The Big Fight

Demetri was trying to console me as we drove to the city (still undecided) to get lunch. Against my wishes, Demetri had decided that I needed to get out of the house for a little while. After moping around for three days, he wanted to take me to lunch...


"Seriously Lily, its time to move on," he stated calmly. I glared out the window.

"I can't! don't you get it? That was my mom! I cant just move on," I couldn't cry anymore. It seemed impossible that my cheeks had stayed dry since the day of the accident, but somehow my eyes dried up like an old well.

The ride was in silence for awhile. I didn't understand why Demetri was suddenly so insensitive, almost to the point of cruelty.

We arrived in (The City) and decided on Quizno's for lunch. We had to walk short distance from the downtown parking garage to the restaurant. On the way, we passed several alleyways and what I saw made me even more depressed.

On the corner, there was a shabby old man, sitting in a box. He had a knitted hat, mismatched gloves, and lots of holey clothing. There was a pile of blankets, cushions, and old pillows piled up next to the box. For some reason, the image of this man put me into a worse state of misery. He didn't panhandle, or beg. He didn't even look at the passersby, just read an old beat up copy of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. He looked up as we passed, his expression as blank as box he lived in. I sensed that he also had great loss, and I couldn't bear it. I looked away first and continued on to where I was about to have a hot, delicious sandwich.

I insisted to Demetri that we get meal to-go, and he gave in. We waited an excruciating amount of time in line, and when we got our food, I all but ran out of the restaurant. When I got back to the box, there was a blanket over the front, hiding the man inside. I left half of my sandwich on top of the box and as I walked away, I saw his gloved hand reach up and take it.

"What the hell was that?" Demetri asked when he caught up to me.

"Its called kindness and sensitivity, both of which you currently seem to be lacking," I replied curtly.

"I paid for that sandwich, and it was supposed to go into your stomach, not a wacko off the streets."

"He wasn't a wacko, and I still have another half. I wasn't going to eat it all anyway. God, why do you care so much?"

"I just don't think that his type of people deserve your kindness. They take advantage and spend all of your money on booze and drugs."

"Really? Well I didn't give him money did I? Not that it would be any of your business anyway. And he wasn't asking for anything. Its not his fault he lives like that, you know maybe he was rich at one point! You don't know anything!" At this point I was yelling at him in the middle of the sidewalk. People were staring, but I didn't care.

"I know that they work the system and they don't deserve what society gives them. You are just feeling sorry for a bunch of--"

I ran. I put my hands over my ears and ran all the way to the car. Luckily we had taken mine, and Demetri could fly, not that I cared.

Then, I took off and drove, blasting music, and tearing out of the city limits, leaving the feelings for Demetri right there on the sidewalk to fry up like a rotten egg.