& that's the way life goes

Day 1 writing exercise.  It gives 3 categories of 5 words.  You have to pick one word in each category.  I’ll italicize the words I chose.

Sometimes I feel just like a gerbil, running around and around on his wheel!…

I walk down the street and all I can smell is the diesel.  Not just any diesel, the smell of diesel mixed with sweat from a working male.  And it’s not just any male, they say I shouldn’t love him, that he’s not going any where, but I do.  He works in the auto repair garage down the street.  I used to walk by after school and sit on the bench across the street and pretend to read.  But no book could hold my attention.  This went on for weeks, I always wondered if he noticed me over there.  Once I thought I saw him glance my way.  The weather started getting colder and the shop started to close it’s bay doors.  I was sad and as the leaves  changed colors and fell to the ground I knew I’d have to give up my post.

It was chilly this one day, you could smell winter moving in and the crisp air bit at my cheeks.  I walked past my bench and continued on my way, hunched inside my coat.  I smelled the diesel before he touched my shoulder.  I turned and smiled at the guy who was standing behind me.   He handed me a piece of paper, smiled and walked back to the garage.  He turned slightly once to give me a grin.  I looked down at the paper in my hand, smudged with grease.  My hand shook as I unfolded it.  On it was a telephone number and two words, “call me”.  I’ll always treasure that piece of paper, it’s one the my most important keepsakes.

Years later I pull out that memento and the memory will replay again and again in my mind, but I still can’t figure out why I never called.