Sad Eyes
Sitting
on a bench, in the pouring rain, with the last thing my ex gave me, saving my
ass from getting soaking wet. I never thought I would even use this umbrella. I
didn’t even know I kept it in the car. I can’t believe I found it in the back
seat while I was looking for an old work sweater. Why an umbrella? Oh, yea…
because she was leaving me out in the cold.
“Sir?” A voice says.
Wow.
Why would anybody be out in this shit besides my crazy ass? She’s beautiful. Too
beautiful to be out in the cold rain after dark, on a long trail, next to a
raging river…
“Everything okay, ma’am?”
“Besides getting stuck in this rain, yea.
Would it be okay if I sit next to you until the rain lets up a bit?” She asks.
I
wonder if she is a runner. Runners run any hour of the day. Some get a run in
at 4 am before they go to work. Very dedicated people, runners are.
“Sure thing.”
“This rain came out of nowhere!” She says.
She
can’t be a runner. Looks more like a business woman. Can’t run in heals, unless
you have to.
“What made you comfortable enough to sit
next to a stranger, in the rain, dark, and with no one in sight?” Wish I said that differently. She’ll
probably get up and leave now.
“Because you have sad
eyes.”
“I suppose I do. I can’t seem to hold on
to my happy eyes.” She lit up and laughed
at that. Maybe she is having a bad night, too? Late night walk to clear her
mind?
“Sad and funny… works for
you.” She says with a smile on her face.
Well, staying completely dry is out of the
question now. My right side is getting rained on. “You always take strolls
out in the rain?”
“I needed some fresh air. Being in a
boring office all day with a boss that smokes in a non-smoking building, I needed
to clear my mind and collect myself.”
Called
it.
“How about you? You always sit on a bench
in the pouring rain by yourself?” She asks.
“Same boat as you… besides the whole
office thing. I just needed to clear my head, and thanks to my ex (fuck, why did I mention my ex) I have
this fabulous (really? Fabulous?)
umbrella.
“Lucky you. My ex never left me a handy
umbrella to save me. Since we’re engaging in conversation, and I’m close enough
to smell your fruity shampoo, what’s your name? And are you a killer?” She asks
with a shoulder bump.
Hmmm.
I wonder if she wants my full name. Why would a full name be needed to engage
in such small talk?
My name is Wayne.
“Oh, wow! I never met a Wayne before. Such
a strong name. Your first name Bruce?”
She asks.
Do
not say, “I’m Batman.” “Wayne Amatucci.”
“Greek?”
“Italian. Amatucci means, beloved; which
lately, I am not.”
“I’m sure you are by somebody. I am Sadie
Michelle. Glad to meet you.”
She
looked away after saying that. I wonder why. . . The rain is coming down more
than ever; that’s probably it.
“What are you trying to clear from your
mind? Honestly.” Sadie asks.
Honestly?
The kind of honesty I don’t even tell myself. Somethings I just want to forget.
. .
“Wayne… I lose ya?”
“You ever put yourself into something 100%,
and it didn’t work out… not even one bit?”
“Yea.”
“Did you ever want to take back something
someone took from you that you didn’t care who you hurt to get it back?”
“I think everybody feels like that at some
point, but most just move on and cut their losses. I know I did. What happened,
Wayne?”
This
fucking rain is coming in sideways and I’m catching most of it. At least she is
on the dry side of this bench. No way am I telling her I beat this guy’s ass to
the point he ended up in a coma. He deserved every bit of that ass whippin’;
just no one else feels the same about it.
“This guy broke in my house one night
while I was arguing with my ex over something silly. He didn’t know we were
upstairs when he tripped over something in the kitchen. I ran downstairs,
started fighting with him, my ex tried to help, but she just ended up getting
pushed down by him. He ran out the front door. I grabbed a baseball bat I kept
by the front door and threw it at the back of his head while he ran across my
front yard.”
“Did you get him?”
“Yea, and some. I went back in to check on
her and she was bleeding…”
“She hit her head on something?”
“No, she was 4 months pregnant at that time.
She called 911 and I went outside to finish this guy off until the cops pulled
up.” Fuck… I wish I didn’t say that last
bit. What’s the odds of that coming back to get me. I know he made it and is
still alive, but he’s trying to sue me?! Him breaking into MY fucking house?!
Fucking up my life, but sue me? What a fucking world. . .
“Oh my God.” Sadie says softly as she
stands up.
Shit.
I got caught up in my thoughts. I hope that’s a pack of cigarettes she’s
reaching for in her purse.
“You seem like a great guy, but bad things
always follow you. I can’t believe I am still going to do this, I have no
choice. You have been served. Whatever is in that envelope will be sorted out.
You were protecting your ex and your house. I wish we had a chance to meet
under different circumstances.” Sadie said as she walks away. . .
A gust of wind collapses Wayne’s umbrella.
. . . When
it rains, it pours.
The End
