Monday, April 30, 2007

Visiting the Guilt Trip on the Square

Here I sit, at this little square table. Drinking my latte and checking my email with my laptop. Good music played on the coffee shop speakers while I’m minding my own business.

Then she appeared, standing at the edge of my table. She was talking to me and expecting replies. I glanced around the shop, looking for a rescuer but no one was coming to help, they were just watching me and her.

I smiled and nodded while she talked. What could I do? It was obvious that she was off her medication. The sounds coming from her lips were incoherent statements thrown together. I don’t want her to be here. I don’t want her to be talking to me.

But everyone was watching and listening. I can’t stand up and storm out. I can’t ask her to leave, that is just not done in this civilized society. The disdain in everyone’s eyes would kill me.

So there I sat. Trapped in a prison that had built up around me until she left.

2 comments:

  1. oh no!!!! tell me you arent one of those guys who take their laptop to starbucks and pretend to type important things on your computer ... lolz...

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  2. The trick is to remember that the writer and the speaker are two totally different people. Yeah, thats it...

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