it was an uncomfortable perception
he replied to it
I think theres something wrong with my
eyes
he had to say it out loud to hear
how it sounded outside his head
he sounded convincing
I think
theres something wrong with my eyes
yes convincing
what was that that was wrongthat
pricked his mindthat made him suddenly thenterribly uncomfortable
he hoped someone else at some
timesome other time perhaps experienced what he saw
it happened once
he rubbed his eyes out of focus he thoughthe had been looking
down into his coffee cup
then again
he didnt rub his eyeshe knew what
he saw
he knew it the first time
two women had gotten out of their
cars across the street and walked towards himtowards the coffee shop
at a distance beside their cars he
saw young women late teensearly twenties but as they crossed the street they aged
they noticed him watching them
he preempted them A beautiful afternoonyes
they smiledthey werent creeped by
his attention Yes. It is a beautiful
afternoon.
the second said I’m happy you noticed
he smiled and said Truth be known you compelled me
she smiled a colour rose in her face Why, thank you.
No Thank you
that was it
a brief innocent acknowledgment a quiet flirtation
when the women left they again exchanged
pleasantries Have a fine day
Thank you. I hope you have a fine
afternoon and evening.
I appreciate that Thank you
they crossed the street
he watched
they grew younger with every
stride
the second woman again she waved goodbye gaylyyouthfully to him before entering her car
they werent older women late thirtiesmaybe forty
late thirtiesmaybe forty on the coffeeshop
porch under the enormous live oak that threw a gorgeous shade to cool patrons
on hot afternoons just up from a
meandering creek
late teensearly twenties at their
cars
it happened again
I think theres something wrong
with my eyes
as they walked towards him they aged step by stepthey aged until they
were on the porch and were the age they were
they were still attractive
their features softened
they were womanly rounded
whereas at their cars across the street
they were girlish eager adventurous as youth is the world their
oyster utterly confident
he wouldnt say they had been
broken
what was wrong with his eyes
he decided nothing there wasnt anything wrong with them
Theres nothing wrong with my eyes
he had to say it
out loud to hear how it sounded outside his head
Not a damn thing wrong with my
eyes
convincing
for whatever reason that
afternoon for those three women he was
shared tangential time
time warmed up to himsmiled on
him
revealed what was
what is
though had someone witnessed him in kindNO no hed have to think on it he didnt knowNot really how hed feel about it
photographs presented that
but they were static most of them
didnt provide enough context to place oneself
thereby
Out of Time
while these three women were In
Time
selfishly
he hoped itd happen again
0135, Monday,
15 6. 20
1221, Day-between-Two-Ts, 17 6.
20
