The night was like any other stereotypical night, but due to a special occasion I decided to embrace what I was offered.  I toasted the evening with a cheap, low quality cigar I had purchased earlier in the day just for this occasion.  Suddenly, a heavy rain began to fiercely cleanse the pavement beneath my feet as I walked aimlessly under the orange lights that lit the sidewalk.  I swiftly made my way underneath an awning as to not damage the cigar from the rain.

I stood silently, puffing on my cigar, and staring into various parts of the area.  After what felt like seconds pass, I saw a figure begin to form in the distance.  The person appeared to be rushing, as to get out of the rain.  I subconsciously watched, apparently unconcerned by the ideas of a possible homicidal maniac.  Instead, I strangely felt comforted, and curious.  The figure came into sight.  It was a woman.  And she quickly made her way under the awning where I stood.

With my eyes still locked onto her, I noticed immediately one thing – she had the kind of eyes that could make any man fall in love.  She was stunning.  She was beautiful.  She looked up.  She smiled.  It was an extraordinary smile.  I smiled, and casually turned my head away, as I raised my hand to take another puff off my cigar.  I exhaled and watched until the smoke disappeared, I turned my head to look back at her.  She smiled once more, then began to walk towards me.  I could feel my knees grow weak.

My mind was flooded with incoherent thoughts of different scenarios.  I had no idea what to say.  But I had no time to think.  “Hey.  How’re you doing?”  I quickly asked, as she stepped to the left of me.  “Quite well, thank you.” I smiled once more.  “That’s good.”  I said, as she also smiled.  I nonchalantly took another pull off my cigar.  “Do you have a light?”  She asked me.  I said nothing, as I pulled out my seldom used Zippo from my pocket and subsequently flicked it on.  I lifted it up to a cigarette she had placed in her mouth.

The wind immediately stifled the fire as she attempted to light it.  She laughed, “It’s too windy out.”  I nodded and replied, “Yeah.  Let’s try to scoot closer to the wall.”  We moved with the brick of the wall directly in front of us.  I lifted my lighter once more and flicked it back on.  Once more the wind had gotten to it before she could.   This time we both laughed.  “One more time.”  I said.  I put my lighter in my left hand, as I stepped in closer to her.  I then placed my right arm around her shoulders as I used my right hand to protect the flame from the wind.  This time she was able to catch it and light her cigarette.  She smiled once more and thanked me.

After some humble introductions and casual small talk about the importunate weather, we just stood and talked – nothing too important, and nothing that pertained to anything of concern.  We just talked.  It was a conversation of value though, a conversation I still hold deep in my heart.  Distracted by the now indistinguishable words that were traded between the two of us, the troubles and tribulations in my life were gone, as a weight of an unimaginable proportion was lifted from my shoulders.  A feeling thought to have been lost…  I was finally in a state where I could fully enjoy the ease of nothingness.

The conversation began to end, and the rain began to lighten.  I flicked the head of my cigar to the ground, near the long finished remainders of her cigarette.  I was saddened by the inevitable end of this conversation.  Nevertheless, we said our goodbyes.  I looked at her once more, and I smiled.  She looked at me, and she smiled a final time.  We both departed in opposite directions.  A few seconds pass, and I glanced over my shoulder as she faded away into the darkness.  I turned my head forward, smiled, and never looked back again.