Dec ‘05

It was cold; he could see his breath under the orange streetlights. He had his hands in his jacket’s pockets; they were cold. His feet were the coldest and felt wet. Sometimes he shivered sometimes he reminded himself not to. That way he would hypnotize himself into feeling warm. After every few steps he was drenched in orange light and felt naked. He felt that the whole world could see him even though there was no one on the streets. Except a dog now and then. He was afraid of the dogs. They would bark and scream and make too much noise and they might bite, he had always been afraid of dogs.

The best way to keep a dog from running after you is to pretend that you’re not afraid of it.

He walked. It was very late.

He turned right. He was off her street now. Trees, surrounded by streetlights, surrounded by huge houses with new cars. Small walls with expensive security systems, watchmen sleeping in their small rooms. In a couple of hours it would be morning. The strange empty city at that strange hour felt colder than it actually was. There were too many trees, streets were very clean and the large white houses had no personalities. Elegant and fashionable; they were made to impress. The combined effect was not good. He shivered.

…and walked on.

After two hours it would be morning, after four hours, there would be people on the streets. Tommorow will be another day. Next year, I will feel nostalgic. After five years, I will remember nothing at all. And this place will remain here, this night will die here, we became such intimate friends today, and they shall remain behind. My witnesses.

He walked on…