Seeing Olena
I saw Olena today on Broadway. I was going to the pool hall on 23rd when I noticed her across the avenue.
Was this too far to approach her, I thought, or was I conditioned to play her game of not knowing who I was?
I shrugged, and was about to cross the avenue when a guy standing by her said something and offered her a cigarette. I crouched with lowered head but kept my eye on them. The guy was doing most of the talking as he lit her cigarette -- but I saw she had turned red and was looking away from him…that could only mean one thing…
The light changed; I saw she was looking right in my direction. What would happen now?
I slowly began to cross the street, hesitant, afraid, when I saw her smiling at me. I breathed a sigh of relief; glad she knew me no matter that this wasn’t downtown anymore…
I came up to her; she leaned over, flicking away her newly lit cigarette, and let me kiss her cheek; she squeezed my hand.
I saw the guy look at her, his lips tightening as he stared at the wasted cigarette and just keep walking.
I was very happy that she recognized me…we were just a few blocks away from where her strange game would actually begin…I breathed a sigh of relief…
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