This short story is for Fandango’s One Word Challenge. Today’s word is motion.
She disembarked the express train at Grand Central Station coming from one appointment with exactly 10 minutes to get to the other appointment which was about a 10-minute walk away. In other words, she’ll be right on time or late. She puts on her “don’t talk to me face” and headed off weaving through people traffic and maneuvering subway detours.
At the top of the stairs, just before she got to the turnstile, she sees him. A tall, good-looking, well-dressed man walking intently toward her. But since she’s got her “game face” on and an appointment to keep, she kept up her determined pace till his “I need help” callout stopped her in her track.
Her mind did this quick-second ‘weigh the options’ thing it does in these situations — <<see if you can help … oh, he’s kind o’ cute … or hightail it outta there>>.
She stopped. Turned around. Faced him. Eyes locked and her mind is off on it’s own tangent — <<oh, he IS cute>>.
He continued: “I need help…”
Her face softens.
“I need help to find an organic …”
Her mind is at it again — <<where’s the organic store from here … how do I direct him … oh no, I’m seriously directionally challenged…>>
His voice broke through her mind-talk “… growing smile”?!
Oh no, he didn’t!!!! Oh … but he did!!!
The corners of her mouth did that turning-up motion it does when a smile is coming on and soon she had a gut-wrenching laugh right there amidst the hustle and bustle of Grand Central Station.
He found an organic growing smile in her.
After the laugh subsides, she retorts: “Good one! Organic”.
Turned out he wanted to sell her something. What a sales pitch uh?!
“But you gotta give a brother credit”, she muttered to herself, and headed to her appointment.
She’ll definitely be late but with an organically-grown smile on her face.
Thank you for reading!
First time to the site? Start here👈 and for more follow the blog here👈
In creative solidarity, Dee
Poems & More 