Goodbye Moon »

Have You Seen This Girl

The task of finding one single girl in a crowded city had seemed more probable in my head than it realistically actually was. In my mind, I planned to just walk outside and see her there again. 

After changing and walking outside, I looked around excitedly in hopes I would see Alexa somewhere, but all that I could see were food vendors and people walking to get to their next destination. I guess nothing can be that easy. 

I had work, and no matter how much I had wanted to try and call in sick, making up some imaginary illness, I had already pulled that for 99¢ hot dog day at sonic. Then again when I had been up all night watching a marathon of The X-Files. Eventually the days added up and if I ever actually got sick, it was going to be a lot harder to convince my boss, if I even could. 

I just sighed and began the short walk to the building. All I ever did was sit at a computer, typing in documents for people, but with no other work available, and being desperate right out of college for a job, I would have taken anything. 

Brian was sitting at the front desk as usual, tapping his pencil against the ledge of his desk, looking as bored as he always did while working. It seemed be a pattern of none of us wanting to be here, but just being stuck. 

"How was your kinky night out?" He asked, sitting up when he saw me walk in towards him. 

I stepped up to the desk, leaning against the front of it to look at him. "Don't you have work to be doing?" I raised an eyebrow at him, already knowing the answer to the question was yes and if I asked if he was ever going to do it, the answer would be no. 

It's a wonder he's kept his job so long, but answering calls and writing memos on colorful sticky notes couldn't be as hard as he tries to make it seem, always complaining about his cramped hands. Maybe the real reason we never have parties is because all of my friends are shit complainers. 

"When was the last time you ever saw me doing anything?" He raised an eyebrow and I couldn't argue honestly. 

"Just don't skimp on any memos this time." I said walking across the room and seating myself at my desk. 

The chair was just as stiff as it always was and the computer took forever to load up as usual, it just being the shitty start to a shitty day, not that I had expected any less. The air conditioning hardly worked and it almost felt like working with strangers, even though I had been working here no less than two years with the same people. 

It's like no one ever leaves, but most seem to just be waiting for retirement or hoping that maybe the heat of the building will kill them off before old age or various diseases do. I can't say it's the worst plan regarding working here. 

By my lunch break the day had felt like it was never going to come to an end. I kept checking the clock hoping somehow it would have turned to five and I was going to be able to leave. I guess our concept and perception of time wouldn't allow for my happiness of leaving and going on with my life. 

I told Brian I was going out for lunch and that I would be back, he mumbled a 'go eat a dick loser' making me try and walk out without saying a word to him, pretending I hadn't heard it. 

Everyday I never felt like walking somewhere good with the short lunch break I had. I was a living cliche going a small little bakery next to where I worked. The workers were friendly and more often than not they remembered both me and my order right as I walked through the door. 

No one else ever came in, so the fact that I had little time to be waiting in a long line and pushing through to get to a table was quickly solved by the lack of customers every time I came in there. 

"Morning, Lynn." Alex greeted, pushing a bag forward which I could only assume was my lunch. I guess they had also gotten accustomed to knowing what time I was going to come in. It wasn't like they had anything better to be doing. 

I peeked into the brown sack, seeing my food and nodding. I handed Alex the money and told him to just keep the change, figuring they always deserved a tip since it never seemed like they made much money as it was. Capitalism at work.

Taking my sandwich, I sat at one of the available chairs, taking a deep breath and letting it out. Somehow hard cafe type chairs were still more comfortable than the one I had to sit at all day. Sometimes I wanted to see how far I would be able to get if I tried taking one with me, but I never had a distraction with me so I could have a clean get away. I would have to work on that later. 

I stared out the large window beside me, always enjoying seeing the city and all of the people waking in a hurry to where they were going. The city always somehow looked dull and grey compared to the people walking through it. It was fun to imagine their lives and how they lived though, hoping that somehow I ended up being right about it some day, although I wouldn't ever go and ask. 

Almost as soon as I took my last bite, ready to throw my trash away and leave, I saw someone I recognized through the large window. 

Alexa. 

I didn't know if it was actually her, seeing her wearing pants and shoes again throwing my game off, but after a minute of letting my eyes follow her, I finally realized it really was her. She's here, right there walking the streets and I only had three minutes left in my lunch break.