Twenty

Monday, November 20, 2023 @ 21:36 MST

“This is how the story went; I met someone by accident.”

Twenty years ago this day, I was walking from “lower campus” to “upper campus” with a friend. The weather was New England cool.

We were walking, chatting. I noticed a boy in front of us whose backpack was unzipped. A lot. That zipper was way open. His books could fall out.

I cannot recall exactly what transpired next. Did I speed up so that I could tap him on the shoulder? Zip his bag without even asking? It is all a blur. The bag got zipped because of something I did or said. He thanked me. The events that followed were far more salient.

...what?

That look.

Nothing.

Something.

No, it’s just that... I would never have done that.

You never would have done that?

No.

Why not?

I don’t know. I don’t pay attention to details like that.

Hm.

Silence.

We parted ways.

I took my seat in the back of a classroom in Harkins Hall. Immediately reached for my spiral, college ruled notebook. Flipped to the back pages like I do when I doodle or write my poems.

And jotted down some messy lines.

11-20-2003

(And) He says I don’t pay [much] attention

to details like that

And you’re so nice I just don’t understand it

Was implied

And As I

Went on about life my life and

Things I haven’t done and never will

Ya know, all that crap

Turns out I have done more than a few things after all. Cheers to the next twenty.

“In the end, only kindness matters.” ~ Jewel