I recline in one of the big comfy chairs in the corner at the local Internet café, reading a novel, immersed in conflict, challenge, adventure. She curls up in the other chair, across from mine, her feet tucked under her legs, and stares out the window. The sight pulls me from my book.
Quiet, pretty, young, she rarely smiles, even when serving customers their coffee and muffins. Each morning, I make it a point to grin long and broad, with “please” and “thanks.” But in return I rarely receive more than a rote, “Café Americano, two sixty-five.”
Then, at about 10 o’clock, she takes a break, to sit and stare. The sun peeks around the edge of a cloud overhead, now gleaming through her tender blue eyes and warming her luxurious, dark hair. Her face softens, and my heart melts, and I wonder what she thinks about.
At that moment, she raises her hand to her chin, and the sleeve of her black uniform slides down enough to reveal pieces of blue and red scribbled into her arm.
“What’s your tattoo?” I ask.
I myself have never mustered the will and courage to subject myself to the tattooist’s needle.
A frown etches its way across her face. “Nothing,” she mutters, her eyes still transfixed on the outside scene.
I shrug my eyebrows, as if to shrug off the hurt I feel. I return to the joyful fantasy of my book– Or rather, I am just about to return to it, when the girl silently unbuttons her sleeve, rolls it up, holds out her wrist, revealing a half a butterfly, its intricate wings painted in dazzling blue. The half-butterfly sits on the stem of a rose blossom, deep green and red.
“Wow,” I say. “That’s really beautiful.” Then, “Why only half a butterfly?”
“The other half– flew away,” she says, returns to her window view, her frown now more pronounced than ever.
“I’m sorry,” I say.
“Not your fault,” she mumbles.
I try pull my eyes from hers. And fail.
I imagine her smiling, laughing, bonding with friends, close to her loved ones. Her desolate sadness stabs through my gut.
I could argue with her. True, it’s not my fault that her best friend died, or moved away, or whatever happened. But I can still feel sorry. I’m allowed to feel sorry, not just with pity, but out of human kindness. In some societies, the community would rally around, sit, mourn with her. How can I sit here next to her and feel nothing? Or worse, feel only discomfort and dread, wanting only to escape from her presence, back into the safety of my novel.
But arguing with would accomplish nothing.
She sees me staring, I’m sure. If I were she, if our positions were reversed, I’d notice her staring. I’d wonder what kind of kook she was. I’d worry what kind of mess I’d gotten myself into.
“I hope,” I squeak– I swallow. “I hope that you can hang out with some friends after your shift, at least.”
She grunts.
“I wish there were something I could do,” I admit.
She glares at me. “Well, there isn’t. Haley was the only real friend I had. And now she’s gone. She was the only one who knew how to love everyone as they were. There will never be another person like her, ever. So don’t even try!”
She runs to the ladies room, and I can feel numerous pairs of eyes throwing glances in our direction.
I gulp down the rest of my now-tepid coffee, place the cup and saucer in the dish-return. Carrying my book, I stroll toward the exit, already having decided to return tomorrow morning to see how she’s getting along.
Excellent web site. Plenty of helpful information here. I’m sending it to some buddies ans also sharing in delicious. And certainly, thanks to your sweat!
Magnificent site. Lots of helpful info here. I am sending it to some friends ans additionally sharing in delicious. And certainly, thanks in your sweat!
Simply desire to say your article is as astonishing. The clarity in your post is simply nice and i could assume you’re an expert on this subject. Fine with your permission allow me to grab your RSS feed to keep updated with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please continue the enjoyable work.
Magnificent web site. Lots of helpful info here. I am sending it to a few pals ans additionally sharing in delicious. And obviously, thanks for your effort!
There is definately a great deal to find out about this subject. I like all the points you have made.
Appreciating the hard work you put into your site and in depth information you present. It’s great to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same out of date rehashed information. Excellent read! I’ve saved your site and I’m including your RSS feeds to my Google account.
We are a group of volunteers and starting a new scheme in our community. Your site provided us with valuable info to work on. You’ve done a formidable job and our entire community will be thankful to you.
Проблемы с зубами? ортодонтия лечение кариеса и каналов, восстановление формы и цвета зуба, замена старых пломб. Индивидуальный подход, современные технологии, стерильность. Запишитесь на консультацию и получите план лечения.
Проблемы с зубами? https://www.stomatologiya-v-bare.com лечение кариеса и каналов, восстановление формы и цвета зуба, замена старых пломб. Индивидуальный подход, современные технологии, стерильность. Запишитесь на консультацию и получите план лечения.
If you wish for to grow your familiarity only keep visiting this website and be updated with the most recent information posted here.
After exploring a handful of the blog articles on your site, I honestly appreciate your technique of writing a blog. I book-marked it to my bookmark site list and will be checking back in the near future. Take a look at my website as well and let me know what you think.
Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it. Look advanced to more added agreeable from you! However, how can we communicate?
I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you design this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz answer back as I’m looking to construct my own blog and would like to know where u got this from. thanks a lot
For latest news you have to visit the web and on internet I found this web site as a finest web page for most recent updates.
I appreciate how you focused on real-world applications rather than just theory. This makes the content so much more valuable in practice.
Thanks for finally writing about > %blog_title% < Loved it!
Howdy! Quick question that’s totally off topic. Do you know how to make your site mobile friendly? My weblog looks weird when browsing from my iphone4. I’m trying to find a theme or plugin that might be able to resolve this problem. If you have any recommendations, please share. Cheers!
Hey there I am so grateful I found your website, I really found you by mistake, while I was looking on Google for something else, Regardless I am here now and would just like to say thanks a lot for a fantastic post and a all round interesting blog (I also love the theme/design), I don’t have time to look over it all at the moment but I have book-marked it and also added in your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read a lot more, Please do keep up the fantastic work.
I think what you composed was actually very reasonable. However, think about this, what if you typed a catchier title? I mean, I don’t want to tell you how to run your blog, however what if you added a headline that makes people want more? I mean %BLOG_TITLE% is kinda boring. You ought to look at Yahoo’s home page and see how they create article titles to get viewers interested. You might add a video or a related pic or two to grab people excited about what you’ve written. Just my opinion, it might make your posts a little livelier.
Hello it’s me, I am also visiting this web site daily, this website is genuinely nice and the viewers are in fact sharing pleasant thoughts.
Magnificent site. Lots of helpful info here. I am sending it to several pals ans also sharing in delicious. And certainly, thank you in your effort!
Hi are using WordPress for your blog platform? I’m new to the blog world but I’m trying to get started and create my own. Do you need any coding expertise to make your own blog? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Авто в ОАЭ https://auto.ae/ под ключ: продажа новых и б/у автомобилей, диагностика перед покупкой, регистрация и страховка. Прокат на сутки и долгосрок, включая премиум. VIP номерные знаки — подбор вариантов, торг, оформление передачи и сопровождение на русском.
I think that what you wrote made a ton of sense. However, think about this, what if you added a little content? I ain’t suggesting your content isn’t solid., but what if you added a post title that grabbed folk’s attention? I mean %BLOG_TITLE% is kinda plain. You could look at Yahoo’s front page and see how they create post headlines to grab people to open the links. You might add a related video or a related picture or two to grab readers excited about what you’ve written. Just my opinion, it would bring your website a little bit more interesting.
I have been surfing online more than three hours today, yet I never found anything that grabbed my interest as much as this piece.
I’ve been exploring for a bit for any high quality articles or weblog posts on this sort of house . Exploring in Yahoo I at last stumbled upon this site. Studying this information So i am happy to convey that I’ve a very just right uncanny feeling I discovered just what I needed. I such a lot indisputably will make certain to don?t omit this site and give it a look on a continuing basis.
Excellent article!! I am an avid reader of your website:D keep on posting that good content. and I’ll be a regular visitor for a very long time!!
This web site really has all the info I needed concerning this subject and didn’t know who to ask.
Thanks so much for this, keep up the good work :)
This site truly has all of the info I wanted concerning this subject and didn’t know who to ask.
Some genuinely choice content on this site, bookmarked .
Someone essentially help to make significantly articles I’d state. That is the first time I frequented your web page and up to now? I surprised with the research you made to create this actual post amazing. Wonderful activity!
Hello there, just became aware of your blog through Google, and found that it is truly informative. I am going to watch out for brussels. I will appreciate if you continue this in future. Lots of people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!
If you would like to take a great deal from this piece of writing then you have to apply these strategies to your won blog.
After exploring a number of the blog posts on your blog, I really appreciate your way of writing a blog. I book marked it to my bookmark website list and will be checking back soon. Please visit my web site as well and let me know your opinion.
This page truly has all of the information I wanted about this subject and didn’t know who to ask.
Hi there, I discovered your web site by the use of Google even as searching for a related topic, your website came up, it seems great. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
Hello there, just turned into aware of your blog thru Google, and found that it is truly informative. I’m going to be careful for brussels. I will appreciate if you happen to continue this in future. Lots of other people shall be benefited from your writing. Cheers!
Hello! I simply wish to give you a big thumbs up for your great information you’ve got here on this post. I will be coming back to your website for more soon.
Why users still use to read news papers when in this technological world the whole thing is available on net?
You have made some good points there. I looked on the web for additional information about the issue and found most people will go along with your views on this web site.
I am regular visitor, how are you everybody? This paragraph posted at this web page is actually pleasant.
I could not refrain from commenting. Exceptionally well written!
Hello There. I found your blog using msn. That is a really smartly written article. I’ll make sure to bookmark it and come back to read extra of your helpful information. Thanks for the post. I will certainly return.
I know this web site offers quality dependent posts and other material, is there any other site which gives these kinds of data in quality?
Hi, I do think this is a great web site. I stumbledupon it ;) I may come back once again since I book-marked it. Money and freedom is the greatest way to change, may you be rich and continue to help other people.
Can I simply say what a comfort to discover somebody who genuinely understands what they are talking about online. You certainly realize how to bring an issue to light and make it important. More people ought to look at this and understand this side of the story. I was surprised you are not more popular since you most certainly possess the gift.
I’d like to find out more? I’d want to find out more details.
For newest information you have to pay a visit world wide web and on internet I found this web page as a most excellent site for newest updates.
Hi there! Do you know if they make any plugins to safeguard against hackers? I’m kinda paranoid about losing everything I’ve worked hard on. Any suggestions?
https://msimasters.com/comment-bien-utiliser-un-code-atlas-pro-2025-pour-une-experience-iptv-atlas-optimale/
Hey just wanted to give you a quick heads up. The words in your post seem to be running off the screen in Safari. I’m not sure if this is a formatting issue or something to do with internet browser compatibility but I thought I’d post to let you know. The design look great though! Hope you get the problem resolved soon. Kudos