A Little Bit of Something Else.

All characters and events in this story are figments of an imagination that is both vivid and daffy.



He walks into the subway car. He's listening to Jethro Tull's "Aqualung". He knew he had to stand all the way to his office. He was used to it. It has happened everyday for the past six months. He never usually notices the people around him. But, this day, today, something made him look up. Made him glance at the people around him. Notice the people who are sitting in the car. That's when he sees her.

Sitting in the subway car. Legs crossed. Reading the New York Times. She looks up. He starts to hear "The first time I ever saw your face" by Johnny Cash. She notices him looking at her. She does what every guy looking at a girl hopes for, she smiles at him.

All he can hear now is "She Loves You" by The Beatles. He knows that it's a bit much. Patting the back of his head, he starts to wonder what to do. Chances like this are probably 1 in a million. For him at least. And for someone who believes in karma and destiny, he thought that it fit perfectly. It had been a difficult eight-ten months. Getting fired. Being unemployed. Getting hired. Settling down at the new place. Things were looking up. This is just part of the world helping him become the top dog again. He wasn't going to miss out on an opportunity like this.

The first stop arrives. He looks to see if she gets down. No, she doesn't. She happens to do the same. It's like the first battle has been won. He starts to make his way over to her. She starts to fix her hair on seeing that he's coming over. He realizes that's a sign. She seems interested too. His day was getting better. He mistakenly pushes a lady against the door. He wants to apologize, he's a nice guy. But the next stop is coming fast. He needs to get across the car. The lady he pushed turns and is about to shout. But, she sees why he's moving fast. She smiles to herself and thinks, "Young Love."

People in the car notice him moving towards them and see her starting to get excited too. They make way, as much as they can, for him. He knows that this is it. This is God making everything work for him. For her too probably. She starts to get up. He has convinced himself that it's for him. She's going to make her way over too.

It remained him of scenes from the movies. Two people, falling or fallen in love, running towards each other. In a cornfield. In a train station. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Fantasy Overture is the only thing he can hear. Everything else has fallen silent. They seem to be alone. The train seems to have stopped moving. She is next to him. They are face to face.

It was now. There wasn't a 'or never' part for him. This was it.

He can see only her. Her beautiful face. He starts to speak. No words come out. he stands with his mouth open. Seconds pass. To him, they seem like hours.

She starts to say something. All he hears is "I knew I loved you" by Savage Garden. He starts to remember that the video for the song was in a subway car too. He cannot believe that is what he's thinking off. She says something. He doesn't hear it. She says it again. He tries to get the song out of his head. He succeeds.

She says, " Excuse me, your blocking the door." He doesn't register what she said. He stands there with his mouth open. She puts her hand across his chest. He almost melts, but smiles. She looks into his eyes, smiles and pushes him aside.

As she gets out of the car, she shows him her left hand. He sees a ring on her finger. He sees her walk up to a guy in a suit. She puts her arms around the guy and gives the guy a hug.

The doors closed. He stands stunned. He still can't take his eyes off her. The train starts to pull away from the station. As it does, she turns, sees him, smiles at him before walking away with the guy.

He stands. Still stunned by the events that just occurred. He looks up and sees the crowd minding their own business. He smiles to himself and says, " Women."