The woman walking towards me on that empty street late last night

had my crooked jaw, my broken smile and  my dark and empty eyes.

She was even dragging her right foot a little which something I do when I am tired.

 

I like the sound my toe makes when it scrapes along the pavement. I wear out a lot of

shoes that way.

But I do like that sound and it’s worth the cost of new shoes.

 

I wondered, as we got closer to each other who would speak first, what would we say?

Or would we stop and face each other nose to nose and laugh? Would we gasp in

wonder or maybe fear?

 

Or maybe,  without saying a word,  would we agree that the

other did not exist?

That we were alone on that sidewalk in  the middle of the night?

 

She stopped and so did I.

” You’re not real. ” I said

” You’re not real ” she replied.

 

” Who’s there?  someone with our stolen  ( and it must have been stolen ) voice  said

just above whisper.

 

The woman looked at me and I looked at her and we both insisted:

” Me. I’m here. ” said the woman

” Me. I’m here. ” I told her.

 

” Well for heaven sakes, lower your voices. You might wake her up and then none  of  – ”

 

The woman walking towards me on that empty street late last night

had my crooked jaw, my broken smile and  my dark and empty eyes.

She was even dragging her right foot a little which something I do when I am tired.