Wednesday, December 16, 2009

History

Theme Thursday -- History
This is a work of fiction.

There was a man in front of me in line at Target talking to his young daughter.  She had on tights with mulit-colored horizontal stripes.  I remember them because I would love to wear a pair just like them, if I were not 37 and they would not look ridiculous on me.


There was something far-away familiar about the timber of his voice.  Familiar enough to make me look up from this weeks tabloid magazine covers.  (Boy, is that Tiger Woods in some trouble!)

I glanced.  His eyes caught mine.  And lingered.  Just a split second too long.  It happened like a flood.  Recognition.  Mine and his.  The far-away familiarity replaced by the vividly intimate.  How long had it been?  Twenty years?  Really?  That should feel like a long time, but it does not, standing there, exposed, in the check out line at Target, flashes of teen-aged pain and drama blurring my vision.

My fingers went to ice and my face to fire.  I looked away quickly.  Back to Tiger.  My face still burning.  Struggling to steady my breathing.  Panic!

There was nothing I could do but wait my turn, pay for my toothpaste and toilet paper, and move along as if nothing had happened.  As if the most humiliating and painful experience of my life was not standing in front of me, wearing a Cal sweatshirt and a wedding ring, buying toothpaste and toilet paper.

As he was leaving, just putting his bags in his cart, I saw, out of the corner of my eye, him turn to me, as if to say something.  I waited a beat too long.  When I looked up, he looked away.  And then it happened.

He looked me straight in the eye and gave me a wan smile.  I returned his with a weak smile of my own.  My eyes closed, involuntarily, and I felt the ancient history pass between us.

This is a work of fiction.

14 comments:

  1. Wow... this can happen and I wonder just why does the all mightly allow this. For what purpose? To make us realize what we could have had or make us even more appreciate where we are today and what we have. Thanks for sharing this intimate moment which can so very familiar to all of us. The Bach

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  2. oh i really like this one...those chance metings bring back sch memories...and you leave us on such suspence as to what that history may be...smiles. happy tt!

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  3. Nice bit of writing here, Tracey. You never know what can happen in the check out of Tarzhay. Glad it was ony fiction!

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  4. My own face is flushing at the thought. Nicely done.

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  5. You build the situation up so well. I was there in the store, I share your feelings. Good piece of writing. Theme Thursday greetings.

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  6. Nice take, thanks for sharing something so personal.

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  7. Argh! I was gonna complain about the lack of reveal, but then I went back and saw the "fiction" disclaimer.

    Whew.

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  8. fiction disclaimer...oh, I missed that! Here I was, holding my breath for you! ha!

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  9. This is quite powerful. And I didn't notice the fiction disclaimer until I read the comments! It reads as real...

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  10. Thank you all for your comments.

    Bachelor, this did not actually happen to me, but it certainly could have. I have a wee bit of history wandering around out there.

    Brian and JeffScape, though this was fiction, I have their whole history in my head. Maybe for another day.

    Willow, Hillary, and Allen, thank you.

    Stephanie, Wings, Betsy, and Leah, I'm glad you were right there in the moment with my character.

    I've never posted fiction before, but this was fun and liberating. Next time I shall have to use the third person and put the disclaimer at top and bottom.

    Happy TT everyone. I'm eager for next week!

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  11. Good work, Tracey! There are times when I wish I could have such a moment of closure with some of my own past relationships. Sigh.

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  12. Sometimes fiction has a little truth to it. Could this be one of those times? Very good!

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  13. Otin...Really. Was there truth in your fictitious post? :)

    There is no truth in this post, in that this did not happen to me. But it most certainly could have. Don't we all have a bit of history walking around out there that could make our fingers turn to ice and out face to fire?

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