red man.
So, first they were not near each other. There was distance between them. About two steps. Perhaps a bit more.
He was behind her. Standing. She was standing at the curb. Both feet on the curb. She was swinging back and forth. Like she was dancing. And then she turned her head back.
He was behind her. Hands in his coat pockets. Waiting for the light to change. It’s a long red signal for the pedestrians. First, the cars from the left will pass, then the cars from behind the tracks. Only then pedestrians. They were waiting. She at the curb, him further back. She gave him a passing look.
A passing look. Fleeting. Very short. Next, she was facing the street again. Waiting for the light to change. From red man to green man. Still swinging. Then she turned back to look at him again. A second time.
Then the red man changed to green man. Pedestrians began to cross the street. He too started to walk — and she was still looking at him. Her feet at the curb. No longer swinging.
She was still looking backwards. At him. A long look this time.
And then she stepped off the curb, on the street. With her head still turned back. Away from the street. Looking at the man.
[Look where you’re going! Cross the street with care! Watch out! This is so bad!
You didn’t see the car. Green man for pedestrians and the car not stopping. Speeding along. Knocked you off your feet. You weren’t looking! Not crossing with care! Car’s sped away. Gone.]
She’s lying on the ground. Green man lighting her all over. She’s not swinging anymore. Motionless. And now he catches up with her. He’s off the sidewalk, on the street.
He kneels next to her, she’s lying on the street. He extends a hand, but not fully. He does not need to extend the arm fully to reach her face. His elbow is at an angle of about a 120 degrees. Slightly bent. He touches her face. And he says:
“You look so beautiful. And so serene.”
He’s moving hair away from her eyes. There’s blood. Blood on her face, blood on his fingers. Lighted red by the red man. It’s all red now.
Beautiful and so serene. He said that. Serene means peaceful. And she looked nice. He was right when he said beautiful and so serene. I did not mind she was motionless. He did not mind it either. He then stood up. And he crossed the street.
Thinking back, I don’t think it was good idea for her to turn to look at him in the first place. She hadn’t done it — cross without looking where she was going — she might be still swinging at the curb. With both feet.
