Traffic Lights

The traffic signal turned red. I was in the front seat. My nephew, Ron was driving towards home, thoughtful as he looked straight ahead. NEPR went on with news updates on the car radio. Emerging spring had whispers of greenery on passing trees. Ron and I held onto silence, as if listening to quiet messages of the changing seasons.

Looking at my right, I could see a gray jeep and a male driver around his late fifties. He looked familiar, kind of handsome with sharp nose and brownish hair. I could see his wide mouth smiling, the twitch on the two sides of his lips, resembling Pierce Brosnan a bit. The sharp nose gave him a Roman look and I couldn't help holding my gaze momentarily. Being an artist, senses somehow got glued to beauty regardless of its place or time.

As my eyes held, the man on the wheel, must have felt my eyes on him. He turned his head and our eyes met. Wow! Yet another lucky star for me, he had those wonderful blue eyes. And so bright and twinkling that in that momentary meeting of our gazes, I could not keep amazement from my face. He reminded me of Roger Moore, hero of my youth and his eyes. Perhaps, I even smiled, a friendly one.

His left hand which was on the wheel suddenly shot out, ever so lightly out the window. My eyes were caught by the wave like gesture of his hand and the sunlight caught the gold wedding band on his hand. He gave it a few twitches as if to ascertain that I had seen it.

I did. The act was as good as saying, 'Hey don't hit on me, I am married.' 

I got the message and wondered if he was happy or not. Marriages are under challenges these days. Meanwhile his companion, a man of similar age was looking at me. Through the window glass I could see them laughing and imagined them talking about the lady on left, me. The driver's friend waved his left hand suggestively and I could see his ring finger was empty.

'Hmmm…I am still available.' I read in the movement.

Amused, little irritated too, I pretended to scratch my right ear, making sure that they had a glimpse of my ring finger. The friend's hand dropped and the car started moving on. My finger had a solitaire diamond on it, by mistake I had taken my sister's one while we were catching up on gossips. Traffic light was green and our car too started moving on.

It was innocent flirting I suppose. I actually don't wear any rings at all. Marriage has never been my cup of tea. But I wished I had no ring that day, I rather liked the driver's friend.

Still quiet, Ron and I came to the next traffic signal. I could not believe it, but the jeep came to a halt on my right. Both men looked on their left and smiled, as if meeting an old friend. I pretended to move my hair, I had opened my sister's ring from my hand by that time. The driver's friend looked at me. Our gaze held, he had blue eyes too and a nice smile. Just then the signal turned to green. I watched as he turned his head, perhaps to mark our license plate?

Two doves flew past the windshield of our car. I wondered what was coming in the revival of spring.

Tulip Chowdhury writes from Massachusetts, USA.