THE TINY ROOM OF PEOPLE

Sometimes the world presents precious little things, tiny instances of delight and wonder. And so it was that today I stood alone in an empty hallway on the seventeenth floor of a New York City building, a button pushed and lit. It was quiet. I watched myself in a mirrored wall. I felt enjoyably alone for a brief moment. 

A machine sound went from far away to getting closer, and then the sound of voices talking, laughing, also grew louder from behind a wall. A chime sounded. A small door slid open revealing a tiny room filled with people, people who suddenly fell quiet and looked at me as if just as surprised to see me as I to see them. Those closest to the door looked at me sheepishly and tried to move further into the room. “Don't worry,” I said to them, “I can wait for another one.” They smiled. The door slid closed, the machine sound started as did the sound of voices and laughter, getting fainter until it was quiet again.

I pushed the button. I waited, alone again except for my self in the reflecting wall. I smiled at my self and gave my self a nod of the head and a smile. A chime sounded, a door slid open, and I stepped into another small room. This time alone. 

—-