The Heightened Past

the heightened past:

it was the second year at university. he had moved to a new dorm. by summer he had started running into this girl who lived on the same floor pretty often. she would pass by and smile. at the time he was on the pizza diet, partly because pizza is delicious, partly because it was cheap but mainly, to avoid the dining hall. the first time she spoke to him it was time for dinner. he had just got back from the pizza place, only ten minutes walk from the dorm, carrying a box of pizza. she was coming down the stairs as he was going up. presumably she was going to the dining hall to eat with her friends. she smiled at him and said, "pizza again!"

but soon most of the summer term had passed and the exams were over with. there was no more studying to be done and the time was free.

one day, a few days before the end of term, he had gone to the kitchen to get something from the refrigerator and there she was. she was chatty and showed an interest in his life and they talked about waiting for exam results. she had a boyfriend, a big family, and an interest in linguistics.

she was someone he remembered quite clearly. at a time when he felt a huge isolation from others, she seemed friendly. she seemed a happy person. upon later reflection, perhaps many felt the same despair he did. there were so many differences on display, people too busy with their own lives, failing to find common ground.

CLEARCHARGE