"What if you turned around? Look this
way..." |
|
| The man turns slowly. The significance of the moment is clear to both of them,
there is a great change coming. The glow of the many lights of the city invades his eyes,
and tears start to come. |
|
| "Then it's not time yet. I've gone too far, too soon." As he
says it, Rick remembers leaving his house that afternoon, going out to get some sun. |
|
Carlos recognizes the mood, the feeling of cold and final certainty
and moves with it. His right hand flows outward and to the side, opening up a new space,
where there was only sand. A doorway. Then he speaks, slowly, clearly, distinctly. "Come
back through here. This is the way back." |
| Rick's tears are flowing profusely now and he walks in the direction
that Carlos points to. The glow of the city is brighter. |
|
|
"It seems like a retreat. It was so
close." |
"I've heard it said that sometimes you
have to take two steps back in order to take one step forward. Let's take these steps
together." |
| They walk back down the long boulevard in silence. It's past midnight
and there's no one else out. The cries of the seagulls are the only sound that breaks the
silence. |
|
As they approach his house, Rick turns to Carlos. "Was it
premature?" |
"Well... we had to meet sometime."
Carlos smiles and keeps on walking. His own apartment is not too far away. |
