I suddenly realized that for most of my life I had been focusing upon the silhouette, instead of looking for the light that casts it.

Sometimes the mind will play tricks on you if you give it a stage to perform.

I immediately ran to my phone and called downstairs to the lobby desk, the voice allowed for my worst fears to come alive…”She left just a few minutes ago Mr. Decker”.

Between dashing to the elevator while trying to throw on my overcoat and madly pressing the buttons to allow the doors to close and bring upon my descent to the desired floor, the fact that I have a natural preference for stairs due to my complete distaste for heights, or plummeting from them, displaced itself from the realms of my immediate thought.

That is until the doors closed and the journey began…

I had two choices: 1) Suck it up and wait it out OR B) Give in to the desire to scream like a child sitting on the lap of a department store Santa.

I carefully weighed the choices before me and before long felt very comfortable with my decision.

Finally arriving at the main level I sped from the elevator, not before making a quick apology to the elderly woman that accompanied me through 20 floors of a most vocal elevator ride, of course.

Zooming past security and flinging myself through the sliding doors I soon found myself standing face to face with…the lobby security guard?

“A bit hasty in your efforts to leave Mr. Decker can create an incredibly short journey I guess”. Said Manny with a slight smirk on his face.

Non-too impressed with myself, or for that matter the smart-ass, I left the building...a second time.

Unable to hail a cab, I finally gave in and began walking to my destination…

…Three minutes later I was in her building and discovering again for the first time that the elevator ascent doesn’t bother me at all.

I arrived at her door with words stamped to my tongue that just awaited a gentle breeze to send them into flight.

Unfortunately I was so nervous that by the time she answered the door there had been a murder in my stomach and I had to excuse myself quickly to dump the bodies.

After finishing my dealings with the intestinal mob, I quickly searched out something to cover any “evidence” of anything that had just taken place…

Who knew there was such a thing as musk for dogs?!

I could see from the look in her eyes, and rover’s, that I wasn’t fooling anybody and pursued my interests immediately…before my nerve wore off.

Bending down unto one knee, why must they crack so loud at all the wrong times, I quickly took hold of her fine porcelain hand and looked gently into her eyes and said exactly what was on my mind…

“Sorry about the smell…” CRAP!!! I actually said that out loud!!!

“I mean…um…” COME ON…COME ON…

“Life without oxygen is an impossibility, as is life without you for me…will you allow me the honour of becoming your husband?”

I got out the words…I GOT OUT THE WORDS!!!!

Oh crap! I was too busy rejoicing in my head…what did she say? What DID she say!!!

As I stood up and her lips met mine, I knew my answer and we stood there loving each other more than in any other moment…

…apparently by the feeling on my leg Rover was happy too.




- yet ANOTHER short story attempt by J.G. Smith (06/20/06)