Swings

Silent, was her stare. It conveyed little…no…no emotion. He wondered why. He looked into her eyes, and smiled. She didn’t smile back. He looked away. She turned away.

“What was her name?” Jason’s friend asked him. He shrugged in reply. “Just a woman who was…looking at me.” Jason added, a moment later.

“Why?”

Jason pondered awhile, before he replied, “Dunno.”

He fiddled at his food with his fork.

“I’ll go first.” His friend said, and got up. Jason nodded. He thought hard. He remembered her from somewhere. A familiar face.

Their eyes met. She was 9, he was 16. Both, side by side, on a swing. She giggled.

“What?” Jason asked.

“You’re too old for this sort of thing!” she said, matter-of-factly, in a tone that resembled a delightful squeal. Jason laughed. “Says who?”

“Says me!”

He smiled. “I’ve always liked the swing. Helps me think.”

“Oh?” said she.

“Yeah.”

He saw her there everyday, but he never bothered to ask for her name. She didn’t either. He always watched her play…first the slide, then the seesaw. He heard her laughs of delight, and he smiled. And then, they looked at each other, exchanging thoughts, ideas. Side by side, on the swings.

Her hair was in his face. Soft. Ticklish. He stroked her tenderly. He smelled her hair.

She lay in his arms, both of them looking at the sky, the grass on their backs.

“How’s life?” he whispered into her ear.

“Hmm. The same.” She replied.

“And with me around?” he asked.

She softly kissed him. “Different.” She whispered in reply.

Jason grew up. She grew up. They went their separate ways. They never knew each other’s names.

It was she, who he saw, staring at him with a silent stare. She knew who she was, and he knew her. Somehow, Jason knew she wanted to say something, to show something. But she hid her feelings too well.

They were lovers once, in a distant past. The memory is far off, but clear.

He walked up to her. She was arranging books on the shelves, oblivious to him.

“What was your name?” he asked her.

She turned around. Their eyes met.

“Michelle.” She said.

“I’m Jason.” And he smiled at her.

She smiled.

“Do you remember the swings?” he asked her.

She nodded.