He didn’t like it when i told him it wasn’t raining

it was an affront to his senses

obvious

the umbrella was less about rain

and more about being remembered

he walked away

scraaaaaapppppe dit dot scraaaaaape

a rhythm wearing down the point

he turned around 

lifted his finger at me

and said 

‘you, you are what drives me to ready myself for rain.’

he turned back around 

shook his shoulders

and walked on

it’s then she bumped into me

all of twenty-three and holes in her knees

upon closer examination

black ink swirls decorate the worn out denim

‘sorry…ugh’ she swirled to untangle the unintentional wrangle

‘it’s fine’ 

she stopped

‘i know you don’t i’

inches from my face

cigarette and coffee laced

if it wasn’t chance this would be our embrace

‘i um’

stepping back to regain my bubble

‘yah maybe, i’m…’

her eyes crystallized and bloodshot with living

blue

she hesitated ‘yah, you’re that guy. you sell hotdogs on 5th right?’

i put my head down with a half grin positioned my hands in my pocket, met her eyes sideways and walked away

‘wait’ she said as a question

i kept moving