Dreaming

I saw her standing in the corner of the subway station, she was holding a camera on one hand and what it seemed like a Polaroid photo on the other. Her face expression seemed vague, a little sad I suppose. She rushed inside as soon as the subway train came to a halt, I couldn't help but rush after her. I sat down beside her; I had no idea where the destination of this train might be but I knew I had to talk to her. So I sat. I introduced myself and tried keeping a conversation although she seemed uninterested.

When she finally looked over at me she gave me a small smirk and said,

"You know I wasn't always like this. At some point in my life." She sighed, "I was happy, full of life and now I'm just trying to get by."

I remember her tone of voice being mellow and firm. All I could do was stare. She was beautiful.

She then went on explaining how her mother and father passed away, and all she had was a little black book containing poems her mother had written. She lifted up her jacket and pulled out the book from the inside pocket. It looked crusty and old. It had a lock on it but I could tell from the side opening the pages were yellow. She hugged it tightly as she smiled, her eyes sparkled a little too.

As the subway train announced the next stop being only five minutes away; I had to ask her where she was going and if I was ever going to see her again.

She responded, "I only have enough to get to the next destination."

She placed herself in busy locations capturing memories of those who wanted and selling them for five dollars. She explained she always thought there was more to life than this.

"And there is; the world is big." I told her.

We walked off of the subway train together and as she was starting to walk away I lightly pulled her back.

"Wait" I desperately said to her.

She turned around with a puzzled look on her face. Maybe concerned to what I was going to say next.

Without a pause I cleared my throat and said to her plainly,

"We all have stories to tell, we all fall and get back up, the maxim is to never give up."

As I finished what I was saying I reached into my pocket and handed her a $20,000 check.

"Please make good use of it, make your dreams come true."

Those were the last words that he said as he walked away. With a $20,000 check on my hand, I am assertive that this is his side of the story.

It took me a while to gain movement on my legs; but I finally walked away and as i looked back I thought to myself, maybe it all started when he saw me glancing over at him at the subway station. Perhaps, even all the odds were in my favor. The only thing I could only hope for in that moment was to see him again. A man in a blue tuxedo as kind as him.

The alarm started to sound louder and louder, I open my eyes, roll over to my side to pick up the phone and turn it off. I stare at the ceiling gathering my thoughts, I can't help but start to laugh. How can something feel so real yet only be a dream? I cover my face with my blanket, still laughing.

"I think I have five more minutes."