Day 153: Dmitri Has To Make A Phone Call

Dmitri has to make a phone call. But he has to do it in private, away from the house. He could do it on the way to the train, but it’s snowing. Snowing again. After living here for 5 years, the weather is just now making him homesick. But of course, he isn’t prepared. He threw out his snow boots during the last move. His only option is the same beat up black sneakers that he’s had all winter. Better than nothing. Could be bread bags. Or worse. No. Nothings worse than bread bags.

On the long walk down 30th avenue, the wind stings his face. Fine little snow pellets sting him through his scarf. His feet fail to gather traction, as he slips and slides while trying to make it look casual. Not that anybody cares. Nobody knows who he is. He’s hasn’t been gone long enough to stop missing his old life. But he’s been gone too long to remember why he left in the first place. All that he knows is that it’s his fault and he can’t go back.

He struggles to get up the stairs. In the distance, he can hear the train squealing, which gives him encouragement to pick up the pace. Huffing and puffing he elevates himself with even enough time to get to the snowy end of the platform. A whole train car to himself. It’s the little things that make life special. He plops into his favorite corner seat, pulls his scarf down and gets his bearings straight. Phone call. He’s gotta make that phone call.

The train pulls into Broadway and to Dmitri’s dismay, a large bearded man walked through the snow to go into his car. He reluctantly pulls his scarf back up. Fuck that guy. There’s plenty of train cars and he had to pick this one. So much for a regular phone call. He’s going to make it a video call. If the man doesn’t like it, he can leave. In fact, that’d be a great idea for all parties involved. But he doesn’t leave. Dmitri scrolls through his phone and finds “V”.

His face lights up as he sees hers. A sight for sore eyes, whatever that means. They don’t even know what to say at first. They just stare at each other and smile. Although she can’t tell that he’s smiling, as he’s still wearing his scarf. They exchange pleasantries and try to talk about their lives, but there’s just not much to report. There’s not much that they can report. The years have done a number on both of them. But they still have the memories. And they still have this moment, thousands of miles apart but still face to face.

The train careens through the snow too quickly. He’s losing time. There’s so many things he wants to say but never will. He knows that V feels the same way. So they leave it at that. Two long lost friends, never able to keep up on the years, speaking once in a blue moon when their schedules align. Nobody will know of their love and nobody will ever have to. They sit in silence for longer, as a tear rolls down Dmitri’s face. He knows he’s going to lose service soon, but he doesn’t want to tell her.

He just wants the moment to last longer.

But it won’t.

And before they could say, “I love you”, the train violently dips under the Queensboro Bridge and into the deep, dark void.

The words will need to be uttered another day.

But they don’t need to be uttered at all.

– TeeCoZee