The Lucid Soul

The Lucid Soul

Walking home, I'll admit I was slightly intoxicated. Maybe I
imagined the whole thing.

Holding onto my heels and in the other hand was the linen grocery
bag half full of wine bottles. The walkway was a bridge over the
market a couple of hundred feet below. Steel felt nice and cold
against my small feet. There was a calming silence in the open room
that led to various different areas through incline bridges and
staircases. I was sort of swaying back and forth as if I was a child
dancing. Letting the dark blue bag swing back and forth to hit either
side of my hip, while a plastered drunken smile illuminated my face.

"What is she doing?"

His voice was diaphanous that had just been cleaned. I couldn't
pinpoint where he was through. My short hair was long enough to fall
in front of my face but unable to get stuck in my mouth. Something I
hated. Meanwhile being unable to walk and look around at the same
time my clumsiness came forth. There was a step that lead up to the
female dorms caught the front of my toes. Landing on my hands I
turned over to hold my toes.

"Chck", nonsensical sound of pain was all I could make
out without swearing.

         "Let me help you up."

         I looked up at the man who was holding out his hand. I didn't
get the chance to see him speak since I was staring at my stubbed
toe, holding and squeezing. I can't remember his face but I can see
the wedding band on his finger. Such a nice man to help up a stranger
at this time of night. The light behind and above him shined over the
hood that he wore darkening his face. Though I remember what I heard
next before he left.

         "You'll be okay."

         "Maybe he's your soul mate?" said my roommate.

         Placing the remaining bottles of wine on the coffee table, that
sat next to the murky white leather couch. The bag obviously held
another bottle of wine but I tried to quickly throw it in the
recycling compartment before she had noticed.

         "What am I going to do with you? I sent you two hours ago to
get some Yellowfoot and you come back drunker than a sailor."

         I always found the expression odd, since there was no longer any
sailors. Something history class never explained. I never was curious
to find out why. Trying to change the subject back to the random
encounter with the kind man. Bringing over two wine glasses from
behind the counter wall in the kitchen.

         "I think he was married. He had a ring on his finger."

         "Do you remember which finger?"

         I gave her a look of exasperation and annoyance before plopping
myself down next to the arm rest of the couch. The built in
television turned on once I commanded. The movie starting that she
had prepared in advance.

         "Maybe moving here will be fine after all."