As the cab came to a stop, she hesitantly looked out the window. The rain was coming down in sheets, and she had left her umbrella at the office. She dreaded what others might think of her if they were to see her so disheveled.
The man sitting next to her ran to her side of the cab and opened the door, holding out his coat as an umbrella.
“What are you doing? Are you crazy?”
He stared at her blankly, “Think what you will, but right now I’m the best thing you got against this rain.”
She let out a tired sigh, and got underneath the jacket. Reaching the other side of the street they took shelter beneath a storefront awning.
“You are certifiably insane! You’re soaked from head to toe!”
“I know aint it great,” flashing her a toothy grin.
She shot him a bewildered look through pale blue eyes that nearly matched the gray sky above.
“Let’s grab a bite to eat. I know this great little place just around the corner,” pointing as he spoke.
“I don’t even know who you are, or even your name!”
“Names Soren. Happy? Now let’s eat”
“Wait don’t you want to know my name?”
“Not really.”
The noise of the other patrons boomed and faded around them. Their laughter was contagious and she found, despite herself, to be enjoying the atmosphere of the tiny oyster bar.
“I don’t like oysters.”
“Hmm. I love them.” He promptly poured an oyster into a shot glass filled it with vodka, added cocktail sauce, lemon, and tossed it back.
“That is so disgusting!”
“Suit yourself, but I’m going to keep doing these until you try one. I have to warn you though, after about three I get pretty damn gassy.”
She cracked a smile and a faint chuckle crossed her lips, “You’re nuts you know that? How can you even stomach that?”
“Because I’m insane,” he winked, smiled and threatened to toss down another.
“No, no, I’ll do it, but first tell me why you don’t want to know my name.”
“We impose limits on people with the labels we apply to them. I’d rather get to know you, not your name.”
She grabbed her glass and shot it down. She nearly gagged for a whole minute before she was confident enough she was going to keep it down. When it was over they laughed, smiled, and laughed some more. Talking far later into the evening than she ever thought possible.
They slipped into the night and he turned to her and said, “Let me show you my city.”
“Your city?”
“On nights like this anything is possible.”
Flashing him a shy smile, “Ok but first I must use the lady’s room.”
She ducked into the restroom but within seconds she reappeared, “Go inside with me.”
“Have you flipped? Somebody could walk in on us.”
“My whole life has been a giant plan to keep me safe. From the schools I’d attend to the clothes I’d wear," her eyes focused on his like lasers.
“I had everything figured out except me. What impassions me, what fills me with purpose, what makes me grateful for the sun to rise, and content to feel the twinkling of the stars at night?”
“Spoken like a true crazy person.”
The man sitting next to her ran to her side of the cab and opened the door, holding out his coat as an umbrella.
“What are you doing? Are you crazy?”
He stared at her blankly, “Think what you will, but right now I’m the best thing you got against this rain.”
She let out a tired sigh, and got underneath the jacket. Reaching the other side of the street they took shelter beneath a storefront awning.
“You are certifiably insane! You’re soaked from head to toe!”
“I know aint it great,” flashing her a toothy grin.
She shot him a bewildered look through pale blue eyes that nearly matched the gray sky above.
“Let’s grab a bite to eat. I know this great little place just around the corner,” pointing as he spoke.
“I don’t even know who you are, or even your name!”
“Names Soren. Happy? Now let’s eat”
“Wait don’t you want to know my name?”
“Not really.”
The noise of the other patrons boomed and faded around them. Their laughter was contagious and she found, despite herself, to be enjoying the atmosphere of the tiny oyster bar.
“I don’t like oysters.”
“Hmm. I love them.” He promptly poured an oyster into a shot glass filled it with vodka, added cocktail sauce, lemon, and tossed it back.
“That is so disgusting!”
“Suit yourself, but I’m going to keep doing these until you try one. I have to warn you though, after about three I get pretty damn gassy.”
She cracked a smile and a faint chuckle crossed her lips, “You’re nuts you know that? How can you even stomach that?”
“Because I’m insane,” he winked, smiled and threatened to toss down another.
“No, no, I’ll do it, but first tell me why you don’t want to know my name.”
“We impose limits on people with the labels we apply to them. I’d rather get to know you, not your name.”
She grabbed her glass and shot it down. She nearly gagged for a whole minute before she was confident enough she was going to keep it down. When it was over they laughed, smiled, and laughed some more. Talking far later into the evening than she ever thought possible.
They slipped into the night and he turned to her and said, “Let me show you my city.”
“Your city?”
“On nights like this anything is possible.”
Flashing him a shy smile, “Ok but first I must use the lady’s room.”
She ducked into the restroom but within seconds she reappeared, “Go inside with me.”
“Have you flipped? Somebody could walk in on us.”
“My whole life has been a giant plan to keep me safe. From the schools I’d attend to the clothes I’d wear," her eyes focused on his like lasers.
“I had everything figured out except me. What impassions me, what fills me with purpose, what makes me grateful for the sun to rise, and content to feel the twinkling of the stars at night?”
“Spoken like a true crazy person.”
“Maybe so, but I know this. Life isn’t experienced through an excel spreadsheet, but it’s out here with open eyes. It’s in every breath and being afraid to exhale for fear of losing the moment. That’s life, and that’s all we really have.”
“I’m sorry, what’s your name?”
A smile formed on her lips and it radiated outward illuminating her blue eyes that shined like gems in a mirror.
“Runa.”
“Well Runa, let me be the first to welcome you to the asylum.”
He grabbed her hand and followed her in.
“I’m sorry, what’s your name?”
A smile formed on her lips and it radiated outward illuminating her blue eyes that shined like gems in a mirror.
“Runa.”
“Well Runa, let me be the first to welcome you to the asylum.”
He grabbed her hand and followed her in.
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