a-rosetintedglasses-blog

[a-rosetintedglasses-blog]

Woman

Leaves turned from green to musky brown, the cool crisp air took over the sunburned weather, and everyone starting busting out their sweaters and boots. It was the fall of 1952. The season just changed from summer to autumn, it was a time for new beginnings, also being that it was back to school season.

At that age, I was young, naive, and scared. Scared of what you may ask?

Well, I was with someone who I was deeply in love with - my first love. Everything was perfect, every waking moment was a rosy, pink coloured world.This man was my home, my everything. But one day out of the blue, he simply decided to end our relationship and I had no idea why. Right at that moment, in winter of 1950, I had an epiphany that life is definitely full of surprises. It’s cliche, but it’s true. One day you could be having the best day of your life, but in a blink of an eye, everything can disappear into thin air.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the last time I felt that way.

Back to the fall of 1952, I met someone new. He was so generous, that kindness was his primary form of language where even the deaf could hear and the blind could see. His eyes always felt assuring as if he is invincible and nothing can break him down. His compassion were endless like the deep blue sea.

I met him at the school bookstore while I was deeply immersed in a book “The White Bird” by J. M. Barrie drinking my second cup of coffee of the day. As my fingers grasped the soft vintage pages ready to flip to the next page, I heard a deep voice asking

“Hey, you like Peter Pan?”

The sound of my heartbeat took over the voices in my head as I sat there silently in awe.

From that moment, I knew my life would never be the same until the first day of winter in 1953, December 21st.

When you know someone for so long, you start to notice each other’s flaws, and ours happened right on the first winter in 1953. Our bond was detaching like autumn leaves dying from the frosty wind. After weeks of overwhelming heartbreaks, I told him to meet me at our local restaurant called Lily’s Cafe, where I decided to do the most outrageous thing. Little did I know, that day, that moment, was the last time I saw him.

Fast forward to the year 2017. It’s been 64 years since the accident and I’m still here religiously going to Lily’s Cafe on every 21st of December. I sit on the same spot by the christmas tree, which is silver now, that you liked. Call me crazy but I still have a gut feeling that I could see you from the window, coming through the door with open arms.

But I can’t anymore, it hurts too much. I have to move on.

499 words

[a-rosetintedglasses-blog]

Waitress

Today’s air felt like a frozen lace wrapped around my skin, feeling fragile and blue. 

Though I would rather be next to a fireplace sipping on some chamomile tea, I could not get out of work today. I couldn’t function properly; with the excessive amount of coffee I drank last night while flipping through those sweet and musky-like pages that smelt like chocolate, I spent all night typing up a book report for one of my favorite books, “The White Bird” by J. M. Barrie. 

My eyelids have never felt so dense, as if there were actual heavy weights embedded on my eyelashes. See, I work at an old restaurant called Lily’s Cafe. Today is the first day of winter; hence, with the icy wind and daggers of rain, the cafe barely has any customers; two of the regulars but that’s it. As my eyes are about to shut, I smell the scent of sweet cinnamon spice. I force myself to look up; an old, familiar lady came and asked for a table for two, specifically for the table right next to the big window, by the silver Christmas tree.

I wonder what is her story, she always comes and orders two of the same meal. Yet, she barely touches the food on her plate and leaves the other one cold and untouched. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have a problem with cleaning the wasted food - I just keep it for my pit-bull Pepper’s dinner since it would be such a waste of food if I threw it away. That lady has been doing that since I started working here. There has been so many times where I just wanted to go over to her table and ask what was the matter. But my job isn’t a counselor, it’s just a part-time waitress.

The lady slowly reaches to her seat and wistfully stares at the icy window. Endless questions stumble across my mind. Could it be that she just enjoys the food so much that she orders two of them but gets too full before she can finish it? No, then she would take the leftovers to go. Then could it be that she feels superior to us hence she thinks she has the right to order and leave her food untouched? No way, she seems too innocent for that. My co-worker nudges my shoulder as a signal to go take her order.

With a big smile I ask, “So what will you be having today?”

Her face churns towards me with her eyes dripping in tears. She attempts to cover it up by giving me an unconvincing smile telling me

“I’m sorry dear, I’m okay. I’ll be having..”

She pauses for a minute.

“- the spaghetti please, for one.”

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[a-rosetintedglasses-blog]

Man

Here I am sitting in the midst of many hues of blue at this wondrous kingdom filled with endless possibilities and forgiveness. I know that today marks the 64th year when God decided that he wanted me to stand by his side, gently resting in the heavens. I miss you so much my dear. You can’t see me but I am always watching you and being your guardian angel. Remember, God never makes any mistakes, his words are always true, my love.

This particular day makes me reminisce about that time in the school bookstore where I had my first and last ever love at first sight. Prior to that moment, it was my first day in school and all I could feel were my muscles constantly twitching involuntarily while my lips gripped tightly into grimace, simply thinking about being the new kid. As I toured around the school, the smell of old aged books caught my attention, my haven. Perfectly arranged books organised in a rainbow spectrum color, this place treated books like priceless treasures. As I wandered around the bookstore, across me was a girl sitting on a blue sofa, reading one of my favorite books - “The White Bird” by J. M. Barrie. My heart couldn’t resist and said go for it. I walk towards you, having no idea of what to say. The first thing that comes out of my mouth is “Hey, you like Peter Pan?”

I thought I messed up - there could have been many other ways yet this was my first impression for you. Still, you gave me the most delightful expression I have ever seen.

You became someone who was so special to me, you were my life, and every waking moment was another chance for me to express how much I loved you. Though I knew at times you were unsure of me, especially from your trauma from the past, I admired you unconditionally. I understand it was difficult during our hardships, it was hard for me too - I can’t tell you how sorry I am.

But it never occurred to me that you had enough of it.

You asked to meet up at our local cafe, the day after we had one of our huge, yet last ever fallout. My hands trembled vigorously at the thought of seeing you. I practiced countless times in the mirror, ways of apologizing. But, the moment I sat across you, there was a shift in ambiance.

Right before you could talk, my body felt the urge to leave the place. Impulsively, I decided to dash out of the door but because I wasn’t in the right mind, the next thing I saw was a bright, loud car crashing into my body. 

Now here I am wrapped around in God’s everlasting love. I’m very sorry my dear, it breaks my heart to watch you wait for me at that restaurant every year for the past 64 years. It’s time for you to move on, it’s time for you to stop. 

504 words