Mid 90’s in a dry climate is nearly as good
As a cool blustery day in a place that is full of
Grass, trees, bushes… vegetation
Traffic is a bitch
There are about 2 stoplights per mile I have to drive home.
I left my rented life to go to my home life
And was sitting at one of the said stoplights.
A corner gas station sat to my right.
Convenience door opens and a pleasant looking lady strolls to her car.
Business top of some light fabric, skirt, high heels…
I wasn’t close enough to hear her walk
but you know the
Click
That shoes make.
I look to the left.
There’s an end to a strip mall.
There’s a man sitting against the wall of the mall
In the shadow of a sign that shields him from the sun
It’s the current residence he’s taken up for that moment of the day
He’s looking across the street
He cocks his head as though as he’s hearing something from the distance
Click
The movement of his head is in sync with her stride to her Cadillac SUV.
A security officer rounds the building from the front.
His eyes are locked in the direction of the SUV.
He walks past the sign to go to the back of the strip mall in a daze.
The door to the SUV closes.
Suddenly the guard notices the man resting against the wall.
The man notices the guard passing the sign.
They exchange words.
The man shrugs off the words and looks away.
The security guard begins to talk again
This time his posture is different and his hand creeps towards his
Revolver
Tapping the side of it as though it’s pumping up his courage
In some unconscious way of giving him the strength of the steel and lead he carries around.
The man mildly notices the tapping and then looks at the man’s face
With a new found interest and curiosity of what this guard might be made of.
He smiles and stands.
The guard nods and says something else as he starts his black shined shoes moving toward the back of the strip mall.
The man, he stands there, head cocked again.
Click
And then sits back down.
***
Maybe he’s heard the sound of the hammer before
The click that gives one the power to know that with twitch of a finger
You could change a person’s path forever…
Maybe he just wasn’t that scared of it.
Maybe he didn’t really care either way.
The sun was bright
And there was a sign.
***
The light turned green
Cars went forward
I pushed the gas pedal as the guard turned around and headed back
***
Click