Turn Left and Turn Right
By: Jimmy

 

"Love at First Sight"

That winter was extremely cold.
The damp rain mantled the whole city.
Gray sky, and no sunshine.
Inexplicably depressed.
Sometimes, tears just can’t help trickling down
while walking on the street…

In the same apartment building…

She lives in an old apartment in the city suburb.
Every time, wherever she goes, she is used to turning left.

He lives in an old apartment in the city suburb.
Every time, wherever he goes, he is used to turning right.

Oct.15. The sun is covered occasionally by the cloud. Bright followed by dark inside. He never meets her.

Oct.28. Sunshine.
He is not doing well these days.
Sometimes, he goes to the restaurant to make some tips by playing his violin.

Nov.7. Cloudy and wet, a thin layer of sadness of winter.
He likes wandering outside when he does not practice his violin.
Gives food to the doves in the park, always sits idly for the whole afternoon.

Nov.11. Afternoon, chilly wind.
Sometimes, he feels empty and weak.

Nov.19. Winter sunshine lengthens the shadow.
She is used to walking on the left.
He is used to walking on the right.
They never meet.

 

Nov.23. Dark early.
She is translating a sad novel,
which makes her always feel the whole world is sad and gray.

 

Dec.2. The thick clouds float slowly at the corner of the sky.
When free, she likes to have a coffee downtown,
walk along the street, watch the people pass by, talk to the homeless cat.

Dec. 10. Sunshine. Very damp in the room.
Sometimes, she feels life is boring.

Dec.17. Sunny.
She is used to riding on the left. He is used to riding on the right. They never meet.

Dec.20. Cloudy to rain.
Like most people in the city, they know nothing about each other while living together…

However, there always are some coincidences in people’s lives, two parallel lines might join some day.
Dec.22. Cloudy with sunshine periods. The thick cloud still covers the top of the hills.
Then, one day, they meet in front of the fountain in the park.

They look like a pair of lovers separated for many years.

They had a happy and sweet afternoon.

At sunset, a sudden rainstorm.
They exchanged phone numbers and said a hurried goodbye.

                    
He is still used to running on the right…              

She is still used to running on the left…

They are both soaked by the rain, but they feel warm inside.

That night, they are too excited to go to sleep. The rain falls the whole night.

However, there are so many unexpected surprises in people’s lives.
The string of the kite might be suddenly broken even you are holding it tightly.
Dec.23. Storm. The morning temperature drops very very low.

Dec.24. Christmas Eve. Rain.
Rain has blurred the numbers; they dialed one wrong number after another…
Dare not to go anywhere for afraid of missing any phone calls…

Dec.31. Freezing Cold. Still raining.
Too sad to go to sleep.
The cheers of counting down the seconds for the New Year in front of the City Hall comes from the radio,
One year is gone.

Jan.5. Cold and Windy. Storm is coming.

Jan.12. The sun comes out at last. Sunshine periods. Temperature drops.
The change in the city is overwhelming. The fountain in the park is torn down for a highway.

He tells himself optimistically,
maybe just like the movies,
at the next street corner,
or at the café next to the park,
he will meet her again.

Feb.14. Valentine’s Eve. Scattered stars blink in the night sky.
Walking on the cold street,
The colorful bulbs light a tree suddenly.
She can’t help crying.

Feb.28.
Plum flowers are blossoming along the street and in the hills.
Days passed one after another, they never meet again.

Mar.9. The smell of the grass is flowing in the air, spring comes.
Walking in the crowd, missing that sweet but short time so much.
In this familiar while strange city,
Looking for a strange but familiar person helplessly.

Mar. 23. Warm. Moonshine and stars.
In this familiar while strange city,
Looking for a strange but familiar person helplessly.

Mar.30. Monsoon is coming.
Always miss her at the raining day.
How can she disappear without any message?

May 9. The dusk sky turns to rose red,
then, dark sapphire blue.
Like pondering while sitting at a corner of the city.

May 18. Sunset. Light wind.
The ruby red sun is setting down little by little.
Summer is close.
The blinking night neon lamps make people feel more empty and alone.

June 9. Thick clouds blanket the sky quietly.
Mood is inexplicable low.
Feel unexpected sad and empty.

Is she still in this city, or, has she left long ago?

But, they…
teased the same yellow kitten, gave food to the same homeless dog,
listened to the singing of the same crow in the dim mornings.

They teased the same little baby. They both remember she has a green toque with long bunny ears…

Oct.26. Windy. Leaves begin to drop.
The phone numbers blurred by the rain
are the only memory for each other.

Dec.26. Freezing cold.
So close while so faraway.

Dec. 17. A day without sun, star and moon.
The city feels like a jail without walls. Tired and suffocated…

Dec.22. The sprinkle seems never to stop.
Decide to leave this deserted and cold city
for a place with sunshine everyday.

Dec.23. Snow. It has not snowed for many years in this city.

                        
He is still used to walking on the right.              

She is still used to walking on the left.

Snowflakes keep on falling quietly…

That winter was extremely cold.
The damp rain mantled the whole city.
Gray sky, and no sunshine.
Inexplicably depressed.
Sometimes, tears just can’t help trickling down
while walking on the street…
But the winter will be over, the spring will come after all…