I plan to buy alcohol with this money"

His words like the storm, swift, and sudden, creating an instant change in my perception. My mind starts building judgment with an old hammer, crafted by the hands of someone else, and then suddenly I could hear. I forge my own response and assure the tired man that I pass no judgment on him. Regardless of what is purchased, I am still gifted with a flicker of light in his eyes, and a ray of life from his smile.

The rain has stopped as if his happiness was an umbrella, clearing a dry path to my destination. Both of us now heading in the same direction due to the tired mans newly earned cash. The nearest convenience store is located fairly close to where I had intended on grabbing a bite to eat, so we make way. We laugh and share stories. Im learning much about his native city that I had recently made a home out of. We share opinions about life and people, conjuring something more than just small talk, it is a bond. As time carelessly slips away we notice we are at where I needed to be. I wish Andrew good luck, part ways with him, and carry on to a booth in the corner of a vietnamese restaurant.

The atmosphere of this building is now accompanied by the return of more rain fall. With each bite I feel content, ignoring the crippling delay of my journey back home. I observe conversation between kindred spirits as if I was laying in the grass finding pictures in the clouds. My imagination is sketching images, attempting to perceive the who, what, where, and why of each communion. The most commonly used color on my pallet is one that can only be seen in the exchanging of smiles between two humans. It is apart of a color wheel containing only itself. Such a color can only be made with the work of two hearts, each allowing the other to speak and be heard. However, no two hearts must be alike, only accepting of the others faults, like I had been of Andrews.

My stomach decided it has received its fill, and so has the storm. I gather my belongings, and chase the pavement towards home. My laces dance above the weathered concrete, placing one foot ahead the other, I permit them to take control of my destination. Why should I worry about where I'm going? As long as I am moving forward, I know I will get there.

The events of today have me searching. Like chicken scratch in a physics notebook, my thoughts are not legible and scattered, but I can make out some of the print. Some equations remain unsolved due to the lack of focus in my note taking. When I was busy forcing my attention elsewhere, I seemed to have missed when the useful material was presented. Those times in life, ironically, are valuable experiences. Sometimes its not too late to go back and fill in the blanks.

How many times have I passed by the chance to make a valuable connection? A large portion of my life has been ruled by fear of not having a perfect life. Strangely enough, had I been less focused on my "perfect life" I would have realized it was always there. I think we are misunderstanding the idea of perfect. I've always been served a balanced helping of the good and the bad. For me, this is perfect, because without one, I couldn't enjoy the other. If we only focus on the good moments in life, we wont have the skill to deal with the bad, and then we become fixed on only one idea of happiness. Eventually that idea of happiness becomes repetitive and we forget what happiness is all together...