She shifted in the passenger
seat. Blue and white flowers danced on her dress and she was ranking the actors
who played Dr. Who. “I liked Matt Smith a lot, but Tom Baker is still my
favorite.” I wanted to tell her everyone’s favorite was Tom Baker but maybe
that wasn’t true and anyway her bent knees were a little bit pink and I wished
I kept my car cleaner.
An old man crossed in front of
us. He was walking slowly with bowed legs, as if he were riding something but
he wasn’t, he was just walking, and when he looked up, he nodded at me. Without
thinking, I waved back. Maybe because no one had ever waved to me all the times
I’d lugged my backpack across this same street, hoping I’d meet someone like
her, hoping her legs would brush against my seat’s fabric more than just the
one time.
“Do you know him?” she asked. Her
voice seemed far away.
I couldn’t tell her I had just
traveled in time without a blue box. All I could say was, “Yes.” Really, it was
all I could ever say to her.
Chris Negron
Beautiful Ruins
Jess Walter