The Thinker
The trees passed slowly by outside her window, blurring into shapes of green and grey. She let her eyes drift slowly out of focus as her thoughts began to run wild, and she felt the tears well up gradually. Not that she had a specific reason to cry – they were just the tears that always seemed to want to spill whenever she let herself think deeply about anything.
“So, what are we thinking about?” asked a voice to her left, pulling her out of her ponderings. She blinked hastily and answered without turning her head.
“I’m thinking about how much I’d like to run sometimes.” He voice was quieter and shakier than she’d intended, and her words surprised her more than him. “When the world just kind of opens up and invites you to explore it, but there’s always so much holding you back.”
Beside her, Pat laughed quietly. “Apparently I let you think for a little too long.”
She gave a little smile and finally turned around. “I’ve been thinking a little too much lately anyway, so maybe I should be thanking you.”
He shrugged. “However you wanna put it.” He lowered his voice. “Are things difficult at home again?”
She grimaced and shrugged. “Not as bad as they could be. I just feel a little caged up this time of year.”
Pat looked past her out of the window. “So you wanna run away?”
She shook her head, not sure how to explain it. She didn’t usually share her thoughts like this, and it was an odd feeling. “No…. It’s just always been a dream of mine to hit the road and travel – to be completely free, dependent on nothing but yourself and what you wanna do with your life.”
“Where do you wanna go?”
She smiled. “Anywhere and everywhere, until I run out of destinations.” She grinned at his face. “I guess I’ve got gypsy blood in my veins.”
He still looked surprised. “Do you normally talk like this on the bus ride home, or am I just experiencing one of your ‘moods’?”
“I didn’t have my daily dose of chocolate.” She laughed dryly. “This is why people try to never deprive me of sugar.”
“I can see that.” Pat handed her a CD player. “Might I suggest music as a replacement?”
“Sure.” She put on the headphones and turned up the volume, only to smile as the familiar and soothing voice of Eric Clapton filler her ears. She leaned her head back and relaxed, letting the sound wash over her, and the next thing she knew Pat was shaking her awake as the bus arrived back at school.
“So, what are we thinking about?” asked a voice to her left, pulling her out of her ponderings. She blinked hastily and answered without turning her head.
“I’m thinking about how much I’d like to run sometimes.” He voice was quieter and shakier than she’d intended, and her words surprised her more than him. “When the world just kind of opens up and invites you to explore it, but there’s always so much holding you back.”
Beside her, Pat laughed quietly. “Apparently I let you think for a little too long.”
She gave a little smile and finally turned around. “I’ve been thinking a little too much lately anyway, so maybe I should be thanking you.”
He shrugged. “However you wanna put it.” He lowered his voice. “Are things difficult at home again?”
She grimaced and shrugged. “Not as bad as they could be. I just feel a little caged up this time of year.”
Pat looked past her out of the window. “So you wanna run away?”
She shook her head, not sure how to explain it. She didn’t usually share her thoughts like this, and it was an odd feeling. “No…. It’s just always been a dream of mine to hit the road and travel – to be completely free, dependent on nothing but yourself and what you wanna do with your life.”
“Where do you wanna go?”
She smiled. “Anywhere and everywhere, until I run out of destinations.” She grinned at his face. “I guess I’ve got gypsy blood in my veins.”
He still looked surprised. “Do you normally talk like this on the bus ride home, or am I just experiencing one of your ‘moods’?”
“I didn’t have my daily dose of chocolate.” She laughed dryly. “This is why people try to never deprive me of sugar.”
“I can see that.” Pat handed her a CD player. “Might I suggest music as a replacement?”
“Sure.” She put on the headphones and turned up the volume, only to smile as the familiar and soothing voice of Eric Clapton filler her ears. She leaned her head back and relaxed, letting the sound wash over her, and the next thing she knew Pat was shaking her awake as the bus arrived back at school.
posted by Anna | 3:49 PM
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