Shifting

Every, evening, just before the sun sets he leaves his apartment, walks four blocks to the nearby plaza and sits outside a café. This is a common ritual, except sometimes he grades papers, sometimes he writes briefs, and sometimes he simply looks at his computer to see what others have said about his freelanced articles. Everyday, however, he sits, drinks a warm coffee and becomes an observer.

Today he proofs and edits a Sunday morning sermon that his good friend will give later in the week. Before going over the piece, he sits and stares as the people as they pass. In the early evening, he notices the after school students going into the library, children leaving with their mothers, asking them if they could read a particular children's book before going to bed. As the sun sets, the plaza drifts from a cool afternoon breeze to a sea of streetlights and lamppost illuminating a shifting crowd—the age demographic has changed. Now the kids are older. They resemble students he teaches Monday and Wednesday at the city’s community college.

By now, he has enjoyed the transient motion, finished his coffee, typed the edits for his friend’s sermon, and pulled out the literature papers that he has to finish grading by tonight.

There she is. His one inconsistency in an otherwise perfect world—she is the one person that has thrown his world out of sync and into chaos. She has dark wavy hair y los ojos de una gitana. He melts just at the sight of them. In her, he sees adventure, vitality and freedom—everything he lacks.

They have exchanged brief conversations before, but today she is with her crowd of usual friends. He is too involved in meeting deadline. In a moment, his eyes tire. He looks away from his papers for a second and looks up. She stares back at him. The silent stare is enough to speak volumes of what they feel.

She is Muslim

He is Christian

Before the night is over, she makes her way to him.

—Do you think your God would forgive you if, in the name of Love, you gave up his name?

He smiles. Gets up, puts his papers in his bag, without ever taking his eyes away from her. He met deadline, pulls his chair in. They walk away from the well-lit plaza in a perfect silhouette.