The Quest for Pop (NOT soda) - 7/5/2000

after midnight, and I'm waiting on the platform. hot as fucking hell down here. I'm about as tired as the wandering jew. I walk over to the bench. five seats. at one end, two arabic gentlemen are talking. well, one is. he's real excited about something. the other one, the older one, he's nodding in a manner that seems to me to be condescending. the younger man doesn't notice, and keeps babbling.

the other end of the bench, there's a woman reading a book. something about Mary Magdalene. I feel like asking her to hold up the book so I can see it clearly, but mama told me never to talk to strangers.

next to her, seat second from the end, there's a pretty woman with frizzy blondish hair. she looks jewish, but I'm not sure. she takes my breath away. I stand there a moment, then flop down in the middle seat, the unoccupied one. I steal glances at the blonde woman out of the corner of my eye.

I hear a rumbling that grows louder ever second. that's my train. F train. to Brooklyn. I'm glad, because I can't handle much more of this goddamn heat. subways are mostly air-conditioned, these days.

nobody so much as prepares to get up until the train's already stopped. then everyone jumps up at once and strides over to the doors. the car's somewhat crowded. only a couple of empty seats. I see two. one is next to the blonde woman. beautiful.

I sit down next to her, feeling kind of foolish. my heart is fluttering like an insect trapped in my ribcage.

I pretend to ignore her as the car picks up speed. I stare into space. whenever the train slows abruptly, I'm sent in her direction. I hold onto the bar, but I do sort of edge over into her seat, nonetheless.

there's a lull between abrupt jerks, and glance at her, slightly. she's smiling, I think. my hand moves down, instinctively, and caresses her thigh. she smiles wider. or is it a grimace? I can't tell. I turn to look at her full-on. she reaches out with her left hand, the farther away one. she touches my shoulder with something resembling affection. with her right hand she reaches inside her coat. I see the glint of metal, but it doesn't register. I can only stare.

she places the pistol at my temple, and discharges it, twice. BLAM! BLAM! I slump.

heartbeat.

heartbeat.

heartbeat.

she's shaking me. "Sir! Sir? Are you okay?"

I wake up. look around. no blood. I feel my temple. the skin is unbroken.

"I'm... fine."

"You fainted."

"Must've been the heat."

we sit in silence as the train screeches to a halt.

the blonde angel stands up and walks over to the door. I glance over as the doors open. she flashes a toothy smile at me.

I think it's past my bedtime.


Back
Home