to a stranger.

dear stranger,

it's probably been so long that you don't remember me. but for some unhealthy, obsessive reason, i remember you. it was about four years ago, i guess. we were on the train. i got on first and was standing around. you got on a few stops after me. but i didn't notice you then. i got a seat before you and after the train cleared out a bit more, there was a seat next to me. and a seat next to a much prettier girl (in all honesty) across from me. you looked at me, down at the space, and back at me. good thing i was staring at you, right? you sat down- beside me- and i tried to keep from smiling to myself, even though my face was heating up. (i hope you didn't notice, seriously.) you were reading from a book called "the harry truman show" and didn't take your eyes off of it again. (i looked in it, it looked like a script. was it?) our legs were touching. even after the bench had more room, our legs were still touching. my heart was beating so fast and loud, i was afraid you would hear it. when you got up to get off the train at seventy-fifth street, you got to the door, looked back and smiled. then you walked away.

that was the first time i had ever taken that train home from school. i took it as often as i could every day of that school year. sad, right? but you looked so cool. when i got home, i thought of all the professions you could possibly have. i imagined you were an actor. i imagined you were an aspiring playwright. i had so many ideas about you, and i didn't even know your name.

for months after that day, every story i wrote had a character that looked oddly similar to you. even now, i can still vaguely remember what you looked like. you had a well set jaw and slightly larger than medium sized almond shaped eyes. dark brown eyes. intense, or so it seemed to me. you were barely taller than me. maybe by two inches. barely. i remember the name i gave you too. minnaloushe. it isn't a very common name, but then, i felt like you were a rare person. which i guess, you were.

i don't know if you even live here anymore. or if you did to begin with. but thanks for making me feel better that day. you probably thought it was just a small act, or did it because we were sitting next to each other. i don't know. but my day had been complete and absolute crap until you smiled at me.

you know what else? i named my guitar minnaloushe. maybe i'm subconsciously hoping that if i become famous then i'll see you again.

i haven't taken that train in a while, or passed that stop. sometimes i hope our paths cross again, and sometimes i'm glad it was a one time thing. you seem so much more mysterious. if i had realized you were human, i probably wouldn't have remembered you this long.

i'm not even sure why i do remember you or the details of that thirty minute train ride so well. but it's one of my favorite memories. thanks a lot, louie.

if only there were more strangers like you.

honestly.