Jump

I once saw a neighborhood kid jump off from the balcony of his second story house with two umbrellas- one in each hand. It was a bet. Of course, I betted on him not succeeding. It wasn't on whether he would die or not. Those were innocent times.
Twok! He walked away with a sprained ankle.
He grew up to be a successful restaurateur.

Lindsay was a sullen girl who worked at an office not far from mine. She was a grad student working as a receptionist. She always wore black. Her short hair was unkempt. Her blue-ish eye makeup made her look even sadder. One day, she jumped out of her twelfth floor dorm room window.
Twok! She didn't make it.

This is one conversation I remember having with her once, outside our office building during our cigarette break.

What happened to your eyes?

What this? She pointed to her small, angular face. Dark bags under her pale penetrating eyes.

I had two hours of sleep. I was out all night. She smiled sheepishly.

Dancing?

Danced, danced, danced the night away. She exhaled.

You gotta take care yourself. It's bad for your health.

It's good for your soul. She winked.

I never asked what her major was, what her aspirations were, her plans...anything.
I wonder what she could've become if she decided not to jump.

Reviews

[Craig Bates]

It's difficult to comment on things like this but I'll offer what I can.

I really liked the part about it being bad for your health but 'good for your soul'. There are two sides to everything, summed up in that small exchange of opinions.

I really liked the comparison between the kid with the umbrellas and the girl jumping from the window. The difference between innocence and experience.

I can't help but wonder if it really did do her soul any good. I'd like to hope so.

Thanks for a very interesting read.

[Andie]

Wow
btw, thanks for the review!

[NCPanthersgurl]

Very nice. I really don't have a critique on this one, it really works well. The characters are connected though completely unrelated, and the plot is so dark {{as said before}} but you wrote it so...pleasantly, cheerfully.

Nice work.

[Daiku Maryu]

It's an interesting story. The tone seems rather light-hearted and makes for nice contrast between it and the subject.

[ACOUSTICSHOE]

This is frickin' excellent....Oh yeah, I lived in south Korea. it was fun and the shopping was incredible

[Ben Umstead]

CONTRASTS. Dustin, you're always good at noting the contrasts an here is no exception. But there is more to it than that. As Craig pointed out there is a difference between innocence and experience and I'd say how Lindsay was in between these places when she chose to do what she did. Or perhaps it wasn't a choice but a reaction.

At any rate I'm always delighted when you bring forth these wonderful little vignettes, portraits, coincidences of life. If these things are not a book in the making then I don't know what is.