The Silhouette

As he took his seat, that fateful day; He had no idea what was in store for him. All he had hoped for is a lovely hour long performance and yet, what would grab his attention was where everyone wasn’t looking.

Fifteen minutes after the start he first noticed her. She was sitting in the row in front of him and to his right. Actually it was the lighting that drew his attention to her, a sudden blast of yellow light from the left. The light caught something and reflected back his eye from the right. It was her left earring.

The juxtaposition of the timing of the lighting and the angle of her head, had him mesmerized for a moment or two. Then the light brightened and her Silhouette was was more clear. Inside the outer edge of her silhouette was a certain glow, something the made her presence special. He knew it was a perfect play of lights and reflection but he couldn’t look away.

A few moments later, she leaned over to the boy sitting next to her and whispered something; they chuckled. As the seconds flew by there was a lighter moment in the performance and she laughed her heart out. Her head thrown back and laughing loudly in complete delight on what she was watching. There was a certain freedom in her laughter that made it so much more special. He sat there smiling, he knew he was watching another spectacular performance to what his neighbor was.

As the show neared its end, he stole glances at her but could never manage to see more than her silhouette. He waited for the end, for the house lights to come on and so that he could finally see the he had admired for the past hour; Yet there was a part of him that wondered if he should ruin the beautiful image he had in his head by revealing it.

As the final applause echoed, the lights came on around them. He slowly turned towards her and saw the long shining earrings that had started it all, they looked beautiful. He smiled, turned away and walked out.