The Waiting Game

"When the light turns green three times, she will be here".

I watch the red light turn green three separate times and I think to myself, "No, wait. I didn't mean that".

I think to myself, " when the second white car passes by, she will come". Eventually, two white cars have passed me by and still I wait.

"When that man jogging by reaches that fire hydrant, I will count down from ten, and she will arrive".

I begin to count slowly. "ten-mississippi, nine-mississippi, eight-mississippi, seven-mississippi, six-mississippi, five-mississippi, four-mississippi, three-mississippi, two-mississippi, one-and-three-fourths-mississippi, one-a-half-mississippi, one-and-a-third-mississippi".

I see her!

I jump up to wave the car down before realizing it's not her.

Without skipping a beat, I pretend to be waving BEHIND the car. I begin walking down the street in a quick pace headed in the direction of my wave... and then turn and look back over my shoulder. When I see that car turn the corner and out of sight, I turn around and return to the spot I had sat down for so long. The grass is bent over and it makes me feel self-conscious how big the area seems to be. I quickly glance down to see if my bottom is really that big. It feels damp. I quickly stare for a wet spot, slapping away dirt, a pebble and a grass blade sticking to it.

I decide to stand and wait.

An older woman passes me by and smiles. I return the smile, wondering if she had seen me mistakenly wave.

As I watch her walk down the street, I look toward the light and it has turned red.

I look back toward the woman and she is waiting for it to turn green to cross the street and head on her way.

I look back for my ride. There are no cars in sight. I decide by the time she crosses the street, my ride will be here.