The Paradox of Living

Chapter Three

“Death is a thief. It steals the people you love and then it steals you.”

            I was cleaning my apartment early in the morning when the front door swung open and Chris walked inside. I sighed and shook my head.

“There’s a doorbell,” I said to him, “You should try using it sometime.”

“Who has time for doorbells?” he asked. He was already making his way into my living room with a large corkboard in his hands.

“What’s that?” I asked.

“Do you have any nails?” he asked me.

“Nails?”

“Like metal nails. Hammer and nails. Do you have any?”

“Chris…”

“Never mind,” he said, “I’ll set it right here.” He perched it on top of a high counter. The board was decorated with bright construction paper and at the top, in large block letters, it said: Chris and Seneca’s Great Adventures. He took a couple of steps back and stood beside me.

“It’s amazing, isn’t it?” he asked.

“It’s a blank board,” I replied.

“You mean you don’t see it?” he asked me incredulously. I grinned.

“What am I supposed to be seeing Chris?” He took my hand and pulled me forward. He pointed to a piece of blue construction paper that was pinned onto the board.

“Well right there,” he said, “That’s a picture of you and a dolphin.” He pointed to another paper. “And that’s a picture of you in a sleek red racecar.”

“It is?” I asked, smiling.

“Yeah,” he nodded, “You look happy.”

“I don’t see anything,” I said.

“That’s cause you’re looking in the wrong place,” he said matter-of-factly.

“Yeah?”

“You’re looking at what is there. I’m looking at what will be there.”

“Oh,” I laughed, “That explains it.”

“Let’s go to the grocery store,” he suggested.

“For what?” I asked him.

“Lemons.”

            Before going to the grocery store, Chris stopped in his apartment and returned with a bright yellow shirt on. The word Life was printed in thick black writing. I smiled.

“Where’d you get that?” I asked. He tossed a T-shirt in my direction and I caught it.

“Shh,” he said, “Less talking, more walking.” He was already making his way down the hall with a basket in hand. I jogged to catch up to him. We bought enough lemons to fill the large basket that he had.

“I can’t believe we’re wearing matching outfits,” I said.

“What?” he grinned, “You don’t think its totes adorable?” I playfully punched him in the arm. We drove into the city and stood on a busy corner carrying a basket of lemons.

“I can’t believe we’re actually doing this,” I said.

“Hey! You put it on your list,” he said. A young man walked passed us and Chris called him over.

“How are you?” Chris asked him. The young man was around our age and he looked amused when he realized what we were doing.

“I’m okay,” he said, “How are you?” I grabbed a lemon out of the basket and handed it to him.