The Guy Way Below Average

Library

I make my way to the Emerald Street where my mom is working and better yet, where Jessica is. I’m hiking slowly on the sidewalk. Tall buildings and fancy shopping centers are surrounding around the avenue like they have taken over the lead. This avenue is the most crowded and the most expensive area of the city. Dozens of cars and other vehicles passing the road, the noises from their engines and horns make it hard to hear anything. Anyway I keep going; I don’t have anyone to hear from right now. I watch people living their own lives. A teenage couple holding hands together, the girl is laughing whatever the guy is saying, and the guy seems to enjoy sharing the moment with her.  A pregnant woman is pushing a stroller, taking a trip with her unborn and newborn babies. It’s a good thing those siblings will have each other’s back all the time. I wonder how it feels like to have a brother, or a sister; but I’m sure those guys won’t be alone while growing up and when grown-up. They can live good and bad times in their life together, share the love and the companies of each other.

I thought I can kill hours walking and observing people, but I almost made it there. I’ve to keep myself busy; maybe I should go a park, sit on a bench and wait until it becomes evening rather than going there early in the morning. Yeah, I will definitely do that.

I see an old man wants to cross and come to side of the road I’m walking, though he’s not able to cross the road with crutches and a bandaged foot. He keeps looking to the clock tower which placed on the center of round intersection. Then he locks his eyes on me, I give him a questioning look although I probably know what he wants me to do. He opens his mouth and says something I can’t hear from loudness of avenue. He realizes I can’t hear him, and then he lands his crutches on the road to try to cross the road once more. A motorcycle makes its way to there so quick, old man barely pulls himself back again to sidewalk. He gives me a glance, as if he’s saying there is no way he can come here by himself. I decide to help this vulnerable man. I simply cross the road and go near him.

“Good morning son! Can I ask you for a favor?” He asks, with wide open eyes and big grand parenting smile.

“I came to help you make it to other side of the road, it’s all right,” I say, making plans to going to the park in my head.

“No, not just that. I’m a worker in state university library, but you see my condition,” smile disappears from his face as he looks down to his bandaged foot and crutches. He looks up to me again and adds,

“Could you help me to go there? I can’t cross the roads, climb up stairs, I’ve just been waiting here for two hours straight. “

“Where is this library?” I ask to him. He brightens up to my question which was an affirmative answer to his request.

“It’s in Emerald Street. I can describe you the way if you don’t know where it is.”

“Don’t need that, I was going to the same direction,” I clarify to old man.

I make him to put his arm to around me so I can carry and support him. He’s so light as if a wind would make him fly. It isn’t a problem to carry him all way.

I never planned going to a library. Not that I don’t like books, but the thought of going to a library didn’t cross my mind. Actually, I didn’t even know there were libraries in this city. Now, I know there are some other ways to spare my time. But the thing is that library is a state university library, so I’m not probably allowed to enter there. I should seek for libraries open to public.

“How come you’ve waited for two hours, there were too many people before I happen to be there?” I ask old man with curiosity.