Monday, March 08, 2010

Love is a Stranger



Love is a stranger in an open car
To tempt you in and drive you far away
And I want you, and I want you, and I want you
So it's an obsession
--Eurythmics, Love is a Stranger


Marcie sipped her French Roast at the coffee house. Morning chatter, a little hyperactive, bounced in and out the door. Mud and salt footprints overlapped their way to and from the counter.

He wasn't a foggy presence in her mind, because the guy frothing Cappuccino milk looked like him. He was smiling now as he talked to a customer. It was his eyes. She felt jealous.

She also saw his face on the street a short while ago. That probably started it heavy, like it was now. That man checked his watch as he waited for the light to turn green. It was his posture and the way he moved.

They weren't him, of course. She knew that. But in a way, they were him. The him in her head, at least.

The Cappuccino guy wasn't talking to the girl anymore, so she felt better.

"Hey Marcie," someone said beside her.

She looked up. It was Liz, her best friend from the office.

"You look lost in thought...," Liz said.

Marcie shrugged.

"Thinking about how much you love work?"

Marcie nodded and smiled. She tucked the thoughts away, back to the foggy presence. "Speaking of which, I better get to it, right?"

"Just give me a second to grab my coffee."

Marcie stood and took her coat from the chair.

6 comments:

DILLIGAF said...

Love is always a stranger old bean.

Even with a cappuccino....

Adore the mood creation.

4D

Anonymous said...

Four Dinners, if love is a stranger in an open car, I wonder what love is driving.

Unknown said...

Yes, I agree- 'love is a stranger', but even strangers stay longer...

Anonymous said...

Smita, maybe if we take the keys out of the car....

Terri said...

Some day we'll have to compare our CD collections; I'm sure they must be remarkably similar - I love that song :) Remember groovin' to it way back when.
So, um, 'foggy presence' eh? Yes, that's a good way of putting it. This piece is... real. Recognisable. Kudos.

Anonymous said...

Terri, I don't doubt that our music tastes are similar. :) Thanks for the feedback on the realness of it!