10: or The Long Walk Home

“It’s getting late” I say “I should probably go.” I search her face for an invitation to stay, but I already know. Somnolent she glances up, wiping the sleep from her eyes, by this time my shoes are on, they’ve already been tied. After a long embrace an a kiss goodnight I make my way out the door, with a wave of goodbye. Cautiously walking down the stairs of her third floor tenement I stumbled and nearly fell, righting myself just shy of the floor. I look up gathering my thoughts and come face to face with her mailbox. Smiling to myself I walk out into the courtyard.

I’m welcomed into the night with a warm breeze, briskly it blows right through me. Walking, I break my fast with a cigarette graciously left for me to enjoy, I make my way along the sidewalks minding the cracks in the road. As I inhale I’m met with the rush of a buzz, exhaling I blow out the smoke from my lungs. I tongue the gap between my teeth where a tooth had once resided. A tooth so riddled with filth and decay rotting selfishly inside of me. Now just an empty socket, a reminder of what I once had. I tongue my gums as I make my way home, on this long, tiresome, desperate road.

The idea you see is to walk free, letting the wind take my feet, carry me. Wherever it may be, eventually the moon will cease, giving way to the sun. I’ll retire home with the warmth from above and sleep a dream of her hands and her lungs. Her touch is like fire, and her breath cools me down, her mind I admire, she brings light to this town.

I move my feet on these empty streets, one in front of the other. I bow to the cabbies and their cushioned seats but decline the offer for the blisters on my feet. Tonight I fly with a single path in mind, tonight I walk until the sun is mine. I move through the streets so gnarled and cheap taking in all of the cities imagery. Listening carefully to the ambience that is all around, guiding me up, never taking me down. As the wind gathers blowing through the trees, again passing through me with a rustling of leaves.

I can still feel her skin, her warmth soaking through to me, I can still taste her lips, so full and pink. I’ll wait patiently until the next time we meet, and continue my journey homebound with the sun at my feet.