A Run-In on Winter's Avenue

“It’s so nice to see you, Todd,” she said, with the sincere, sweet smile that she always kept. She had not changed. Her blue grey eyes sparkled in the winter air, and flecks of snow framed her perfect rose petal face. Her silky hair gleamed in the winter air, and she had never looked so beautiful. A breeze blew through her, and she took a small step forward. She slowly, even hesitantly placed her arms around him and pulled him into a kind, friendly hug that you would give an old friend you once knew in high school or college. Todd ached with the memory of what could have been if he had taken a different path all those years ago. What a fool, he realized, he had been. Their embrace broke and he held her hands. They were so warm and he didn’t want to let go.

He thought back to the time they had spent together, and how he never thought that she could ever be the one. They were too good of friends. He knew everything about her from her love of old movies, to her problematic addiction to peanut butter, to the weird way she would sing songs to herself when she thought nobody was listening. He always knew she was sweet, he always knew she was pretty, but he had never known that she loved him. Well, that’s not true, he reminded himself. He knew. He just never did anything about it. What a mistake, he thought.


She placed her gloved hand on his cheek and said, “I’m so incredibly happy I ran into you. I’ve missed you so much.” The winter air seemed lukewarm compared to the chills he felt in his chest. Why did he let this moment pass him by time and time again? Though it had been years since they last saw each other, there was never a day gone by that she did not cross his mind.


“How long are you in town?” he asked, taking a small step forward.
“Just tonight,” she replied, “Visiting Brain’s parents to iron out the final details.”
“Oh right. I forgot that you and Brian were finally tying the knot. I believe congratulations are in order!” Todd mustered, and he leaned in and softly kissed her on her pink cheeks.


She breathed deep. She had never forgotten about Todd. She had never loved someone so much in her entire life, and she probably never would. Love like that doesn’t change, and she knew this in her heart. But, she reminded herself, he never wanted her, and it seemed this would never change, either. She pulled apart and looked in his deep, green eyes. Even after all these years, she still thought about him constantly.


She hugged him once more and took in every detail of the moment: The winter air, the falling snow, his green scarf, and his worn black coat. One last look for the road, she thought, I will probably never see him again.


He closed his eyes as she pulled him in. He wanted to remember this perfectly: the white of the snow falling delicately in her wavy blond hair, her blue grey eyes smiling as she spoke, her red scarf wrapped cozily around her neck, and her beautiful smile that he could never forget.


The two stood with each other on the deserted sidewalk. She still wanted him so badly, and he finally realized what a fool he had been. The crosswalk turned, and she stood to her tip toes and pressed her cheek against his, “I miss you everyday, Todd, I truly do.” Her eyes smiled sadly as she took one final look at him before she took across the street and disappeared into the falling snow.


The breeze of wind fought against her as she walked, making it harder for her to keep going. She blinked back tears as she silently prayed for him to finally, after all this time, come after her. She crossed her arms into her red coat to fight against the whistling flurries. It did not matter the temperature outside, she had never felt so warm as when she was talking to Todd. She knew that he was the love of her life. Just once, she silently pleaded, let him realize that I’m the one he wants. Make him love me. Please. She kept on walking at a slow pace, hoping that Todd would come running up to her and pull her into his warm arms just as she had always wanted.


Todd stood at that corner for a few minutes more, debating whether or not to go after her. He finally decided to continue in the direction he was headed. For why should he change his path now?


The minutes passed as she tuned a few more corners, and before she knew it she was back where she was meant to be. She wiped the tears from her eyes, breathed out one last breath of love lost, and stepped inside and returned to what she was destined. She went in and hovered her hands over the fire, and though it took several minutes, the warmth finally started to return to her fingers.


Todd walked as he put his hands in his empty pockets as a gust of wind sent a shiver down his spine. He wished he had bought a new coat this year, as the holes in the lining did little to keep him warm on a night like this. What a depressing season, he thought as he walked alone down the empty street. December, it seemed, would be must colder than usual.

I Felt The Ground Move

I felt the ground move
and I must admit I lost my balance.

Fell down, scraped my knee.
But I got back up.

That’s how it is supposed to work.
You always get back up. Always.

I did, however, sit there awhile
To take a look at how far I had fallen.

It was quite the hole I fell into.
I wasn’t sure I could climb out.

My hands got dirty and it took some effort on my part.
But what goes up must come down, and the other way around.

Truth is, where would we be
If we never got back up?