Carpe Diem

“Ding!” The brown elevator door of the old grand hotel opens slowly to a shadowy lobby on the fourteenth floor. The woman places her hand gently on the edge of the door. Her thick diamond bracelet dangles, and then slips down her arm. With a little hesitation, she gathers up her dress and steps her foot delicately onto the floor. Julia emerges out of the elevator. She takes another step forward. The long satin gray gown flows gracefully as she walks carefully. Suddenly, she hears a rumble. Then, the elevator door closes behind her, and within an earshot, a man’s dull monotone voice speaks, “. . . Don’t trip over that beautiful gown.” She is motionless and alarm to who stands behind her. The corner dangling crystal chandler shines bright on the fine artisanship of antique oil paintings that hangs neatly on the cream color walls. The hallway leads to a tunnel of dark shadow. Julia clutches the small glittery purse and places it directly over her heart that beats fast. She trembles as she turns her head slowly towards the left. She captures a glimpse of a black silhouette of a tall man. A dull white oval circle outlines the center of it. As the dark shadow leans with its left arm onto the cold window seal, the moonlight glows through the scruffy bushy scraggly hair. She hears him drum his fingers slowly. Her breathes shallow and fast breaths. “Are you alright sir?” she speaks with nervousness in her voice. She watches the man tilt his head slightly as he say with a sarcastic boring tone of disappointment in his voice, “. . . Yes and no.” Her eyes glance around the dark corridor. Immediately, Julia walks a little faster towards the light that shines from the other hallway. She speaks aloud, “Can you come out of the dark so I can see you?” Then, the man steps directly in front of Julia with both hands in his pockets. Her mind is blank, and Julia could not move. She is frighten and with confusion in her mind. She feels his breath and the heat from his towering body over her. Suddenly, she takes a step back and turns her head slightly away from his face. She tries to decide which way to run. Julia could not see his cruel devilish smile. Then Julia watches, him take a step back towards the edge of the dark hall as he steps into the light, and stares at her. Julia notices that his hair contains a wool colorful mixture of grays, whites, and browns, just like a lamb’s coat; and in the midst of his face were wrinkles and baby smooth cheeks from a of generation of worry. His droopy blue eyes were misty with a little twinkle of hope. Suddenly, he takes a step forward. Julia sees his large potbelly decorate with a white vest nudge through the black tuxedo Jacket ; she notices that it gives her a little distance from him. He is persistent with his hands that jingles peculiar and un-peculiar things in his pockets. He speaks with fretfulness, “I’m taking a break . . . from the festive affair,” and mumbled under his breath, “. . . It’s a wedding.” Julia watches him as he moves forward again. Julia nods her head as she glance around the hall. She clutches her purse. She feels a presence. Then for a moment, she stares directly at him. She takes another step back. She watches him as she moves around him to the other side. He walks towards the end of the corridor. Then, he steps out further into the light, and her thoughts are deep in terror. She could see his hair receding and in a mess, he look like the conductor of an orchestra pit who spent all evening in sweat under the hot lights. She imagines him sway his arms in the air, and then, taps his baton on a music stand as he aggressively pulls every musical note from a beautiful score. He leans forward again, and Julia feels his nose touch against her nose. She hears things jingle around inside of his pockets again, and Julia imagines him ready to clinch his fist, she is even more frighten. Then, Julia decides to step back from him, and the man leans further towards her body. Suddenly, he pokes his finger hard into his chest several times, and in disgust he speaks, “--And I PAID for everything!” Julia ponders over his angry words as he breathes with fire on her face. She watches him with her eyes as he steadily rocks back and forth on his feet. Then, he breathes once more. She smells his breath again that reeks of unpleasant cocktails. Julia looks directly at his large nose and notices that his nostril hairs were very long. The man speaks with sarcasm. “. . . I’m sorry; by no means did I mean to frighten you.” Suddenly, the man hears voices that echoes down the hallway. She knew that she could scream. Julia stares at the strange man and peers directly into the soul of a wretched man. She notices that he gazes right into her eyes, and peers deep down into the midst of her soul. Julia eyes widen as the man chuckles to himself and mumbles with a stern face, “You’re very beautiful.” Stun to hear such words from a strange and provoking man, Julia glances over her shoulders and immediately gathers her thoughts and starts to walk back slowly. Deep down inside, immediately she knew that he had no fear of who saw him. She stumbles over her dress, and he grabs her arm. Feeling timid, Julia wraps her fingers tighter around the small hard purse as he moved her gown to one side. She clears her throat very softly and nervously. She turns around, and walks quickly down the hallway. The man caught up with her. “You’re a bit too close,” she says with fright. “You smell so good,” he whispers. She feels him brush against her arm again as he walks fast right beside her. He speaks in a hurry voice, “You must be a speed walker, are you?” Unexpectedly, his hand came out of his pocket, and he grabs her arm. Julia feels his ice-cold fingers again that sent chills down her spine. She looks at him as he smiles at her. In a low tone, he says in a happy voice, “Oh, as I was telling you . . . someone got married.” Julia becomes angry and snatches her arm away from him. Julia shouts “Get your hands off me.” She glances up and down at him and immediately turns around and walks a little faster down the hallway, shakes her head to her private thoughts of him. He follows close behind her. Julia, wants to say unkind words to the unruly man. Still aware of her fragile nerves, Julia feels the anger grow more and deep inside of her soul. Then, Julia stops dead in her tracks, turns around, and stands directly in front of him. Julia stares directly into his eyes. She places her hands on her hips and breathes deeper and deeper. With sarcasm, she acknowledges him, “Yes, and you paid for everything! Right?” The man loves Julia’s comment, he unexpectedly composes himself, “That’s about right,” and mocks her with a disdainful laugh. Julia feels the humiliation as he chuckles a little more at her words. Julia and the man Breathe with heaviness as they stare at each other. They both feel a presence, and the intense air clears. Julia keeps an eye on him as he glances up and down at her with his eyes, and he pay close attention to her hand with the purse in it; Julia raises her hand and flips her hair behind her shoulder. He flinches. She notices that he became a bit nervous to her movement, and she sense the power of a woman. He gazes at her and dreams of kissing her pouting lips and begins to sing off key. He annoys; she murmur out, “You don’t even know me.” Julia thinks of how much she wants to give him a piece of her mind and a-little of something else up side his head. He flinches again as she moves her arms as she adjust her dress. Julia teases him with a smile. Somehow, in that moment, compassion fills her, and he touches her heart deeply.