(no subject)
I remember it was the scarf she was wearing that made me notice her. It was this knitted scarf, most likely hand knitted, by her grandma or something cute like that, with all of these different shades of blue stripes and then randomly there’d be a neon pink one here, or a neon yellow one there. And I don’t mean these were even stripes or anything, they were scattered, you know? One color would stop halfway and a new one would begin. Well anyway, yeah, it was that scarf that made me look across the street. I remember I had just come from the bookstore, buying a new copy of “The Catcher in The Rye” because my crazy mother destroyed it in one of her fits. Why destroy an innocent little book, you might ask? What did it ever do to her? Nothing, but then again, my father never did anything to her either, and she destroyed him just as easily. Threw the book right into a goddamn fan. Threw my father right out of the house. But sorry, I’m getting side tracked.
So I was walking home, and this scarf catches my eye. I kind of did one of those double takes, you know? And I remember this bus drove by, heading into the city, and once it passed she was still standing there, and a few stray pieces of dark brown hair had gotten pressed against her cheek from the wind, the rest of her hair was pulled back into a messy bun sort of thing. There was a lot of wind cause it was around October or so. Yeah, it was October, because I remember there were tons of Halloween decorations everywhere. God, I love Halloween. I love the decorations. I think one of my favorite Halloween decorations is that spider web crap people put on their bushes. I remember my father put it out one year because I wanted it so badly and then he couldn’t get it off the damn bush after Halloween was over, and that was the first and last time we ever did that. But I don’t know, I always just loved it. It’s so simple, and so nice. But no, you know what the best thing about this time of year is? Stepping outside and smelling smoke from a fire coming out a chimney. It’s the greatest smell in the world and it makes you feel so warm inside, even though you just stepped out into a blast of cold crisp air. And when I smell it, I can’t help but imagine something real corny, like some family sitting around the fire, drinking cider and smiling, and to top it all off, there’d be a dog sleeping beside the fire too. I’m a sucker for that kind of shit, I really am.
Now, I’m not much of an outgoing guy, in fact I’m not out going at all. I never have enough guts to approach a girl, so accordingly, I don’t meet new people very often, and I don't function too well at social gatherings. I’ve got my few friends, and I’m content with my life that way. But, it’s like, when I saw this girl and her scarf and her hair pressed against her cheek from the wind, something in me, switched on, I guess. Something happened and I literally felt my heart drop down to my stomach and before I could think I felt my feet carrying me across the street. Yeah, I know I didn’t think because there was a screech of tires from a man who had pressed his foot down on the brakes to prevent the car from hitting me. I didn’t care much, I wasn’t thinking, you know? When all of a sudden, something happens in you that you’ve never felt before, something comes alive that had been dead all your life, you just don’t care much about things like traffic, you really don’t. And don’t get me wrong, this wasn’t any of that ‘lust at first sight’ bullshit you hear about, it really wasn’t. I really couldn’t make out her features too well, and I honestly didn’t care. It was just that damn scarf.
The thing was, by the time I had gotten across the street, she wasn’t there. I kind of frantically looked around, first just turning my head every which way, but soon spinning my body completely around, sort of in a panic. I don’t know why I was so upset, you know? She was just a stranger from across the street. But all of a sudden my eye caught hold of those damn neon colors, and I look over and see her sitting in a leaf pile. A goddamn leaf pile, of all the things, right out in the street, on the main road of town, for the whole world to see! I laughed and started walking over. I bent over a bit and stuck my arm out and said, “Need a hand?” assuming she must have fallen, and trying to be a perfect gentlemen and all that nice stuff, but she just replied with, “No, but it looks like you could use one,” and she grabbed my hand and pulled me down. She pulled me down into that goddamn pile of leaves! Unbelievable! I was shocked and baffled and I honestly couldn’t think. I think blood must have stopped flowing to my brain right then, no- I swear it did. I looked at her and laughed, and she laughed, and God, she had the most brilliant smile. I don’t mean to be cliché, I really don’t, but it was so big. Most girls, they don’t ever really smile, you know? They kind of keep their mouth all tiny when they smile, trying to look cute. But this girl, she just had this huge brilliant smile that I swear took up almost half of her face. And she looked at me and she had these intense green eyes that pierced me. I mean they really killed me. They were so pure, not a spec of another color in them, just this incredible bright green, none of that hazel bullshit. They were like, they were, just, indescribable. They were that really nice shade of green you always take from the crayon box to color in the grass and pedals of your flowers, the nicest green you can find.
I realized we were sort of just staring and smiling at each other and I got nervous that I was making her feel awfully uncomfortable so I stuck out my hand, which sent some leaves flying, and said, “Hi, my name is Ja-“ But she leaned over and pressed two fingers onto my lips and said, “Sh, why get involved in silly details like names? Let’s just enjoy right now, and save the details for later.” I was rendered speechless, so I just sat there, and did exactly what she said; I just soaked in the moment and loved every part of it. I was staring straight ahead but I could see that big ol' smile out of the corner of my eye. She scooped up a handful of leaves and plopped them right down on top of my head, and then the leaves, naturally, fell all around me. She picked up a cup she had with her and took a sip. “Want some?” and she held out the cup to me, so I took a sip as well. It was peppermint hot chocolate and I could feel it sliding down my throat and into my stomach, and then spreading throughout my entire body and warming every muscle I've got. I noticed she had “Catcher in The Rye” with her, so I took out my copy and held it up, and then pointed to hers. She laughed and got that smile on her face again and leaned in even more and kissed me. I think my heart may have melted, I really do. Not to sound too corny or anything, but I’m pretty sure it did. It melted down into my body and came out my feet and soaked through my shoes and was left there in that leaf pile. I swear. She then said, “It was nice knowing you”, and got up and walked away. Before I could realize what had just occurred, since you know, no blood was flowing to my brain or anything; she was gone. Can you believe it? It was nice knowing you, and that’s it. We didn’t even know each other, I never even got her name! But call me crazy- I don’t care- I think I loved her. No in fact, I’m sure of it. I’ve never loved anyone before, and never have since, but I swear I loved that girl. That girl with the neon scarf who left my heart in a pile of leaves. I got up and started walking home and eventually the blood started flowing back into my brain again, but I don't think the right amount ever really started fully circulating since.