He, She, and the World
2004-08-15 - 1:36 p.m.

They both looked up at the same time, he from The Four Loves, and she from Atlas Shrugged. They both looked back down a little too quickly, and both of their faces were a little too flushed.

A few minutes later both of them walked to the coffee shop separately. She ordered a caramel machiatto and he ordered a brownie and water. They sat down at different tables. He was thinking about her, and wondered if they’d shared a moment earlier. She was thinking about Ayn Rand, and had almost forgotten about their glance.

He walked back of to his chair and picked his book back up. He covertly watched her chair and hoped she’d do the same. She briefly considered it, but, upon seeing that Atlas Shrugged was only six fifty-nine, and that it was rather long to read in one sitting, she opted to buy it instead.

He thought he saw her heading toward him out of the corner of his eye, and he was right, sort of. She walked over to her chair, picked up the book, and headed toward the checkout. He thought about following her and asking for her number, but he had just gotten to eros and couldn’t put the book down just yet.

When he next sees his buddies, he will tell them about her, and how their eyes met and they shared a moment, even thought it won’t be true. His friends will laugh, partly with him but mostly at him, and the world will continue to turn, independent of he, or she, or anyone else.