Crossed Paths

I stepped triumphantly out of the oncology ward into the daylight. I left without having felt so much as a flicker of despair, and because of that I stood taller as I began to walk the path through campus. I smiled as I took in the view. Something was in the crisp air today. On the path, coming toward me, there was someone else. The sun was out. The place seemed deserted for a late fall afternoon with sunshine. Should I make eye contact and say Hi? Did I even know him? I discerned as he was rounding the bend that he was wearing a long olive-green coat that was slightly puffy. It looked new; but why would anyone buy a new coat that was so ugly? I looked back at the view. I looked down at the path. He was holding something. His thinning red hair seemed familiar, but it could've belonged to any number of people I knew. Good thing I wore my oversized sunglasses and earmuffs, I could pull of the old 'pretend I don't know he's coming' avoidance tactic. He looked strait ahead of him as if he didn't know I, or the view, or the trees were right there. Coming around the bend the other way, I knew that soon we'd cross paths, facing each other. Keeping my head aimed in front of me, I looked at him sideways through my sunglasses. I immediately recognized his face when I could finally make it out; but when I tried to place it, it blended in with other, similar, more remarkable faces. There wasn't so much as a chilling breeze through the trees to pretend to focus on. Who was this? He put his hands near his mouth to light a cigarette as we drew closer. 'Good call indeed', I thought, though I decided against taking my gloves off to light one myself right then. Who was he? I just couldn't place him. The jacket made him look almost like a homeless person, who dressed like that? I sunk into the 'pretending to admire something in the opposite direction' routine, looking at the view to my right. As he neared me, he was not even looking through me but ignorant of my existence. I realized then that he wasn't lighting a cigarette. I followed his face with the corner of my eyes as he passed me. He started to bite down hard into an apple. It filled me with unshakable terror.

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