The Appointment - Repost

I reworked this piece slightly, and hope I don't get negative vibes from reposting. This piece has a special meaning to me, for as one chapter closes in my life, I have beautiful hopes for what lies ahead on the horizon.

The Appointment

I squander the last bit of money in my pocket on a magazine
That I cannot fully comprehend and a cup of coffee to fend off
The chill that permeates an early evening air of uncertainties.
With a purposeful gait away from the collage of street vendors,
I make an attempt at confidence and arrange myself on a bench,
Earning a tactical, all-encompassing view of the town square.
It is with indifference that I thumb through the glossy volume,
Pausing occasionally to test my sophomoric level of linguistics.
A young boy catches my attention over the edge of the page, and I
Discreetly survey the curiosity woven through his features as
He studies his own distorted reflection in the stagnant water of
A lonely puddle just a few feet to my right; I watch him intently.
He produces the most ferocious monster face that he can muster
Towards his twin in the pool, then looks up at the sound of my
Unintentional chuckle provoked by his carefree display of reverie.
A lunate grin reveals a missing upper tooth, and his eyes connect
With mine just long enough to dislodge a portion of my hushed anxiety.
My thoughts return to you as the lad scurries back down the
Sidewalk to a frantic young woman who promptly meters out a
Scolding, although her face soon relaxes into a lenient smile of relief.
A sudden shiver travels up and down the whole of me, and I feel
The beginnings of a knot forming in the nethermost pit of my stomach.
Counting seven deep chimes as the church bells announce the hour,
I close my eyes and pray; I pray without shame and devoid of regret.
Looking once again to the panorama that is my hope and my prison,
I note the paucity of movement; the sky has deepened her mood.
A raindrop touches my forehead just below my hairline causing me
To flinch at its cold caress then lower my head in impending defeat.
The wet splotches on the magazine are blurring the advertisement
On the shiny back cover; it droops and puckers in a pattern of apathy.
I make a halfhearted effort to differentiate the fresh water spatters
From the tears that are dripping steadily from my down-turned chin.
Captive within my self-induced pity, I have failed to realize that the
Left side of the bench is now occupied; I can't imagine another fool as
Witless as me to voluntarily perch in the midst of this relentless gloom.
A subtle wisp of laughter drifts into my ear, making me wonder if I
Have inadvertently voiced my thoughts aloud. My heart and mind still.
I feel the weight of your arm around my shoulders, and a lifetime of
Burdens fade into irrelevance with the utterance of two little words.

Copyright Tina Jordan All Rights Reserved

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