what if

Like two soldiers from the same army, they stood and matched each other. The sunset conversation went till dawn. The 24 hour café was empty, but he hardly noticed.

He was mesmerized not by her beauty, but the twinkle in her eye. He had seen it before, but not like this. Almost like a warm fire on a cold night, her face warmed his weary body.

Hers was an intelligence like he had never quite seen, a sharpness of wit. More than once they finished each other’s sentences.

She would stare at him for minutes at a time, only to break herself away and blush in shame. Could he see her blush? She would warm her hands on her cappuccino glass and comment on how the heat is never turned up in restaurants like this , “because the cold makes you hungry and buy more food than you can eat.”

Nothing really funny about it from the outside, but they connected it silently to some cosmic comedy only they attended.

On and on the conversation raged. A misty fog rolled past the window, another minute detail to the déjà vous dream unfolded and ignored.

Sharing their lives was like them both taking a bite of the same fruit and describing the texture and flavor as they chewed.

Almost intimidating, the way they met. What seems like days ago was only hours and would be remembered for lifetimes.

Slowly, the life bringing sun rose over the irregular beauty that is the city. Making it’s way through the once dark streets.

She was embarrassed she couldn’t remember what he did for a living but it didn’t seem to matter, as she had no intention of marring him or anything, didn’t seem to be her business.

His personality was magnetic, had he said he was single? HOW? He’s incredible! Although he has a slightly above average face, his eyes were changing every second never saying the same thing twice, seeming to almost change with each word.

He had a youthful face but was every bit mature, and a gentleman. Both in the way he chose to express him-self, and the things he expressed himself about.

This man stimulated her, he seemed to see her as an equal not some frail woman as other men had made her feel, as far as she was concerned she could hold her own against most men. She has the advantage of a ‘sweet’ look about her. And, she knew she was a tough girl.

“Many women see a tall thin me as a ‘brother figure’ you know? It’s like they can’t take a 6 foot man seriously unless he’s 185lbs.That’s my major gripe I have with most women.”

“I hear you”, she snickered under her breath. “..But large framed men don’t do it for me.” She smiled and looked out the window at an old lady going through the garbage, before the garbage man comes.

Two thoughts immediately shot though his head. He was careful to monitor his face lest she notice his hesitation.

He didn’t want to push his luck by asking for her number although he was tempted. Also if she lost his number she’d be lost forever. He made a private joke about tattooing his number on her body and smiled as he wrote it down on the napkin.

“And, this is my beeper #, my answering machine is always on, so you really don’t need my beeper. No, but hey ya never know.”

“O.K. no problem, I’ll call you and maybe we do dinner or”, she motioned over her shoulder at the sun,” perhaps we could do dawn, again!”

Twenty minutes he was on the “E” train to queens and she was on the “A” train to Brooklyn. Neither of them thought of anything but each other.

Theirs was such a unique coupling. The speed and strength of their relationship shocked even themselves. Months flew past and soon they were engaged and planning their lives together.

They found nice apartment in St.Albans, a middle class area in Queens. One of those streets where every other house has a child the same age as the od house before it.

Things went smoothly for a long while. Before either of them knew it, their second anniversary came and went. Life and it’s many routines never dulled her wit or his sense of humor. The years never strained the intimate and passionate experiences they shared. They were happy and without want.

He and she both worked nights and slept during the day. A matter of choice. They were often ribbed by their friends and family for their lifestyles but for them there was no other way.