2002-02-08 - 8:01 PM
Running Off
"I'm outside - particularly warm day out, considering it being winter. The bench I'm sitting on, solid and rock; makes me think they make benches like this to rush people along. Class got out early, and I guess I was just in the mood to sit on this crowd-rushing bench, and just watch people again. There are a handful of people out - awkward thing I've noticed is that most are alone, trudging along singularly, but much more upbeat than people were yesterday. Yesterday was stagnant, sluggish, and at times idle. "Ah, look at all the lonely people". Groups of people, dragging their feet to the drag of the day, scraping their soles against the walk, then pacing in files. What a sad sight. I'm ashamed I was part of it.
But today - different, sunny, warmer. I see a guy sitting by himself, smoking a "stoge" - each exhale of smoke likened to an exhale of soul, at least in my mind. Another, a woman, lone and apparently bored, eating her paper bag lunch under the shade of the Robeson building. Three men walk past my bench, rushing along (thanks to my bench perhaps), none of them are speaking, let alone taking their eyes off the ground. And now comes a woman from the opposite direction, hands snug in her pockets, chanting lines to herself (most likely the memorizations for a class) - I wonder if she notices the world around her. From the path behind me, I hear the sound of tapping. I turn around to find a guy smacking the bottom of his Newports - I wonder exactly how much soul will he breathe out before the pack is done. Probably much more than 3.50 could buy. I wonder if any of these people notice that today is warmer than yesterday. I wonder if any of them notice me. Then, I think to myself, "Why don't people hum anymore?".
It's nice though, the warmth that is - at least, for me; I've forgotten my problems. Who else could be so lucky? By the looks of things...not many."
^ That's what I wrote today - I didn't realize I wrote that much, but oh, well. Enjoy what you will.
