cheesecakey

In the condo lobby with yellow walls my friend and I each occupied a puffy armchair. They were the last minutes of 2005.

We didn’t want to take part in any countdowns.

“The yellow walls remind me of New Year’s Eve 1997,” I said to my friend.

We were in Tokyo for New Year’s Eve 1997.

We talked about our days in Japan.

“We were living,” my friend said, the emphasis was on the word ‘living’.

On the long couch was a young Korean couple. They were snuggling.

“Let’s move upstairs,” my friend suggested, but I was so enjoying the yellow walls and the echoes made by the marble floors of the lobby that I wanted to stay there for a bit.

“You’re very considerate,” I said to my friend.

My friend’s girlfriend is half a planet away.

I had had a girlfriend who is half a planet away.

“I don’t know why I can’t be satisfied with just having one girlfriend,” my friend said.

“You better get this feeling sorted out,” I said.

My friend scratched his head and smiled stupidly.

“It’s exciting. The fact that I’m going back to school,” I said while staring into the Christmas tree and the reflection of the Christmas tree in the mirror behind the tree, “I have a feeling it’s gonna be a _________ girl.”

A man returned from walking his dog

The security guard stepped out from behind his marble fortress. With open arms he embraced the little black dog and said a very giddy happy new year to the pup.