City Living
City again, long weekend.
Takeaway cups, mounds of mystery debris, surfaces faintly sticky to the touch.
Left, straight ahead, out of order, watch for the puddle. A bumbling cacophony of sorrys and other half-felt pleasantries.
Weird looks, strange turns of tongue, flickering eyes. Scanning the faces, searching for the odd one out. So many.
My optimism of youth sadly fading. Cynical, distrustful, judgemental.
Aha! Sight locked, loaded. Destination: caffeine.
Blinkers on. Put it into 5th gear. Spurt of energy, unnatural twists of the body.
Made it, sigh. Quietly mould into the line.
Bubbles, hissing, hum-drum background noise. Scrapes of chair legs, tinkles of cutlery, what’s the time Mr Wolf?
Waiting time, like most of the dwellers here.
“One or two?”
“Eh?”
“Do you want one teabag or two?”
Just a tea please.
(They don’t ask that where I come from).
A muffled thanks, a weak smile. I mean it though.
Find a little corner, watch the flocks trot by. Survey the land.
Huffing, puffing, grunts of displeasure.
Bleep, blop, bloop. I’m-so-important. Bluetooth blinking, strutting briskly.
Sadness and joy, all in one place. Guys, do you have to do that in public?
Still distrustful, still judging.
A scatter, a yell, everyone looks.
What the…? They’re not being normal.
All staring as one — us and them. A shared emotion taints the air. Our collective mind racing, communal adrenaline pumping. We don’t like the look of this. Oh god, could it be…?
Don’t worry, just a misunderstanding, nothing amiss here.
A collective sigh of relief.
Our emotions part, our common thoughts forgotten. Once again individuals, bound by nothing. Each with a personal agenda, a story.
Press play again. Take a sip.
Ah, the city. I missed you.
But just one weekend please.
