1.2.16



he watched an elderly couple step from a diner into the sputtering haunt of yellow and green neonlight and into rain
 
they paused scarcely a second before deciding to descend a short flight of concrete steps to the street sidewalk
ignoring a parallel ramp on the other side of a handrail

he liked them immediately without reservation


they chose to get wet




the old man walked a step ahead of her holding her right hand as she held the railing with her left
  
he imagined the old mans logic: if she stumbled shed have to get past him in order to hurt herself  plainly more gallant than the Raleighs mythic cape laid at his Queens feet so she didnt soil her shoes and hem in a mud puddle

at the foot of their effort the old man never once letting go of her hand repositioned his hand in hers taking more of her arm so they could walk together their heads close  intimate
  
their breaths violet wisps in the cold air


across the street through the grey rain telepathically he asked him Are you ever going to let go of her hand


he saw the old man raise an eyebrow  aroused

by someones voice inside his head

he looked down slowly into his hand

and found hers

now aware wary
                  his skull twitched once like a nervous birds
he recognised her hand in his 
it wouldnt have been correct if it wasnt


No the old man said Dont think that I will


she smiled warmly despite the raindrops on her face
 
a sunbeam tossing rainbow prisms with her warm brown face

her eyes  were grey  a bit harder
But eventually she said 
to the old man and me inside his head

the old man laughed Yes my love my realist
Eventually one day  Not soon

she squeezed his hand assuring him



it was more than handholding it was their bond
                                       their comfort an lifeline     their shared umbilical
thats what he saw from across the street through the cold peals of rain    at first blush

he didnt know them from Adam or Eve



warmly she squeezed his hand again

this tall brown woman

this tall slightlybent white man

watching only her he imagined most everything she did she did warmly

her black nappy hair shoulderlength flecked gray bejeweled with raindrops had been artfully coiffured before they entered the rain

it remained a proud ruin

not that she cared

her clothing was very tasteful  coloured hues of African jungles and savannahs  sensual erotic  still at her age

Wed love to stay with you an chat she said  then she laughed But twos a company threes a handsome start to an orgy 
Unfortunately were running late or soon swimming 
And I prefer walking talking  holding my mans hand
Im sure you understand

Yes


at the streets intersection they turned left behind the glaze of a posh art gallery

through its window inside he saw a tall white sinuous wood installation and through it to another window he had one last fleeting glimpse of them

she had taken his hand with both of hers



Eventually one day  Not soon

  

1212,  Sunday,  31  1. 16
0144,  Monday,  1  2. 16

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