I was walking through Grand Central Terminal on my way home when I spotted her. She was by the central clock which showed it was 7:46 pm. She looked nice in her white summer dress but her eyes were darting about searchingly. Although I could not see her mouth beneath her mask I knew it did not contain a smile. I was going to simply pass and be on my way but in the few moments it took to get to where she stood, I decided to strike, I changed course and headed to within a few feet of her by the clock. She looked at me and I could see she was more upset, and attractive, than I had first thought. I looked about a bit and then caught her eye.
"Have you seen a woman wearing a mask with an odd symbol waiting here? I was supposed to meet her at 7:30 but my train was delayed." I said as I walked up to her.
"No," she replied timorously. Looking over my shoulder and about again.
"Is waiting 15 minutes too much to ask?"
"What?"
"I'm sorry," I replied. "I just think it's not very courteous to not wait at least 15 minutes for someone, especially if it's the first time you are meeting face to face." I took off my mask and smiled at her and continued, "Well at least it tells me about her character and saves me the trouble of finding out down the road. Do you know what I mean?"
I could see this had given her pause. Her eyes stopped moving about and settled on mine. " I believe I do." she said and I could detect the first sign of a smile beneath her mask.
"Oh, have you been waiting for someone as well?"
" How could you tell?"
"Just the way you've been looking about. That's why I asked you if you saw my friend. Was he supposed to be here at 7:30 as well?"
"Seven," she replied dejectedly.
"Seven! Has he at least texted you as you've been waiting?"
Again her eyes grew lower, "no."
"What a jerk."
"What about your girl? she said.
"Mine? oh." I took out my phone and stared at it for a moment. "Can't make it. is all it says"
"Pretty cold," she said removing her mask and revealing a small smile. Little did she imagine that her wrists would be held behind her back later that night with that mask.
"Yeah, we picked some winners huh?
"Are you going to answer her?"
"No. She's told me all I need to know with that text. What do you say we head out without them? It's a beautiful night, why waste it on what might have been and seize the moment."
She paused for a bit but her smile grew as she thought and finally said, "Fuck him! let's do it." with a wonderful laugh. All the tension of waiting lifting from her.
"Yes, let's do it."
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3:58 pm Tuesday, 22nd February, 2022
beautiful story |
