Just Another Tuesday

I saw a girl on the street today wearing a t shirt that said, "Friends Don't Let Friends Date Girls Like Me!" She caught me reading her shirt and laughed and told me, "Be forewarned!" So of course I said, "Hey, let's get something cold to drink and watch the sunset from the Promenade."

Later on that very same evening we were sitting on a bench by the railing, watching the sun climb down its ladder of clouds and steam, watching the shadows grow longer. I took a sip from my bottle of seltzer, she did the same from her bottle of absinthe. We looked at each other and said, "Yeah, good idea!" and mixed the two bottles together in one of our glasses, then shared it. Fizzy water mixed with the Green Goddess.

Finally the sun touched the horizon, just north of the Bayonne Bridge. You could actually feel a tiny drop in the heat. The breeze picked up the tiniest bit and we turned our faces gratefully to the west.

In a few minutes the stars came out, cool dry air on tired lips and cheeks.

Even The River Loves Emily

Some day soon I'll meet her at the bridge and we'll walk toward the city together, toward the skyline backlit by the setting sun. The wind will rise as we climb higher, I can't wait to watch it blow her hair.

And I'll hold her hand as we cross the creaking boards and the sunset glints off her glasses and lights her eyes with flecks of gold. And she'll dazzle me with that goofy smile of hers and hold my hand tighter when the bridge and the city fall away below us, when we climb that staircase made of air and wishes.

And all that I'll leave behind will mean nothing, it will all be someone else's problem then. And our real life will be all ahead of us, across the water and the sky.

After The Fireworks

Smoke covered the river til the water disappeared and it was a river of smoke, with grey tides running down to the harbor where all the water was gone and smoky waves rolled in grey silence. Smoke rose around the granite towers of the bridge leaving ghostly splashes on the stones. Up above the sky was rain and steam and startled purple clouds.

And we stood on the narrow path where they met, on wet cobblestones with our hands on the wet iron railing, water falling from above and smoke rising from below. And when we kissed I tasted the water and the smoke and your black lipstick, and the ozone and the gunpowder and the steam from the clouds.

And now you're lying sleeping on my bed, your purple satin dress drying by the air conditioner. You're wearing one of my t shirts, it reaches almost to your knees. Your hair is in a cute simple pony tail and there's the tiniest smile on your lips. I'll wait another while before I have to wake you to put you in a car service and send you home.

I wish you could stay all night.