Semi Fiction 15: Lips and Eyes

I was walking along the wide street, a bright Spring afternoon, blue sky, relaxed, clear, dry day, New York on a glorious day with its concert of street peddlers, leaflet givers, et al., when a girl caught my attention with her spiel on the end of the world, the need for ecological responsibility, a mix of new religion and typical student idealism. She had reddish-copper hair, very white skin, black leotards, and an orange ski hat, typical kid.

Her lips were not typical, though. She had full lips covered in flaming red gloss, truly striking, and a break from the Goth image and persona, I also noticed her pale green eyes and their intensity. I stopped to listen to her speech.

-- "Time to repent and pay for our mistakes, we can't go on like this. Do you have a life? Are you alive? We are destroying the earth. It is time to change, and YOU must do something about it. TODAY! Do your care or know that you are killing everyone and everything? Wars are on the way, famines are on the way, we must change, we need it practically and morally, it is our duty, it is YOUR duty, ...."

Someone asked her if she even voted. She immediately answered it would not change a thing, because of the collusion of all candidates, all parties, the machinery, the system...

I agreed with her on that one.

She was vivacious, quick-witted, and cute, as a kid can be, and she could be my kid. After a while, she noticed I was still there while most people were passing by, and she asked me why I was staying. I answered that I mostly agreed with her but was essentially amused, maybe cynical. And then I added, on an impulse:
-- Tell you what, I'll do my share to support your cause. How about I buy you lunch?
-- Are you picking me up? (Sarcastic piercing look of the green eyes)
-- Ah, come on, you could be my daughter. For that matter, my daughter might be doing this exact same thing somewhere else... It's more that you remind me of myself some time back.
-- Ah, a date with your past?
-- A date??? Come on, kid! Have a bite on me, we'll talk. Just for fun!

We found a hole in the wall. She ate voraciously while explaining she lived with her grandparents in Brooklyn, did not have much to do, shared the upper floor of the grandparents' house with three friends, was not sure what she was going to do, more college maybe, go somewhere West, would like to write, all the usual twenty-year old's hopes, potential, fears, indecision, and unbridled gutsiness. Grandpa and grandma did not mind having them there, for the company, and they did a few chores, it was like a commune in a way, but it could not go on forever.

She kept pursing her lips, talking, looking at me quizzically once in a while, wondering why I cared or listened to her, but also a bit insecure and so she kept on talking.
She had spunk, talked well, cute, smart kid, idealistic of course, (thank God!.. There is nothing worse than those twenty-year olds who already know ALL they are going to do, all planned and set, and they can even tell you who or what type they'll marry, how many kids they'll have, buh...). Her eyes and lips kept mesmerizing me. They exceeded her small frame and made her appear to plunge into you. After a half-hour, I could not see anything else. I told her so.

She surprised me.

-- You a dirty old man?
-- What? I... We just talked, I guarantee you I...
-- Yeah, yeah, but you know, the basis of all social interaction remains sexual.
-- You sound pretty advanced and pretty jaded for a kid...
-- One, I am not a kid, I am an adult, Sir! And two, I may not be as old as you are, but I know a thing or two, and I can tell you are attracted to me.
-- Wow!... You got guts, kid! OK, so, if attraction is the basis for all interaction, then, you too are attracted to me? And anyone we talk to is a potential... what? Mate?
-- YES! Exactly. People just need to recognize it. There is nothing wrong with it.
And don't tell me I remind you of your daughter.
-- Well, right now, you don't, no doubt. At least.... I hope...
-- Wanna come see my place?
-- With grandpa and grandma, you must be kidding!
-- See, you fell in the trap. It's only because of the grandparents and that they might see you and judge you. You implicitly confessed you'd follow me home, otherwise! You're a dirty old man!
-- Nah, I just think you're cute, bright, and amusing. And alive! You're good, young lady!
-- You stopped calling me a kid, good! You're learning!
She got up, I had no idea what she was doing but it had been a nice enough lunch, entertaining and so, so be it! I guess that was it! Time to move on.

I left money on the table, and followed her out, she was waiting outside by the door.
I put my hand out to shake hers.
-- OK, young lady, I wish you good luck. You got what it takes. And you know what? Keep the red lipstick, it's classy and it is really you.

I turned to walk away.
-- Hey, Mister. You know what? You are OK, come here!

As I turned again to face her, she was smiling, green eyes flashing, red lips flaming, she grabbed my elbow, put her arm through mine, and led me down the street.
-- How about spending the day with a little young lady, walking, having coffee again later, enjoying life a bit, hum? What's your name, first?

And so, we did all that walking and that was delightful. She made me laugh, I showed her stuff, we talked all day about history, culture, stupidities, facts of life, friends, music, etc..
I'll have to do that with my daughter one of these days: it's not fair that a stranger could have me a whole day like this, and my own flesh and blood does not. Except that of course, my daughter does not have those eyes and lips, or that social maturity... I ... think... and maybe hope...!