Mark's Pages

February 2, 2009:

Older woman, unhappy about her age, false blonde hair permed and teased, botox, low-cut evening dress and pumps.
Works her way behind me through the crowd, stands singing scales, warm-up exercises, in an operatic tone.

Elderly gentleman, gray coat, gray scarf, gray mustache, gray spectacles, moving slowly, with effort.
Offers the same joke every day as he walks through the door, every single day, day after day: "Honey! I'm home!"
Repeating himself, repeating himself, repeating himself, until at least one of the women on staff forces a kind-hearted laugh.

Blue flash against scuffed white tiles, down at floor level, moving like lightning left to right between racks of sweaters.
Small child pushing a toy fire engine.