A Very Long Night

I am suddenly distracted by the reflection of Columbus Avenue in my mirror.
The sun is setting in New York and regardless of how promising the golden sky is
I come to the conclusion that it is going to be a long night.
From experience I know that it will take hours to get a cab (or it will feel like hours, anyway)
And so strategically, I leave my apartment early
And stumbling down 95th street in my sky high heels
That pestering realization continues to be abundantly clear:
It is going to be a long night.
At last I hail a cab, and immediately I roll down the windows.
As we zip through the park, I allow myself to close my eyes and rest my head.
My shot lungs deeply inhale the Manhattan air
And as it fills every crevice of my body
An overwhelming sense that this is home washes over me.
This momentary ecstasy, however, is quickly robbed from me when I remember:
It is going to be a long night.
The girl I am meeting at the end of the cab ride is waiting for me at the corner when we pull up.
She is a very rich, very pretty, very sad girl,
And although we are best friends- I can’t help but to pity her.
Handing the driver some cash, I peer out the window and wave.
With one hand she waves back, and with the other she takes a long hard drag from her cigarette.
A cloud of smoke is blown in my face as I step from the cab
And hugging her I can smell she is already drunk.
Yes, I think to myself, it is going to be a very long night.

Lara Kleinschmidt

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Posted 5/01/07

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