I’ve been sitting at this table for the past thirty minutes looking at nothing in particular, doing nothing in particular too. My hands might be idle but my mind’s been going places. Today is up there with the worst days of my life but I have to admit, it’s been coming. I haven’t felt like myself in a while, family issues and past traumas finally got to me. I’ve been slacking at work and it’s been hard to meet deadlines. Following a trail of clients’ complaints and dissatisfaction, I finally lost my job. It felt like a bullet straight into my spine, like my trauma had just multiplied a thousand times. All these events led me to this bar, to use the alcohol as an escape from my very undesirable reality. 

In the middle of processing my thoughts, I set my eyes on this fascinating woman. She’s sitting alone at a table for two with an unfinished bottle on the table. Why would she be alone at a table for two? My day is already ruined, a little company won’t hurt. 

“Hey there, I hope I’m not interrupting anything” She raises her head slightly to see who’s potentially disturbing her solitude. She smiles slightly and responds, “Oh you are, you’re interrupting this engaging conversation I’m having with my imaginary friends” She has a bit of sarcasm in her, I already like her. “Well, do you mind if I joined in on this conversation?” I make a gesture to sit on the chair opposite her and she smiles in encouragement. That’s how it all began. We talked for hours and had a couple drinks. However, we had to stop before we became tipsy. 

“It’s quite late. Is your place far? I could drive you there if you don’t mind” I just had one of the best conversations I’ve had in a while with a stranger. Those few hours I spent with her were one of my best moments in the past few months. She seems to get me in a way no one else has done in a while. She replies, “My place is quite far, do you mind if I spend the night at your place?” This is an odd request but tonight hasn’t particularly been normal, so what’s the worst that could happen? “Of course, I have space” She flashes that smile again. 

That night that she spent at my place turned out to be one of the best nights of my life. There was nothing sexual but listening to her talk, the feeling is otherworldly. Talking to her made me forget all my problems. Her name’s Serena. She just moved into town, hoping for a fresh start. She lost her job and decided to switch cities, hoping to find something new. 
“How are you so open to having a conversation with a total stranger, and even spending the night at his place?” I had to ask.
“I’m a free-spirited person, and I actually came out tonight hoping to meet someone new. I needed that sense of newness in my life, you are a breath of fresh air” I was speechless, but grateful. 

I dropped her off at her place the next day and as she stepped out of my car, she asked, “Can we do this some other time?” I immediately replied, “Sure” 

Maybe I also needed a breath of fresh air, something new in my life. Maybe Serena is the angel that God sent to save me from this hole I’ve been sinking into for the past month. I can’t wait to meet her again, she’s my breath of fresh air, the escape I have been searching for.