The Thief

When I was on the train a few years ago, I saw a girl steal a phone out of some guy’s pocket. I looked her straight in the eye. She returned a playful look, as if she was proposing us to become partners in crime. I refused to smile back. She finally gave in and put the phone back in the guy’s pocket, pouting her lips. I kept looking at her, trying to send her a look of reconciliation, a sign of forgiveness, tell her it was okay now. But she never looked at me again. She got off at the next station.

This morning I saw her again. It had been years, but somehow I recognized her face almost instantly. She jumped onto the train last minute, as the door was about to close. She was carrying a box full of stuff, like she was moving. She was winded, but a look of relief appeared on her face. She was probably in a hurry, very glad she caught the train. She sat down with the box in her lap. She looked happy. I wondered how her life turned out.

Posted by: Paweł Kowaluk