Pick Me!

A weblog by Laura Moncur

3/3/2008

Waiting for Trax

Filed under: Art and Photography — Laura Moncur @ 6:31 pm

I’m looking out the window at the Salt Lake City Library. It smells like freshly baked cookies. It smells really good, but it doesn’t make me feel hungry. I wonder why.

There is a man in a suit waiting for the Trax train. He’s looking west, so I’m guessing he’s heading east. He has a soft briefcase sitting next to him. His hair is cut short and every once in a while, he checks his watch. His forearms rest on his thighs and he almost looks as if he is praying. He doesn’t notice the people walking past him. He just sits waiting for the train.

Waiting for Trax from Flickr

Where is he going? It’s a little early for him to be heading home from work.

He’s sitting differently now and it looks like he is looking directly at me, through the window of the library right at me. Did he see me click a photo of him through the window? Did he see my face behind the glass watching him? I click another picture, brazenly lifting my camera to test a reaction, but he doesn’t move an inch. He doesn’t see me. He is looking at the architecture or a reflection on the glass. Maybe he is just staring off into space, seeing nothing, especially not me behind the screen.

Waiting for Trax from Flickr

One more minute creeps by and his train finally arrives. He stands up and disappears into the train going wherever he is going. That line heads up the the university and the hospital. Is he visiting a sick friend? Is he attending an afternoon class in the hopes of moving ahead in the business world? Is he beating the commuter rush and going home early? I’ll never know.

Waiting for Trax from Flickr

Part of me is sad about that because I’ll never find out the truth, but another part of me revels in it. The truth doesn’t matter and I can believe whatever I want about the man in the suit. A woman in a bright pink blazer has overtaken his vigil and I can think what I may about her as well.

Waiting for Trax from Flickr

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1 Comment »

  1. Oh the Salt Lake library…

    Comment by B. — 3/3/2008 @ 8:41 pm

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