Monday, September 24, 2012

“Isn’t It That I’ve Just Been Human?” by Tammy Peacy

I’ve made a big deal out of little and useless. Paid too much attention to none of my business.

These two girls behind me talked loud. The way young people did because whatever they had to say was very important or because they didn’t know yet that sometimes people were paying attention, even when it seemed they weren’t. These girls hadn’t figured out much just yet. Too busy sharing their experiences with one another.

“It was thick, thick,” one girl said, with an accent, something Latin, maybe Puerto Rican.

“Oh, ew. I don’t like that,” the other said.

I didn’t have to strain to hear them, even with all the noise the train made, but I would have, if I’d had to.

“No? I do. And it was, like, black, real, real black. And, like, shiny,” the supposed Puerto Rican continued.

I waited for her to go on. Fought the urge to turn in my seat and say, “And then?” but they’d finished. The conversation ended there. They were off at the next stop.

1 comment:

  1. I love the way that you’re just a naturally a savvy story teller and there are no author’s tricks, I’m not being coaxed into feeling anything. Almost as if your just providing the narrative in my own head, and it works too, it puts the listener in that moment. The only personality trait you give the narrator is curiosity, really, which everybody has. You almost remove yourself completely…however you did that….it’s brilliant.

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