People Love

[lanzandpine]

David doesn’t remember a day where he didn’t feel like spending a major part of his day languidly and wistfully walking around the city with nothing but a winding string of thoughts in his head. And once again, he found himself being very faithful to his wants.

[David Whitehead continued from The Photonegative Girl.]

If there was anything at all good about Crateful Dead Park, then it was the abundance of life in each single capillary of the shopping center. Wherever David looked, he saw sad people, happy people, bored people and people with too much to bear. He always wondered why he was a little drawn to malls and similar, bustling places and obelisks of consumerism, and he found himself always coming to the conclusion that he simply liked being there. If anything, he liked the drinks. Even now David had a coffee in his hand as he strolled around the place. He was a drop of water lost in the river of life, a single fish in a school. There, but not completely.

Not a single destination was in David’s head as he casually walked around with a bounce in his lazy step. His ears caught bits of daily conversation and the airing of grievances — someone complained about the trends in modern cinematography, someone else gossiped about their teacher, another person playfully flirted with their partner, and everyone was collectively, wholly alive. Moments like this were worth fighting for. David took a sip of his coffee, the taste of pricey Arabica and frothed milk bringing the rushing flow of his thoughts to a calm pace. He was simmering in the atmosphere. Before his eyes flashed quotes and passages that he picked up from various places, and he sifted through them to find at least one that could explain this state of calm. None were found, because none were as authentic.

The wide and prospering open-air corridors of shipping crates led him down another path that he was very much willing to take. For a moment, he wondered whether he had made a circle, but he immediately shrugged the thought away — even if he did, it was of no importance, because he was ready to make another. “Wait,” he stopped in his tracks and raised an eyebrow, “didn’t I make two circles already?” No, he was not counting, but he was somehow sure of it; either way, he had nothing in his mind but to continue walking. Small restaurants littered the place almost as much as actual litter. David already made a map of the place in his head and marked some places that he’d like to visit after this. He thought himself to be one very skillful idler, always sauntering about the world. He felt that the world still welcomed him, despite this.

His legs came to a slow halt as he saw a man standing by the entrance of a restaurant. In no way was this man familiar to David, but the bouquet of flowers in his hands, not at all gaudy but still elegant, caught his attention nonetheless. The unknown man tapped his foot on the ground and shifted about, looking around the shopping center. David took a seat at a nearby bench and finished his coffee, his eyes focused on the lone man. His stirring about was quickly stopped as a woman strutted to his side, a warm, excited smile gracing her lips. The exchange of greetings, the gifting of the flowers, and the entering into the restaurant. David was so strangely enamored by this show of humanity, a feeling that even he found to be obscure, and immediately pulled out a Leuchtturm notebook from his pocket and an old ballpoint pen that he kept in the front pocket of his shirt.

People love and people care. Why must they care, if not for the fact that they are people? To be there for someone and for someone to be there is what makes us. To care, to love, to understand, to be — all so human, all so human, all so human, painfully human.

Let these wings of humanity take us somewhere very far. Let us travel many places in the comfort of our living room, hand in hand, laughs shared and smiles had. Be merry. Be here, for yourself, for others, and much to your chagrin.

David thought that he was writing nonsense. Exactly because of that, David kept writing. The sounds around him were drowned out by the songs of his mind, and despite being there, he was no longer there. The pen moved carefully, yet swiftly. Of course, David was smiling, for no reason in particular.

[SharkyTGirl185]

((Abigail “Abby” Lester continued from Beautiful Day In the Neighborhood))

Abigail hummed softly as she walked through the crowds of the shopping center, feeling the cool air hit her face. Her hand fiddled with her cross on her necklace, gazing upon the various shops and crowds that made up this fine establishment. Every once in a while. She needed to walk around here. Let herself understand how many people make up a town, a city, a state, the world.

You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created
Revelation 4:11

She deeply sighed, stepping quietly around, debating if she should enter one of these establishments and continue her journey through this world. Her thoughts stumbled for a moment as she nearly ran into someone, pausing for a second to step back. Right before she was about to apologized, she paused, looking upwards at the much larger person before her. Large brown eyes, tanned skin, and a gentle smile as he was doodling in a notebook. She blinks for a moment, recognizing him from school. She decided to speak up.

“Oh. Hello there. Sorry, I nearly ran into you.”

[lanzandpine]

From his mind came words, and from his words sentences, and the sentences fell onto the paper of the notebook through his pen. This was an endeavor as taxing as it was satisfying for David. He let out low, prolonged hums in moments of thought, nodded to himself when he came to conclusions. What sort of thoughts and conclusions could be found was something that he didn't understand, but nonetheless, they were somehow there, in his mind.

The flow had to come to a halt at some point, and come to a halt it did, as he felt a presence. David glanced at the woman apologizing to him, his eyebrows raised, and shut the notebook closed. He wasn't quite sure why she was apologizing, because surely he'd be fine even if she had run into him, but he gave her a smile and nodded nonetheless. He stood up from the bench, a stretch and a sigh following his response: "Oh, please, no worries. You pulled me out of my thoughts, this was actually helpful."

As he stood at his full stature, he noticed how actually small this woman was. About a foot shorter than him, he assumed. David furrowed his eyebrows for a single moment as he glanced over the person before him. There was something familiar about her striking blonde hair, the rosary adorning her neck. Soon enough, he returned to a placid smile. "I'm sorry, have we met before?" he queried. David would never admit this, but there was a slight giddiness waking up in him at the thought of having someone to talk to; he wasn't sure whether it was a sort of latent loneliness or simple joy at a good day that he needed to share with the humanity that surrounded him. Besides, he felt that it wasn't every day he got to talk to a classmate. As disappointing it was, not many would join him on his walks, something that he had no qualms against, yet something that was still just a little bit sad.

[SharkyTGirl185]

Abby returned a placid smile as she placed her hands in front of herself “I don’t believe we have. But we go to the same school, I notice you around sometimes.”

She admitted softly, brushing her ponytail back. She noticed him around the school and found him interesting, but never spoke to him until now. She glanced away for a moment and then glanced back at him.

“Abigail. It is nice to meet you.” She held out her hand.

[lanzandpine]

David's smile seemed to widen at the offer of a handshake. He took Abigail's hand and shook it quite firmly. "I'm David. Very nice to meet you, Abigail," he said, introducing himself and repeating her name, as if he was trying to understand how the sound felt.

The conversation could easily come to a standstill, David thought, with a slight furrow of the eyebrows. In a way, this was a somewhat bitter realization that he doesn't quite know what to talk about with his classmates, let alone when they're outside of the protective walls of Red Rock. For a moment, he considered treating Abigail to something — the stomach holds many paths. But then he quickly brushed that idea away, lest there appeared any uncomfortable ideas. Okay, meals can wait, David thought, and silently hoped that the bit of wordless atmosphere between them didn't get prolonged too much.

His thoughts weaved back to think about what he would be doing if he hadn't met a classmate. The answer was as simple as it was clear — he would keep walking. Of course, for what else was there to do on a nice day such as this? Lazy strolls and tepid winds are to be enjoyed as much as any other luxury of life. David came to a realization that many luxuries he would love to share with others.

"Say," David began his query, "I was about to take a walk around the center. Would you care to join me?" He smiled once more, adding to his offer. "No pressure, though. I just make circles around the place."

He wondered if this hobby of his was too plain and introspective for others to get into. Perhaps it wasn't fit for someone of his age, to lazily saunter about the many places offered by the world and enjoy the sun when it's out and lament at the weather when it's not. Was he not acting his age?

David struggled to remember those phrase on the Internet that he saw, for a moment. Was he "elderlymaxxing", was he "meanderpilled"?

[SharkyTGirl185]

Abby’s eyes widened for a moment, tilting her head before nodding “I’d love to walk around with you.”

This was good. A new person to interact with, as if the Lord Himself brought him here. Mysterious ways the world worked in. Regardless, this was a new opportunity to really get to know someone, and maybe help them. She cleared her throat, adjusting her purse as she gestured.

“Shall we get going then, David?” She asks, smiling more.

[lanzandpine]

David was half-surprised at how she accepted his offer, but nonetheless glad that she was genial enough to do so. "We shall!" The exclamation rose from his throat, a beaming, yet subdued smile widening on his lips. No directions were needed, no pushes or nudges required. David simply stepped forwards, and once more, and once more, and walked wherever, his pace slowing to something that he felt a crawl to accommodate for his newfound acquaintance's height.

The bustling nature of the shopping center brought peace. David was only eager to share this peace with others. He was the first one to admit that he didn't quite know how to do that, but was it not the intention that mattered? He would not at all mind walking in a mutual silence, but he assumed that most people would be quite put off by his need for that. David wondered how much they had walked already without speaking. Too much, perhaps. Possibly not enough at all. But all will fall into its place, David reassured himself.

He glanced at Abigail. Just when was the last time he felt this strange, almost alien feeling of being there with someone? Should it matter? David noticed the rosary on her neck, and with the smallest bit of unclear hesitation stuck in his throat, said: "That's a lovely rosary." Religion is not something to bring up on the first meeting, he thought to himself, but perhaps exceptions were to be made.

[SharkyTGirl185]

Abigail’s eyes glinted with surprised as she tilted her head to face David. She placed her hand on her rosary beads, fiddling with it as she had a bashful look on her face “Oh, thank you. I never leave the house without it.”

She beamed for a moment, no one ever willingly brought up religion in a meaningful way, so someone finding interest was…really nice. She pushed her hair back and giggled, debating whether she should ask him something. After a few seconds, she nodded.

“Are you religious at all, David?” She asked, before adding in “It is okay if you are not. I do not judge,”