On The Court

Andy came right after I sat.

"The coffee is still hot, you're lucky." I calmly said.

"Thank you Clara." she takes the coffee and start drinking it.

As everyday, we're obviously requesting money. The old man still didn't come and might not today. I want to remember where I saw or how I could've known this guy.

"What?" Andy said, waking me from my thoughts.

"What, what?" I ask, knowing what she was talking about.

"You seemed trouble. Is everything okay?" she asks before finishing her coffee.

"Yes, yes. Times are good these days. We make more money than usual." I change subject.

"Yes, you're right, I haven't seen that since Christmas time, last year." she smiled.

We keep requesting in silence.

***

I make a weird dream. I'm in a grey tunnel. With a bright light at the end. Not like the tunnel to paradise, but still majestic. I enjoy walking nearer the bright light when I see black bands travelling like me too, and the bright light gets lower. I run, I run towards the light and when I get there, I touch it and I'm so hot I can't feel my skin. At that precise moment, I wake up in short breath and I'm very hot for real. Like yesterday, I walk to go see the clock. Five in the morning, and we sleep until we want. I went outside and started my day from there. It's not easy when you're alone. I obviously want to see the old man, but at that time it's not very probable. There are mostly women in the streets, as soon in the morning. Andy joins me a couple minutes later, I admit that I'm surprised to see her as soon. She didn't answer and sat next to me. We started making more right away. I had drank all my coffee too, but I wasn't thirsty. I was hungry, I knew I should've taken a bagel with the drink. Anyways, we would eat later in the day.

***

It was noon now, I still hadn't seen the old guy, but he still might come, as I thought. I missed playing tennis very much, it would come soon, I knew it, but I wanted to play so bad. There were one month and 19 days before I could play. I wanted to so bad. 'Patience is the key of success and self-improvement' as my grandfather always said before mysteriously disappearing one morning and never come back. I would've liked to spend more time with him, but he was an occupied man. Always working on somebody else's tools and things. A brave man, in his young ages, mostly.We just wanted to finish our day as soon as possible. The man came, but he was on the other side of the street, so we couldn't talk to him. I want to buy food at the Metro's restaurant because I was too tired to walk until the mall. I ordered food for Andy and I and went back outside.

"What is it?" Andy asked.

"It's a cauliflower salad with dried cranberries. Looks good doesn't it?" I say.

"Sure!" she takes the bowl and start eating.

"Why do you always ask me what it is?" I ask.

"I'm allergic to nuts." Andy says after swallowing a big piece of cauliflower.

"Oh... I had no idea." I answer with surprise.

We eat in silence, too hungry to talk, like usual. Andy wants to sleep early tonight, because she thinks she woke to soon.

"And... I have an appointment with an agent who wants to manage me!" she says with excitement.

"Wow! That's so great! I'm happy for you, you deserve it more than everyone, after all." Andy and I hug before going in the metro station to have a bench. I hope Andy will be able to have success in her career.