A Blind Tilt

Days go marching by as the world spins inevitably on. People go about their lives like sheep to the slaughter, but for many the thunderbolt of love strikes and that march forever changes. The spinning of the world seems to alter for those individuals. For some, the change may sadly be for the worse, but the majority of mankind will bow in reverential agreement that it is for the better.  For a one Mr. Harkins, his world was about to tilt, alter, jump around. However you want to describe it, it would never be the same. 

           Mr. Harkins was a tall man by all accounts. He had grown not only in stature physically, but also mentally, and professionally. You might say he was a skyscraper amongst his fellow beings, or at least he would agree with you if he heard you say so.  

           On one particular, bright, sunny, cheery day, he walked towering over his earthly peers. All the while keeping his mouth shut, yet his mind never stopped. For Mr. Harkins, whose mind does stop? 'To each his own,' as he would say, and he tried to stay above the rest of mankind and make it on his own. He was of the species that felt work came above all else and with such a drive he had let most of his family and friends drift off to the wayside, to the point that he was a rather lonely being. Having been hurt too often, he learned the best way to avoid disappointment in human relationships was to avoid them altogether.   

           Keeping up a quick and steady pace, he entered Bramble Park. 'Third bench to the right of the fountain,' he thought to himself. 'That is where he told me to meet him.'

           Bramble Park was one place he really enjoyed frequenting. In the city, between home and office, it was the sliver of nature left where he could while away his days outside. Oddly though, the park seemed more crowded than usual today. Why not? It was such a gorgeous day; every inch seemed squirming with life. Folks sitting on benches, laying on blankets, and unruly children running. 'Just great,' he thought. At least the bench he was looking for, the third from the fountain was vacant. He sat and waited.

           Waiting and watching, he did what most other human beings do at times of apparent emptiness. He whipped out his phone and was lost in another world. Mankind could have ended for all he cared, except for losing the satellite reception powering his 5G network.  'Where was he at? He is never this late.' He texted his friend. Just then, a shadow, an abrupt interruption to his scrolling and liking. Another human being wishing to interact with him.

           'Excuse me, may a sit here?' asked a short, young woman with brown hair and to Mr. Harkins she had the look of a world-traveled woman who, from the worn look on her face must have had stress for a certain duration of her short life.

           'Uh, yes, of course you can,' stuttered Mr. Harkins and his attention was pulled back to his phone.  Periodically he would glance in his periphery at this girl that was suddenly thrust into his orbit. Her face in her phone, he noticed a true essence of beauty, but couldn't quite place it.

           'I am waiting for someone, but he is running late.'

           'Me too. An old friend whom I haven't seen in a long time,' said the girl. 'But he used to always be late back then, so this is nothing new.'  

           'People can be so inconsiderate of others' time I feel.'

           Nodding in agreement, she said, 'Yeah, but maybe something happened and caused them to be late. Ever think about that?' She ducked her head back into her phone, appearing to have thought she may have said too much.

           'The least he could do is send a text then.'

           'At least the weather is nice,' she said looking out over the lawn for a moment, and ducking back to the phone in her lap.

           Just then, commotion broke out amongst a group of people next to the fountain. A quick scuffle ensued, with shouting, and then two young men appeared in what seemed to be a fight of some sort. It happened so fast, Mr. Harkins barely had time to look up from his phone, jump up and pull the girl seated next to him away from the mob as they stormed their way down the path and enveloped the very bench they were sitting at. 

           Stumbling, they backed away from the path over the lawn. The growing crowd seemed to stop at their bench. There was no going back for now. 

           Mr. Harkins was red in the face. Whether it was from anger for being abruptly expelled from the bench, or embarrassment for grabbing the girl's arm must be left for each reader's own interpretation.  'Can you believe those guys? What would cause- what would make them-,' he stopped noticing the girl was panting and straightening her sleeve where he had pulled her. 'Are you ok? I'm sorry, I-'

           'No, no I'm fine,' she said abruptly. 'Thank you for that. It happened all so fast.'

           Moments later a woman let out a desperate plea for her dog to come back.  'Someone please help me! My dog!'

           Hesitating, Mr. Harkins let out a grunt and took off in a sprint after the small dog. He knew the park was fenced in and except for the four entrances surrounding it, the dog would meet with a fence eventually.  He was right. Focusing on the dog in front of him, tunnel vision ensued and he whirled past people left and right, jumping through flower beds and soccer games, until finally both him and the dog came to a fence a hedge and in one swoop the dog was captured. 

           Out of breath, he looked around for the owner. The dog was wiggling, and it was all he could do to keep hold of it. The woman who came up to him was not the owner, but the girl from the bench. 

           'Again, you reacted so fast. Faster than I did,' she said, catching her breath. 

           'I had a dog as a kid, 'he said panting, catching his breath, 'and if I lost her I guess wouldn't know what to do.' 

           Walking back towards the fountain the owner was standing waiting. She thanked them for their capture and hurried off. 

           Mr. Harkins glanced around at the fountain, the row of benches. The fight, the crowd that had grown so fast had dissipated as fast as a flash flood. 

           'It's odd,' he said. 'Where did everyone go?'

           'You're right, the park definitely got quiet fast,' she took out her phone and looked up at Mr. Harkins. 'Any word from your friend?'

           He looked at his phone, then at her, 'He just texted me saying he will be here within a half hour. This is ridiculous. What a waste of time! What about your friend?'

           'No response yet,' she said with a smug look on her face.

           'Listen, would you be up for grabbing a bite to eat? To make it here on time I, uh didn't really eat breakfast.' He remained looking at his phone. He was used to being rejected, but figured what had he to lose at this point, 'There's a pretty decent sandwich shop over here,' gesturing beyond the park fence.

           'Yeah, that sounds ok. I built up an appetite waiting.'

           Mr. Harkins looked at the girl with amused surprise written on his face, 'We better let our so-called friends know where they can find us now.'

           Making their way through the park and across the street to the shop, they spoke more than either of them had expected. Sitting down at a table near the entrance, Mr. Harkins kept the conversation going, 'I have to ask your name. I don't believe I ever got it.'

           'Jane, and yours?'

           He was just about to answer, when the door to the shop opened and he called out to the newcomer, 'Well it's about time Jim.'

           Jane turned around towards the door and saw Jim. Her face lit up, 'Jim, wait do you know each other?'

           Mr. Harkins spoke up, 'What on earth do you mean? This is the fool who had me waiting for the past hour.'

           Amidst the confusion, Jim cleared the air, 'So how was your little date you two?'