When life puts on the breaks make sure you've got your seatbelt on or else you're screwed.
On his 23rd birthday Robby bought himself a pet mouse. Growing up alone, he did not have many friends and the few he had would slip in and out of his life. Robby never gained popularity or even a sense of comfort with himself.
His younger years were spent reading books or going on walks by himself.
Later on in life he would go on to do great things for his family buy fall short when romance would knock at the door.
There was one time when love finally made it around to Robby. Her name was Mary.
Mary never asked for much in life. She studied men from the age of 16. As a young girl she never understood what makes people do crazy things for love. She saw her brother fight Jimmie Connors, the school bully, for a chance to walk Jennifer Tills home. A year later Jennifer promised she would never speak to Mary's brother again. When she went on to college she saw some of her best friends fall apart over love. Sara and Beth had been friends for years until they started fighting over a boy. Mary saw this over and over. When she got out of college, her parents got a divorce. She had heard of love but had never really seen it.
Mary found Robby on a park bench. Normally she would never talk with strangers, but she felt the need to have the company of someone. She was in dire need of hearing a human voice respond to her's. Robby, in a similar situation, talked only to people he knew, but a woman talking to him could not be turned down in his lonley state of living.
Their first conversation was similar to anyone's. No one had anything to say, yet every word seemed important. Every sound that came out of her mouth carried a deep weight. Even though the answers were "yeah, great weather!" or "only twice a week or if it rains", Robby seemed excited and showed it with his smile.
A few minutes into the conversation, Robby noticed this was the first time he had smiled in a few months. Much the same, Mary noticed she had not looked for any bad in this man. Mary had spent much of her life looking into reasons not to get involved with people, yet here she was...talking to a stranger...making him smile...and for the first time in years...feeling alive.
Robby and Mary had made plans to meet on the park bench exactly a week from that day to have coffe together again. That whole week Robby was nervous and excited. All those feelings were racing back to the top of his mind. Suddenly, the puzzle, the news, ironing his clothes, all of that...did'nt seem important.
Mary was in a very identical situation. All the bad thoughts in the world were leaving. . .She would cook meals for two, just to practice. She was singing along to songs on the radio again. At work, she light up the lives of those around her with her smile.
A week passed by both quickly and slowly, you know how anticipation works. On a cloudy tuesday evening Mary saw Robby sitting at the same bench in the park as he was last week. She walked over to him, he handed her come tea. They sat closer together this week, but still not close. Both were nervous and knew that the other one knew it.
Robby and Mary had at that moment realized what all those songs were talking about. Finally, years of reading books on the subject made sense. Everything that was supposed to be was happening.
For a few months two people made each other very happy. For a short time, there were at least two people who were really content with life. Being content with life has its draw backs though. The same life that they were ok with, ended up stopping their new found love for one another.
Robby was killed in a car accident on his way to the park. He was late and assume Mary would have left if he was not on time. Mary waited for five hours before giving up. She went home assuming that she was just another victim of love (such as her friends, brother, and parents). Mary never heard any news about Robby.
None the less for a small moment in the history of the world, there were two people who could say with all their hearts and mind that they were doing ok.