Poor Carey

They just sit there. Legs crossed, hands folded, staring blankly all over the place. He takes a breath in and quickly lets it out. She looks at the fluorescent lights above her and stares back at her rigid shoes then to her tangled fingers.

“So what do you suggest we do?” The unknown man says.

“Wait here, I guess. Someone will have to know.” She replies, still staring at her fingers.

“... okay.”

What may have been an hour passes by and the unknown man opens his mouth for air but this time words follow.

“So… what do you, uh, do for living?”

For the first time, she looks up at him.

“I’m a lawyer.”

“Oh, really? Never would’ve guessed,”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Uh… I just meant that, uh… I couldn't have guessed just by looking at you. That’s all. I didn’t mean to offend you, if you got offended.”

“No, I didn’t.”

Another possible hour goes by and the unknown woman whispers, “How about you?”

The unknown man picks his head up from leaning against the railing on the wall.

“Hmm...oh...I’m a cardiologist.”

She nods.

“Yeah, I know. Don’t look like it, right? I get that a lot.”

“Me, too.”

“What? That you don’t look like a cardiologist?” He chuckles.

“No. What you said earlier.”

“Oh… well that’s okay.”

The unknown woman lets out a low sigh and puts her head down.

“Do you like your job?”

She picks her head up to look at his face.

“I guess.”

“You guess?” She looks away but his eyes follow. “If you have to guess, I’m taking that as a no… was there something else you wanted to be?”

“Yes… a kindergarten teacher,” she replies, whispering, without looking back at him. “But you have to make due with what you got. I’ve lived my life satisfying someone elses needs. Then there are those who have it so much easier.”

The man just nods and looks down at his fingers. “I know what you mean.”

They both sit there in silence, staring all around them. The unknown woman taps her feet together and twiddles her thumbs. The unknown man closes his eyes and lays his head back against the wall. He takes in another heavy breath and lets out an even heavier one. She mirrors his action. He reaches up and traces the wallpaper and mutters “nice decor” to himself. She looks

up and silently nods in agreement. He turns to her.

“You think so, too? Who would’ve thought Thomas would’ve had such good taste considering the s****y hole this place is.”

She lets out a small giggle that’s barely audible.

“So, what brings such a pretty girl as yourself to the office of Dr.Thomas?”

The unknown woman rolls her eyes before answering, “I had to see someone. I’ve just had a really… complicated life. You know, becoming someone you’re not isn’t exactly life affirming. You still have to wake up every morning and tell yourself that there’s no one to be blame but you.” The unknown man stares at the unknown woman speaking, barely blinking. “Tell yourself that no matter how much you hope everything will turn out alright, it won’t… that it’ll just get worse. But I thought that I should get that off my chest before it drives me insane.”

After a second, he reacts.

“Do you visit often?”

“No, this is actually my first time. I saw his ad and thought I might stop by, check him out.”

She looks down at her fingers.

“How about you? What’s a doctor like you doing at a therapist’s office?”

“Can’t men go to therapy, too?”

“Uh… yeah, of course. I’m sorry if I offended you… uh…”

“No, I’m just kidding. It would surprise a lot of people, too, I guess. I’m here because I think I have a problem with women.”

“With women?”

“Yeah.”

“Like what, intimately?”

“No, never!” The unknown man’s voice rises for the first time and the unknown woman gasps. He lowers his voice. “It’s the commitment thing I’m having a problem with. I just can’t seem to want to settle down. You know, marry, get a home, have kids, grow old with one person. That whole idea is repulsive to me.”

She takes a breath and lets it out.

“Well… in my opinion…I don’t think you have a problem with women,”

“You think I-”

“But with committing.” She cuts him off.

“I know that. But the real issue is that I can’t seem to find that one special woman who would make me change the way I feel about committing.”

“Then maybe you just haven’t been looking in the right places or trying hard enough.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah. I’m sure that if you really want it, it’ll happen for you.”

He smiles, and for the first time, she smiles back at him, full teeth.

“Thank you.”

“For what? My words of wisdom? Don’t worry about it. I’m used to having to cheer people up. Including myself.”

She turns away and stares down at her fingers. She tilts her head back against the wall and looks up at the fluorescent lights above her.

“Earlier, when you said that some people have it easy, who were you referring to? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“My sister” the unknown woman whispers. “She’s always had it much, much easier than me. My parents loved her more when we were growing up. I think I was even adopted.” She chuckles. “But I don’t feel so raw about it anymore.”

“How come?”

“Well, for starters, it wasn’t her fault that she was loved more. I can’t blame her for that. And then there’s also the fact that things haven’t worked out the best for her these last couple of months.” She pauses to let out a sigh. “My sister met this man who she really fell in love with. I mean really, really fell in love with. She swore that he felt the same way until she discovered he was cheating on her. Not with some random tramp but with her own best friend from childhood. She trusted him and look what he did. Her youthful spirit is gone and she’s just been so depressed lately.”

The unknown woman’s eyes start formulating tears and she stares down at her fingers. The unknown man shifts where he’s seated, swallows audibly and says, “I’m so sorry to hear that. Sounds… awful.”

“Poor Carey” she sniffs.

The unknown man’s eyes turn away from the woman and he springs up from the elevator floor. He starts to pace back and forth. Sweats arising from his forehead and he begins chewing on his thumbnail.

“We have to find a way out of here.” The unknown woman wipes her face and gets up, brushing her skirt off. “How could no one know we’re in here!” The man shouts. He runs his fingers through his hair and his pacing accelerates.

“Don’t worry. Someone has to know.”

“Don’t worry? How could you say that? We’ve been stuck in here for god know how f*****g long and you tell me I shouldn't worry!”

“What’s your problem?”

“My problem is that I’m stuck in this elevator and I want to get out!”

“Okay. But there’s no need to yell at me.”

His breathing got heavier and heavier as time went by.

“What’s gotten into you?”

They hear someone over the telecom.

“Is everyone alright?...We’re gonna get you out.”