Chance Encounter

Two old ghosts, who hadn't seen each other in many years, happened upon one another in the hallowed halls of the New York Public Library (late one evening in January).

	FRED	Hey, George, it's good to see you!
	GEORGE	You, too, Fred! Been a while. You're looking well.
	FRED	Thanks. So do you.
	GEORGE	So, tell me, what do you miss the most about the living world?
	FRED	[thoughtfully] Holding a book in my hands and turning its pages. I really miss that. A good book always felt great to have and to hold.
	GEORGE	[nodding] Yeah. I know what you mean.
	FRED	What about you? What do you miss the most?
	GEORGE	[without hesitation] Writing. The physical act of writing. I really miss the feel of pen on paper. And then holding the page—the written word—in my hands.
	FRED	Definitely. There was a special magic to gliding your thoughts across a page.
	GEORGE	[sullen] Yeah.
	FRED	[sighs] Yeah.

For a few, long, silent moments, the old ghosts drifted into the solitary memories of their lives.

	FRED	Well, I have to go, George. Good seeing you again.
	GEORGE	It was good seeing you, too, Fred. Take care of yourself.
	FRED	Thanks. You, too.

And the old ghosts went their separate ways, never to see each other again.

© Copyright 2010 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.

This text composition is a work of fiction. Names, places, institutions, events, incidents, characters, persons, locations, and/or organizations either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Full Creative Writing Disclaimer.