13
Rain began to soak cement and the sweet smell of a wet city filled the air. Clouds made the world grey and the wind made it seem so lonely. I was barefoot in the park. I had run so fast from my home that I couldn't be bothered to lace a single sneaker. I reached the pay phone in the park with nothing but a quarter in my pocket. It's ok. It's all I needed. I dialed the only number I could remember. Liberty answered after a few rings.
"Hello?" she mumbled, "I'm sleeping."
"Don't hang up. This is my only quarter," I said.
"I'm sleeping."
"Can you come to the park?"
There was a brief silence on the other line and then the sound of sheets and blankets moving around.
"It's raining, Sarah."
"I know. I know."
"Give me ten minutes..." she groaned.
"Oh and Liberty? Can you bring some shoes?"
"What?"
"Shoes," I said.
"Alright."
That is what I enjoyed about Liberty. She wouldn't ask questions. She hung up and I made my way over to the swing set. It was empty and soaked from the rain but I didn't care because I was already wet. I waited patiently until she finally came. She was holding a pair of flip flops in one hand and a cigarette in the other.
"Can I have one?"
"Yeah..."
"Hello?" she mumbled, "I'm sleeping."
"Don't hang up. This is my only quarter," I said.
"I'm sleeping."
"Can you come to the park?"
There was a brief silence on the other line and then the sound of sheets and blankets moving around.
"It's raining, Sarah."
"I know. I know."
"Give me ten minutes..." she groaned.
"Oh and Liberty? Can you bring some shoes?"
"What?"
"Shoes," I said.
"Alright."
That is what I enjoyed about Liberty. She wouldn't ask questions. She hung up and I made my way over to the swing set. It was empty and soaked from the rain but I didn't care because I was already wet. I waited patiently until she finally came. She was holding a pair of flip flops in one hand and a cigarette in the other.
"Can I have one?"
"Yeah..."