By Roshni Riar, Staff Writer
A girl with a green toque and stylish
freckles peers at me from across the
congested SkyTrain, her eyes lazily scanning
the side of my face. The cluster of hairs
I am aware that my nose ring is crooked, I fight
the urge to toy at it with my fingers,
twitching my nose desperately to correct
The single grey hair I found last week
in the bathroom catches the light just
right and shoots a beam her way
like it’s waving its dead end to say,
hello.
Edmonds approaches. I see the flash of an
upturned lip, something akin to acknowledgement,
and wonder how long my peripheral craning
can last. I got dressed in the dark and I think
she can tell. Deodorant dropped on the ground,
hurriedly kicked the chunks of white towards
the garbage can and sprayed body spray under
my pits in desperation. She knows. It’s all in my posture.
She giggles as I move to follow the shuffling
masses out the doors. I wonder
what I did that was so funny? Maybe
she caught a glimpse of my mismatched
socks or the way my left pant leg always
seems to bunch itself up and ride awkwardly
high? She laughs again, I hear a chuckle
from behind me as I exit onto the platform
and pull my jacket straight.
Through the window, I see a girl with
a blue coat moving forwards to occupy
the spot where I once stood, gripping
the yellow bar that’s still warm
from my touch. I look through the window
to see the girl in the green toque looking
down bashfully, smiling as she lifts her
head. The girl in the blue coat smiles back.
I feel bad for having blocked their silent
dance of exchanging glances.
The train trudges away, smudging the mass
of people inside the car together. I look up,
past the station to see a clear sky and damp
ground. Look down and see the socks I was
so embarrassed about. Without cause.
Green and blue, actually complimentary.
They go together, I think, as I move towards
the turnstiles, reaching for my wallet.
