strangers

sometimes

strangers

fascinate me.

I find myself

distracted

by them.

I find myself daydreaming

and imagining

who they are.

what are their stories?

that young man

over there

sitting alone at the coffee shop —

he’s studying, cramming

for his next exam,

living from paycheck

to paycheck. waiting,

waiting for the day when he will

finally

let go of his fear and

chase his dreams.

that young woman

over there

sitting alone on the other side

of the coffee shop —

she’s reading, trying

to lose herself in a novel,

to forget about the pain.

she’s confused and scared

and lonely, but she will be

the last person

to admit it.

and sometimes

I wonder

what would happen

if they both looked up

at the same time

and their eyes met

just once.